STATUS OF BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA, RHOPALOCERA) IN THE SHARR MOUNTAINS IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Vladimir Krpač, Christian Darcemont, Michèle Lemonnier–Darcemont, Mirjana Krpač, Matjaž Černila and Xhezair Abdija

Abstract

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) is the best-studied order of insects in the Republic of North Macedonia. Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) are represented by 204 species in the country. In this paper, we focused on the Macedonian part of the Sharr Mountain range, by gathering and checking literature data, including data from two entomological collections, and adding the results and observations from our recent intensive field research on the butterfly fauna performed during the last 6 years (2014-2019). As a result, 179 taxa are reported on the Sharr Mountains. They belong to 6 families: Hesperiidae with 21 species, Papilionidae with 6 species, Pieridae with 20 species, Riodinidae with 1 species, Lycaenidae with 51 species, and Nymphalidae with 80 species. Among these 179 taxa, 52 of them are key species for the protection of this national natural heritage (Red listed or concerned by another protection). The data of these taxa are detailed in the paper. We conclude that the Sharr Mountains hosts a high degree of biodiversity of butterflies.

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