Butterflies of Bulgaria - Pieris daplidice

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Pieris daplidice (Linnaeus, 1758)
Name in Tolman & Lewington (1997): Pontia daplidice; Pontia edusa

Taxonomy: The separation of this taxon into two (semi)species, daplidice and edusa (Fabricius, 1777), on the basis of enzyme electrophoresis (Geiger & Scholl 1982; Geiger, Descimon & Scholl 1988) is by now widely accepted in European literature, including newer Bulgarian sources (Àbadjiev 2001, Beshkov & Langourov 2004). However, species differentiation within this genetically very variable taxon is not supported by newer genetic studies (Porter et al. 1997). Therefore here I revert to the use of the name daplidice for the E European populations.

Range: N Africa, most of Eurasia. Notable migrant, regularly reaching N Europe in large numbers.

Distribution in Bulgaria: The whole country, reaching to ca. 2400 m a.s.l. (Abadjiev 2001).

Habitat: Diverse open or semi-open places.

Bionomics: At least three generations from March till October. Larval host-plants: various Brassicaceae).

Conservation status: One of the most common butterflies in Bulgaria. IUCN category: Lower risk, least concern.

Previous: Pieris krueperi ● Next: Pieris chloridice ● Back to species list ● Main menu

	Taxonomy: The separation of this taxon into two (semi)species, daplidice and edusa (Fabricius, 1777), on the basis of enzyme electrophoresis (Geiger & Scholl 1982; Geiger, Descimon & Scholl 1988) is by now widely accepted in European literature, including newer Bulgarian sources (Àbadjiev 2001, Beshkov & Langourov 2004). However, species differentiation within this genetically very variable taxon is not supported by newer genetic studies (Porter et al. 1997). Therefore here I revert to the use of the name daplidice for the E European populations. Range: N Africa, most of Eurasia. Notable migrant, regularly reaching N Europe in large numbers. Distribution in Bulgaria: The whole country, reaching to ca. 2400 m a.s.l. (Abadjiev 2001). Habitat: Diverse open or semi-open places. Bionomics: At least three generations from March till October. Larval host-plants: various Brassicaceae). Conservation status: One of the most common butterflies in Bulgaria. IUCN category: Lower risk, least concern.

Pieris daplidice (Linnaeus, 1758)