Examples of Dist. maps

Butterflies of Cyprus by Eddie John F.R.E.S.

A Guide to the Butterflies of Cyprus

and Butterfly Recording Scheme

In association with Christodoulos Makris & Rob Parker

The selected maps show the current, known distribution within the entire island for the Paphos Blue (Glaucopsyche paphos), a common endemic species, compared with the far less common but also widely distributed Eastern Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes vicrama).

Whereas most of the Paphos Blue records are post-2000, the map for the less frequently recorded Eastern Baton Blue relies more heavily on slightly older data.

Note also that no recent records exist for Pseudophilotes vicrama from northern Cyprus; indeed, the three blue squares are ‘old’ records taken from Parker (1983). Yet the numerous records for Glaucopsyche paphos indicate that the area has been investigated at a suitable time (the flight periods for the two species are similar), suggesting that P. vicrama is either very rare in the area, or is entirely absent nowadays. However, the latter possibility is unlikely in view of the sightings in the arrowed squares close to the demarcation line since the year 2000.

It is a fact that P. vicrama is much less common than G. paphos throughout the island (only 21 out of the current total of more than 100 Recorders have reported seeing P. vicrama in any location in Cyprus), but the absence of recent records from the north may point to the species being overlooked in favour of the common, and somewhat similar, Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus). For distinguishing characters please see the entry for Pseudophilotes vicrama and ‘Distinguishing characters of the Blues’, on Page 3.7