To the Found of New North Ossetia’s Population of Greek Clouded Yellow (Colias aurorina Herrich-Schäffer, 1850)

Abstract

Greek Clouded Yellow is a rare and endangered species of butterflies, previously listed and now proposed for listing in the Red Book of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. The species is also listed in IUCN Red List and Red Books of the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria. Earlier in the republic there were two populations of Greek Clouded Yellow reliably established. During field research in May-July 2021 in the vicinity of the village of Ksurta on the territory of the Sadono-Unalskaya semiarid intermountain depression, a previously unknown habitat of Greek Clouded Yellow was found. It is used the reference practical standard of entomological material’s collecting and registration, of visual observations and images taken with digital cameras. Geographical coordinates and absolute heights were measured by means of the GPS navigator. Determination of butterflies was carried out on external diagnostic signs. The method of relative accounting of butterflies based on records on the route per unit of time was applied. In the period 30.05-03.07.2021, occurrence indicates the multiplicity of the specimens in this habitat. The identified habitat is 2.3 km northwest of the previously known Unal habitat. These lands are used by the local population as pastures for cattle and horses and the slopes were intensively trampled and covered with a dense network of paths. The discovered population gives hope for the preservation of this species in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania.