Invertebrates

The Invertebrate family consists one of the biggest family inside the animal‘s kingdom with over 1.000.000 species all over the world. In Greece there are recorded 27.000 species from which the 4.000 are endemics and it is estimated that there are more species which have not yet been traced. Their main characteristics are that they lack a notochord or a spinal column (as their Latin name also indicates) and they have a vast diversity.

One of the numerous, in species, phylum of the Invertebrates are the Mollusks (ex. Snails) and the Arthropods. At the Arthropod phylum there are many classes like the Arachnid (ex. spiders, scorpions, mites etc.), the Crustaceans (ex. crabs, shrimps, etc.), the Millipedes (ex. centipedes etc.), the Insects etc.

The biggest and the most various class of the Invertebrates and of the whole animal kingdom, are the Insects, where until now it counts 1.1 million recorded species. Their body is consisted of three parts (head, thorax and abdomen) and they are characterized by three main variations, a) they have external mouthparts, b) three pairs of legs and c) usually they have two pairs of wings at their thoracic area. Some of them have one pair or none.

Some of the biggest classes of the Insects are the Hymenoptera (ex. wasps, bees, ants etc), the Coleoptera (ex. beetles, etc), the Diptera (ex, mosquitos, flies etc.) and the Ledidoptera (ex. butterflies, moths, etc).

The Lepidoptera have two membranous wings which are covered with overlapping scales which variegate in size, shape and color. Also they have mouthparts with the form of sucking tube.

The Rodopi Mountain Range is one of the most significant biotopes of Greece for the Lepidoptera. Particularly in the RMRNP there are 180 species of Lepidoptera from the 235 which have been recorded in whole Greece. Many of them are endemic of the Rodopi Mountain Range and the mountain Falakro and they are referred to the The Red Data Book of Greece as vulnerable. 

Following there is an indicative table of the Invertebrates of the RMRNP:

 

Lepidoptera of the Rodopi Mountain Range National Park (RMRNP) and conservation status

 

 

No

SCIENTIFIC NAME

RED LIST of THREATENED SPECIES of GREECE

IUCN Red List

BERN CONVENTION

CITES

HABITATS DIRECTIVE 92/43/EEC

  

Papilionidae

1

Iphiclides podalirius L.

 

 

 

 

 

2

Papilio machaon  L.

 

 

 

 

 

3

Zerynthia polyxena Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

II

 

IV

4

Allancastria cerisyi Godart

 

 

 

 

 

5

Parnassius apollo L.

 

VU

II

II

IV

6

Parnassius mnemosyne  L.

 

 

II

 

IV

Pieridae

7

Aporia crataegi L.

 

 

 

 

 

8

Pieris brassicae L.

 

 

 

 

 

9

Pieris rapae L.

 

 

 

 

 

10

Pieris ergane Geyer

 

 

 

 

 

11

Pieris mannii Mayer

 

 

 

 

 

12

Pieris napi L.

 

 

 

 

 

13

Pontia edusa Fabricius

 

 

 

 

 

14

(Pontia chloridice Hübner

EN

 

 

 

 

15

Euchloe ausonia Hubner

 

 

 

 

 

16

Anthocharis cardamines  L.

 

 

 

 

 

17

Colias crocea Geoffroy

 

 

 

 

 

18

Colias alfacariensis Ribbe

 

 

 

 

 

19

Colias erate Esper

 

 

 

 

 

20

Gonepteryx rhamni  L.

 

 

 

 

 

21

Gonepteryx cleopatra  L.

 

 

 

 

 

22

Leptidea sinapis L./( Leptidea reali Reissinger)

 

 

 

 

 

23

Leptidea duponcheli Staudinger

 

 

 

 

 

Riodinidae

24

Hamearis lucina L.

 

 

 

 

 

Libytheidae

25

Libythea celtis Fuessli

 

 

 

 

 

Lycaenidae

26

Thecla betulae L.

 

 

 

 

 

27

Neozephyrus quercus L.

