Ábrahám Levente (szerk.): Válogatott tanulmányok XVIII. - Natura Somogyiensis 34. / Miscellanea 18. (Kaposvár, 2020)

Schmidt P. et al.: A faunistic contribution to the butterfly fauna of Oman (Lepidoptera: Diurna)

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Natura Somogyiensis

Fig. 30: Myrina silentis (Fabricius, 1775) male upper side

common in Dhofar, but a specimen was caught in Northern Oman too. The latter might belong to the above mentioned ssp. barnetti.

Remarks: It is mentioned as an occasional migrant in Larsen (1991), this implies that the butterfly can be found in various countries and habitats. In its natural habitats, the main host plants are Acacia ehrenbergiana, A. farnesiana, although the larvae can feed on cultivated pomegranate {Punica granatum), loguat {Eriobortya japonica) and also dates {Phoenix dactylifera) (Larsen & Larsen 1980).

Myrina silenus (Fabricius, 1775) (Fig. 30)

Material examined: 6 exx. / OMAN, Gov. Dhofar, Wadi Darbat, N17°05.152' E54°16.015' 198m, bushy pasture, 11.07.2010 leg. S. Ilniczky, S. J. Simonyi; 6 exx. / OMAN, Reg. A1 Batinah South / Balad Seet/N23°l 1.794' E57°23.426' / 914 m oasis, spring / 06.05.2019 / leg. L. Ábrahám, S. Ilniczky, G. Körtési; 1 ex. OMAN Reg. A1 Batinah South / AI Muladdah /N23°42.134' E57°32.503' / 38 m / 07.05.2019 / leg. L. Ábrahám, S. Ilniczky, G. Körtési.

Distribution: The distribution of this unmistakable species consist of most of Africa, south of the Sahara, also the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. In Oman, it occurs in Dhofar and Northern Oman as well.

Remarks: Hence the host plants of the species are common across Oman, M. silenus is a moderately frequent butterfly in the area. The larvae of the Common Fig-tree Blue develop on various Ficus species, such as F. salicifolia, F. carica, F. cordata, F. sur (Larsen & Larsen 1980).