Euchloe ausonia
Eastern Speckled White Ling ( Euchloe ausonia )
The Eastern White Speckled Ling ( Euchloe ausonia ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family of White (Pieridae ). Some authors consider some closely related species in the taxon with one and refer to this as Euchloe ausonia super species Euchloe ausonia complex or Euchloe ausonia - type group. Because of these different conception of the taxon quite a different geographical distribution is referred to in the older literature often. Currently, most authors assume the existence of three closely related species: E. ausonia ( Hübner, 1804), E. simplonia ( Boisduval, 1828) and E. Crameri Butler, 1869 In addition, in some authors E. naina that. is understood by Back ( 1990) as a subspecies of E. simplonia.
Features
The wingspan is 36-48 mm. The forewings are white with black lace and a black stain. The base is marked by black and yellow scales, which cause a greenish- white pattern. The female is generally darker. The two generations differ somewhat in the drawing.
The coloration of the caterpillar varies from yellowish, greenish to bluish above. She has bright side stripes. The back line and the side line of the back are darker than the ground color. The sides have numerous, very small, black dots.
The pupa is light brown and relatively slim.
Similar Species
The species can be confused in their area of distribution with only a few species. In Tuscany, the distribution area overlaps with Euchloe Tagis or there with the subspecies Euchloe Tagis calvensis. This species is smaller on average. The black color of the rather large Diskoidalflecks goes into the forewing cell. Analwinkel of the rear wing is smaller than in E. ausonia. In Liguria comes next E. ausonia also E. Crameri. In this type, the outer edge of the front wing is slightly concave, with E. ausonia he is slightly convex to almost straight. However, a reliable distinction is hardly possible due to the variability of the two generations. However, since almost exclude the distribution areas, a provision on the geographic occurrence is almost always unambiguously possible.
Geographic occurrence and habitat
Euchloe ausonia comes in Europe in central and southern Italy and the Balkan Peninsula including most of the larger Greek islands. The northern border is about Europe through southern Austria, Hungary and the southern Ukraine. In the east, the occurrence pulls in the south continue to Israel and Jordan in the east to northern Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, to the north via the Caucasus region, up to southern Kazakhstan, Tian Shan, Altai and Tibet. The species prefers rocky slopes, rocky meadows, derelict or neglected farmland, open olive trees, roadsides, meadows and forest edges up to 2000 m above sea level. The habitat must nectar plants, particularly cruciferous be frequently and of course the caterpillar food plants.
Way of life
There are usually two generations formed the generations overlap through delayed hatching of the butterfly. The moths fly from early March to early July. The flight time is of course dependent on the altitude. In the mountains and in very dry areas only a generation is formed. In the mountains, the moths fly in June / July. The male moths rise to Gipfelbalz on hills and mountains. There were frequent only for mating.
Eggs are laid on the flower buds of the caterpillar food plants. The caterpillars feed on the flowers and young fruits of the following plants: field mustard (Sinapis arvensis), woad ( Isatis tinctoria ), Isatis glauca, Steintäschel ( Aethionema saxatile ), Evergreen Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), Biscutella mollis, ordinary glasses pod ( Biscutella laevigata ), Genuine Zackenschötchen ( Bunias erucago ) and Aurinia saxatilis. The pupa overwinters, it can, however, two or " lie " more years, ie spend in diapause.
System
The three types Euchloe ausonia, Euchloe Crameri and Euchloe simplonia are very similar. Reason, some authors speak of Euchloe ausonia complex, super - species or species group. Frequently still Euchloe naina will be added, whose position as a subspecies of E. simplonia or as a separate species is controversial. Especially in the older literature, one no longer finds, therefore, accurate information to the propagation of the species due to the taxonomic problems, the number of subspecies and their distribution is very uncertain and secure provisional only.
- Euchloe ausonia maxima Verity, 1925, Crimea
- Euchloe ausonia graeca ( Verity, 1925), Greece, southern Serbia
- Euchloe ausonia pulverata (Christoph, 1884), Tien Shan
- Euchloe ausonia volgensis Krulikovsky, 1897, South Russia
- Euchloe ausonia melisande Frühstorfer, 1908, Jordan