 

 

 

 

 

28

Satyrium acaciae Fabricius

 

 

 

 

 

29

Satyrium ilicis Esper

 

 

 

 

 

30

Satyrium w-album Knoch

 

 

 

 

 

31

Satyrium pruni L. (syn. Strymonidia prumi L.)

 

 

 

 

 

32

Satyrium spini Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

33

Callophrys rubi L.

 

 

 

 

 

34

Lycaena phlaeas L.

 

 

 

 

 

35

Lycaena dispar Haworth (Distributed only in N. Greece)

VU

LR(nt)

II

 

II/IV

36

Lycaena virgaureae L.

 

 

 

 

 

37

Heodes (Lycaena) alciphron Rottemburg

 

 

 

 

 

38

(Lycaena ottomanus Lefèbvre)

 

VU

 

 

 

39

Lycaena tityrus Poda

 

 

 

 

 

40

Lycaena thersamon Esper

 

 

 

 

 

41

Lycaena candens Herrich-Schäffer

 

 

 

 

 

42

Lampides boeticus  L.

 

 

 

 

 

43

Leptotes pirithous L.

 

 

 

 

 

44

Cupido decoloratus Staudinger(Distributed mostly in the RMRNP) 

 

 

 

 

 

45

Cupido alcetas Hoffmannsegg

 

 

 

 

 

46

Cupido argiades Pallas (Distributed mostly in the borders of the RMRNP)

 

 

 

 

 

47

Cupido minimus Fuessly

 

 

 

 

 

48

Cupido osiris Meigen

 

 

 

 

 

49

Celastrina argiolus L.

 

 

 

 

 

50

Glaucopsyche alexis Poda

 

 

 

 

 

51

Maculinea rebeli Hirschke

 

 

 

 

 

52

Maculinea arion  L. (syn. Phengaris arion  L.)

 

LR(nt)

II

 

IV

53

Iolana iolas Ochsenheimer

 

 

 

 

 

54

Pseudophilotes vicrama Moore

 

 

 

 

 

55

Scolitantides orion Pallas

 

 

 

 

 

56

Plebeius pylaon Fischer-Waldheim

 

 

 

 

 

57

Plebeius argus L.

 

 

 

 

 

58

Plebeius idas L.

 

 

 

 

 

59

Plebeius argyrognomon Bergsträsser

 

 

 

 

 

60

Aricia agestis Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

61

Aricia artaxerxes Fabricius

 

 

 

 

 

62

Aricia eumedon Esper

 

 

 

 

 

63

Aricia anteros Freyer

 

 

 

 

 

64

Polyommatus semiargus Rottemburg

 

 

 

 

 

65

Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) admetus Esper

 

 

 

 

 

66

Polyommatus aroaniensis Brown

 

LC

 

 

 

67

Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) eleniae Coutsis & dePrins (Distributed only in RMRNP) 

EN

DD

 

 

 

68

Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) ripartii Freyer

 

 

 

 

 

69

Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) dantchenkoi Lukhtanov & Wiemers (Distributed only in the RMRNP) 

 

 

 

 

 

70

Polyommatus nephohiptamenos Brown et Coutsis (Distributed only in the RMRNP) 

 

NT

 

 

 

71

Polyommatus daphnis Denis et Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

72

Polyommatus coridon Poda

 

LC

 

 

 

73

Polyommatus bellargus Rottemburg

 

 

 

 

 

74

Polyommatus escheri Hübner

 

 

 

 

 

75

Polyommatus amanda Schneider

 

 

 

 

 

76

Polyommatus thersites Cantener

 

 

 

 

 

77

Polyommatus dorylas Denis et Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

78

Polyommatus eroides Frivaldszky

 

 

 

 

II, IV

79

Polyommatus icarus Rottemburg

 

 

 

 

 

80

Polyommatus andronicus Coutsis & Gavalas (Distributed only in the RMRNP) 

EN

 

 

 

 

Nymphalidae

81

Apatura iris L.

