Avtor/Urednik		Verovnik, Rudi; Micevski, Branko; Maes, Dirk; Wynhoff, Irma; van Swaay, Chris; Warren, Martin S.
Naslov		Conserving Europe's most endangered butterfly
Tip		članek
Vol. in št.		Letnik 17, št. 5
Leto izdaje		2013
Obseg		str. 941-947
ISSN		1366-638X - Journal of insect conservation
Jezik		eng
Abstrakt		The Macedonian Grayling is listed as critically endangered in the recent IUCN Red List of European butterflies because of its extreme rarity and habitat loss due to quarrying. This categorisation was, however, based on rather limited knowledge on its actual distribution, population size and habitat requirements. In 2012, we conducted field surveys to acquire more information. We found the species at six new sites extending its known range of suitable habitat to just under 10 km2. The daily population size was estimated using capture-mark-recapture method in the most densely populated part of the Pletvar pass site at more than 650 individuals. Adults proved to be extremely sedentary, not moving far even within the continuous habitat on the same slope. Oviposition was observed on dry plant material and in a rock crevice close to the potential larval host plant Festuca sp. Quarrying is confirmed to be the main threat to the habitat of the Macedonian Grayling with five out of seven populated sites containing active marble quarries. Due to the enlargement of the known area of occupancy, its threat status would now be estimated at endangered. Despite the restricted knowledge about its distribution and trends in the population size, the IUCN criteria proved to be applicable to determine the threat status of a rare and localized butterfly such as Pseudochazara cingovskii. Its original assessment of being called the most threatened butterfly in Europe resulted in immediate research project and subsequent actions that will undoubtedly help to conserve it in the future.
Proste vsebinske oznake		Lepidoptera conservation endemism red list IUCN