Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 87. (Budapest 1995)

Bálint, Zs.: Two new Polyommatus species from the Himalayan region (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Polyommatini)

The stenochorous xeromontane line - the venus group. The group is distributed at high elevations in the Central Asian mountains and seems to be another stenochorous branch of the group. Its distribution is restricted to the high ranges of Pamirs {Polyommatus annamaria BÁLINT, 1992) and Tien Shan where its range overlaps the icarus group (e.g. in the district of Kisil-Kum). As the political situation of the region is almost always unstable and it is very difficult to maintain scientific expeditions, we have very little information concerning this group. The eremial line - the bilucha group. This eremial stock of Polyommatus is distributed in Beluchistan and W. Tibet. It is supposed to have originated from the line of pseuderos MOORE, 1897, which is supported by the occurrence of florenciae TYTLER, 1926 in Chitral. There is very little available information concerning this stock of the complex. The taxonomic problems of the above introduced polyommatine verticille culminates in the Central Asian high mountainous region, where the coalescence, encroachment and flourishing of the phyletic branches are very remarkable. Going eastwards or westwards from this chorological center of Polyommatus s.str. we usually find highly isolated, allopatric taxa. The Transpalaearctic P. icarus and P. eroides, which both seem to be widely distributed in a lot of different kinds of habitats in their range, are the exceptions to the above-mentioned phenomenon. This brief survey showed us that the Central Palaearctic "stoliczkanus complex" of polyommatine lycaenids is a flourishing Himalayan and Turkmenian branch on the phyletic tree of the large and very diverse Holarctic lycaenid genus Polyommatus LATREILLE, 1804. * * * Acknowledgments-I wish to express my sincere thanks to Mr. PHILIP R. ACKERY and Mr. CAMPBELL R. SMITH for the possibility to work in the Butterfly Collection of the Natural History Museum, South Kensington (UK, London) and for their continuous support and encouragement for my studies on Palaearctic lycaenids. I had many interesting and instructive discussions with my friends and colleagues Dr. KONRAD FIEDLER (D, Würzburg), Dr. LÁSZLÓ RONKAY (H, Budapest) and my professor Dr. ZOLTÁN VARGA (H, Debrecen) on lycaenid ecology and systemalics as well as on biogeographic and taxonomic problems. The photos were taken by the photographer of the museum staff, Mr. ANDRÁS KEVE. My interest in lycaenids is inspired by my wife ANNAMÁRIA KERTÉSZ, who is always involved in all of my projects. My principal thanks go to her. REFERENCES BÁLINT, ZS. (1988): A new Polyommatus Species from Southern Mongolia: Polyommatus aloisi spec.n. (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). - Atalanta 18: 385-394. BÁLINT, Zs. (1992a): Data to the Lycaenid Butterfly Fauna of the Western Himalayan Region (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). - Linneana Belgica 13 (8): 395-422, BÁLINT, ZS. (1992b): Three new species of Polyommatus section (sensu Eliot. 1973) (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Linneana Belgica 13 (8): 423-445. BALLETTO, E. & KUDRNA, O. (1989): On a small collection butterflies from NW. Afghanistan (Province Herat), with additions to the Afghan fauna and a check list of the species known for this country. - Ent. Gaz. 40: 245-265. BOLLOW. C. & GAEDE, M. (1932): 7. Familie: Lycaenidae. - In: SEIT/.. A. (ed.): Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde, Band 1 (Suppl.). Stuttgart, Alfred Kernen Verlag, pp. 239-306. BRIDGES. C. A. (1988): Catalogue of Lycaenidae and Riodinidae (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera). C.A. Bridges, Urbana, Illinois, vii+377+ii+l 15+ii+ 140+Ü+

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10. CARBONELL. F. (1991a): Une espèce jumelle méconnue du genre Polyommatus (Neolysandra) KOÇAK. 1977 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). - Linneana Belgica 13 (1): 35^45. CARBONELL, F. (1991b): Contribution à la connaissance du genre Polyommatus en Turquie orientale (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) - Linneana Belgica 13 (4): 221-235.