 

 

 

 

 

82

Apatura metis Freyer

 

 

II

 

IV

83

Limenitis populi Freyer (Distributed in the RMRNP and in another region in Greece)

VU

 

 

 

 

84

Limenitis camilla  L. (Distributed only in the RMRNP)

VU

 

 

 

 

85

Limenitis reducta Staudinger

 

 

 

 

 

86

Neptis sappho Pallas

VU

 

 

 

 

87

Neptis rivularis Scopoli

VU

 

 

 

 

88

Nymphalis xanthomelas Denis & Schiffermüller

VU

 

 

 

 

89

Nymphalis polychloros L.

 

 

 

 

 

90

Nymphalis antiopa L.

 

 

 

 

 

91

Aglais io  L.

 

 

 

 

 

92

Vanessa atalanta L.

 

 

 

 

 

93

Vanessa cardui L.

 

 

 

 

 

94

Aglais urticae L.

 

 

 

 

 

95

Polygonia c-album L.

 

 

 

 

 

96

Polygonia egea Cramer

 

 

 

 

 

97

Araschnia levana L.

 

 

 

 

 

98

Argynnis pandora Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

99

Argynnis paphia L.

 

 

 

 

 

100

Argynnis niobe L.

 

 

 

 

 

101

Argynnis aglaja L.

 

 

 

 

 

102

Argynnis adippe Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

103

Issoria lathonia L.

 

 

 

 

 

104

Brenthis hecate Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

105

Brenthis daphne Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

106

Boloria graeca Staudinger

 

 

 

 

 

107

Boloria euphrosyne L.

 

 

 

 

 

108

Boloria (Clossiana) dia L.

 

 

 

 

 

109

Melitaea cinxia L.

 

 

 

 

 

110

Melitaea phoebe Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

111

Melitaea didyma Esper

 

 

 

 

 

112

Melitaea trivia Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

113

Melitaea athalia Rottemburg

 

 

 

 

 

114

Melitaea aurelia Nickerl

 

 

 

 

 

115

Euphydryas (Eurodryas, Hypodryas) aurinia Rottembourgh

 

 

II

 

II

Satyridae

116

Melanargia larissa Geyer

 

 

 

 

 

117

Melanargia galathea L.

 

 

 

 

 

118

Hipparchia fagi Scopoli

 

NT

 

 

 

119

Hipparchia syriaca Staudinger

 

 

 

 

 

120

Hipparchia senthes Fruhstorfer

 

 

 

 

 

121

Hipparchia delattini Kudrna

 

 

 

 

 

122

Hipparchia statilinus Hufnagel

 

LC

 

 

 

123

Hipparchia fatua Freyer

 

 

 

 

 

124

Chazara briseis L.

 

 

 

 

 

125

Pseudochazara orestes deVries & van der Poorten

EN

VU

 

 

 

126

Pseudochazara anthelea Hübner (References by L.N.Pamperis)

 

 

 

 

 

127

Satyrus ferula Fabricius

 

 

 

 

 

128

Minois dryas Scopoli (Distributed only in one - two regions in Greece inlcuding the RMRNP)

VU

 

 

 

 

129

Brintesia circe Fabricius

 

 

 

 

 

130

Arethusana arethusa Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

131

Erebia ligea L.

 

 

 

 

 

132

Erebia euryale Esper

 

 

 

 

 

133

Erebia aethiops Esper (Distributed only in the RMRNP)

VU

 

 

 

 

134

Erebia medusa Denis & Schiffermüller

 

 

 

 

 

135

Erebia ottomana Herrich-Schãffer

 

 

 

 

 

136

Erebia cassioides Hohenwarth

CR

LC

 

 

 

137

Erebia oeme Hübner (Distributed in the RMRNP and in another region in Greece)

VU

 

 

 

 

138

Erebia melas Herbst

 

LC

 

 

 

139

Erebia rhodopensis Nicholl (Distributed mostly in the bulgarian part of  the Rodopi Mountain Range and with a strong possibility to be found in the greek part too)

EN

LC

 

 

 

140

Maniola jurtina L.

 

 

 

 

 

141

Hyponephele lupina Costa

 

 

 

 

 

142

Hyponephele lycaon Kühn

 

 

 

 

 

143

Aphantopus hyperantus L.

 

 

 

 

 

144

Pyronia tithonus L.

 

 

 

 

 

145

Pyronia cecilia Vallantin

 

 

 

 

 

146

Coenonympha pamphilus L.

 

 

 

 

 

147

Coenonympha arcania L.

 

 

 

 

 

148

Coenonympha leander Esper

 

 

 

 

 

149

Coenonympha glycerion Borkhausen (Distributed only in the RMRNP)

VU

 

 

 

 

150

Coenonympha rhodopensis Elwes (Distributed in the RMRNP and in another region in Greece)

 

LC

 

 

 

151

Pararge aegeria L.

 

 

 

 

 

152

Lasiommata megera L.

 

 

 

 

 

153

Lasiommata maera L.

 

 

 

 

 

154

Lasiommata petropoliotana Fabricius

 

 

 

 

 

155

Kirinia roxelana Cramer

 

 

 

 

 

Hesperiidae

156

Pyrgus malvae L.

 

 

 

 

 

157

Pyrgus alveus Hübner

 

 

 

 

 

158

Pyrgus armoricanus Oberthür

 

 

 

 

 

159

Pyrgus serratulae Rambur

 

 

 

 

 

160

Pyrgus sidae Esper

 

 

 

 

 

161

Pyrgus cinarae Rambur

 

 

 

 

 

162

Pyrgus carthami Hübner

 

 

 

 

 

163

Spialia orbifer Hübner

 

 

 

 

 

164

Carcharodus alceae Esper

 

 

 

 

 

165

Carcharodus orientalis Reverdin

 

 

 

 

 

166

Carcharodus lavatherae Esper

 

 

 

 

 

167

Carcharodus flocciferus Zeller

 

 

 

 

 

168

Erynnis tages L.

 

 

 

 

 

169

Erynnis marloyi Boisduval (References by L.N.Pamperis)

 

 

 

 

 

170

Carterocephalus palaemon Pallas  (Distributed only in the RMRNP)

VU

 

 

 

 

171

Thymelicus acteon Rottemburg

 

 

 

 

 

172

Thymelicus lineola Ochsenheimer

 

 

 

 

 

173

Thymelicus sylvestris Poda

 

 

 

 

 

174

Hesperia comma L.

 

 

 

 

 

175

Ochlodes sylvanus Esper

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES:      

 - Lazaros N. Pamperis (2009). Butterflies of Greece (2nd edition). Pamperis Publication. Larisa:pp 766

 - Lazaros N. Pamperis (2010). Butterflies of Greece (unpublished data)

 - Legakis, A., & Maragou, P. (2009). The Red Data Book of threatened animal species of Greece. Hellenic Zoological Society, Athens.

- ANASTASSIU, H. T.: First recort of Clossiana selene in Greece (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Phegea 40 (1) (01.III.2012):15-16.

- van Oorschot, H. and J. Coutsis: The Genus Melitaea Fabricius, 1807 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Nymphalinae), Taxonomy and systematics with special reference to the male genitalia, Tsikolovets Publications, 2014.

- Lazaros N. Pamperis. Butterflies of Greece, the book. 2nd edition has been modified and data has been added. There is also an application (for Anroid, Windows and iOS) free for download in Google Play, in Windows Store and in App Store (January 2017).

 

Glossary for the table of Lepidoptera

 

Red List of Threatened species of Greece / IUCN Red List  Categories and Criteria:

CR: Critically Endangered

ΕΝ : Endangered

VU: Vulnerable

ΝΤ: Near Threatened

LC: Least Concern

DD: Data Deficient

ΝΕ: Not Evaluated

Bern Convention:

II  : Appendix  II (Strictly protected fauna species)

III : Appendix  III (Protected fauna species)

Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC:

II : Annex II (Animal and Plant species of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation)

IV: Annex IV (Animal and Plant species of community interest in need of strict protection)

V: Annex V (Animal and Plant species of community interest whose taking in the wild and exploitation may be subject to management measures)

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

II  : Appendix II (Strictly protected fauna species)

III : Appendix III (Protected fauna species)