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Pseudochazara tisiphone / Dark Grayling
Tisifonia
Nymphalidae - Satyrinae
Pseudochazara tisiphone Brown, [1981]. TL: N.W. Greece.
 
 
   
 
 
1a. Pseudochazara tisiphone, distribution map (09.i.2025).  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Pseudochazara tisiphone copula. Boboshticë, Korçë county, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra ♂ underside. Bulqizë, Dibër county, Albania (© Laurian Parmentier)
1d. Pseudochazara tisiphone ♀ underside. Boboshticë, Korçë county, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Holotype of Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra ♂ upperside. Bulqizë, Dibër county, Albania, 13.vii.2017 (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1f. Holotype of Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra ♂ underside. Bulqizë, Dibër county, Albania, 13.vii.2017 (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1g. Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra ♀ upperside. Krastë, Dibër county, Albania, 18.vii.2017 (© Laurian Parmentier)
1h. Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra ♀ underside. Krastë, Dibër county, Albania, 18.vii.2017 (© Laurian Parmentier)
1i. Habitat of Pseudochazara tisiphone. Shtikë, Korçë county, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1j. Habitat of Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra. Bulqizë, Dibër county, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1k. Habitat of Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra. Bulqizë, Dibër county, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1l. Habitat of Pseudochazara tisiphone. Voskopojë, Korçë county, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Note
Cuvelier S. & Marafi AJ M. 2025. Status and conservation of genetic diversity in the disjunct populations of Pseudochazara tisiphone Brown, [1981], in Albania. — Archives of Western Palearctic Lepidoptera 2025(1): 71-78 (pdf) (url)
Pseudochazara tisiphone dibra Cuvelier & Marafi, 2025, ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/E8AC9881-7EDE-47A2-B1CF-067152352AAE
Parmentier L. & Qirinxhi X. 2025. Unexpected cryptic diversity revealed through integrative analysis within isolated populations of the Graylings (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) in the Western Balkans — Phegea 53(1) 22-38. (abstract)
This new article, currently (accessed 01.iii.2025) under embargo until 2027, examines the same Pseudochazara population that was recently described as subspecies P. tisiphone dibra (Cuvelier & Marafi 2025).
However, the first author elevates the Dibër population to species level, naming it Pseudochazara misjai Parmentier, without implicating the second author in the scientific name.
Since one of the editors of Fluturat e Shqipërisë was involved in the first publication, the decision on its taxonomic status is left to the reader’s personal judgement.
Given the uncertainty in this grey area of subtle differences and the lack of data to apply the biological species concept, the subspecies level remains the current classification on the website, based on a cautious approach to avoid unnecessary species inflation and until more conclusive evidence is presented.
Description
♂♂
Medium size butterfly. Fw: 25-28 mm.
Ups: brown gc.
Upf: sex-brand outside cell, two white-pupilled ocelli in s2 and s5 and white dots in s3 and s4.
Uph: two small , vaguely black surrounded, white ocelli in orange submarginal band.
Unf: diffuse submarginal line, no black linear markings in the basal area, large pale orange area, slightly larger white-pupilled ocelli in s2 and s5 and larger white dots in s3 and s4.
Unh: pale mottled brown gc, rarely vestigial markings.
♀♀
Larger.
Ups: slightly paler brown gc.
Upf:
slightly stronger ocelli in s2 and s5 and white dots in s3 and s4.
Uph: slightly larger orange postdiscal band, otherwise similar as ♂♂.
Unf: diffuse submarginal line, no black linear markings in the basal area, large orange area, slightly stronger ocelli.
Unh: pale mottled brown gc, rarely vestigial markings.
Similar species
Pseudochazara amymone
Unf: ♂♂ and ♀♀ well marked submarginal line (Fig. 2a)
Unf : ♂♂ and ♀♀ black linear markings in the basal area (Fig. 2c)
Upf: ♂♂ sex-brand in the cell (Fig. 2e)
Uph: ♂♂ single ocellus in orange submarginal band (Fig. 2g)
2. Identification keys between Pseudochazara amymone and Pseudochazara tisiphone (Cuvelier S. & Mølgaard M. 2015)
a, c, e, g: Pseudochazara amymone.
b, d, f, h: Pseudochazara tisiphone.
For a quick comparison (the figures for P. amymone are based on older specimens)
Life cycle
Adults: single generation from end-June to August.
Egg: probably short stage.
Caterpillar: overwintering.
Pupa: probably short stage.
Habitat
Pseudochazara tisiphone inhabits stony plateaus and rocky slopes, on ophiolite substrate, with parts of loose gravel and scattered grasses from 1000 up to 1700 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement moderate, population density can be high.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Festuca ovina.
Butterflies feed on available flowers.
Distribution
Albania: local in SE Albania and an isolated population near Bulqizë (more research needed)
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA - EEU
Asia Minor* (to be verified). Further east: sibling species, Pseudochazara mniszechii.
Conservation status
Pseudochazara tisiphone is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: VU.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC (as P. mniszechii)
Useful links
euroButterflies
Lepiforum
(url) Takats K. & Mølgaard M. 2016. Partial mtCOI-sequences of Balkanic species of Pseudochazara (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) reveal three well-differentiated lineages. — Entomologica romanica 19: 21-40.
(url) Verovnik R. & Wiemers M. 2016. Species delimitation in the Grayling genus Pseudochazara (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) supported by DNA barcodes. — ZooKeys 600: 131–154.
(url) Cuvelier S., Parmentier L., Paparisto A. & Couckuyt J. 2018. Butterflies of Albania - Fluturat e Shqipërisë. New surveys, new species and a new checklist (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) — Phegea 46(2): 48–69.
(url) Cuvelier S., Parmentier L., Qirinxhki X. & Paparisto A. 2023. Butterflies of Albania new data and going online. Fluturatat e Shqipërisë të dhëna të reja dhe faqja online (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) — Buletini i Shkencave te Natyres, Tirana university. 32(2022): 5-31.
(url) Cuvelier S. 2023. Albania, a country with unexpected, intraspecific genetic variability in butterflies (Papilionoidea: Nymphalidae & Lycaenidae). Balancing on a tightrope between species, subspecies, ESU's and haplotypes. — Lépidoptères 32(82): 32-40.
(pdf) (url) Cuvelier S. & Marafi M. 2025. Status and conservation of genetic diversity in the disjunct populations of Pseudochazara tisiphone Brown, [1981], in Albania. — Archives of Western Palearctic Lepidoptera 2025(1): 71-78.
(abstract) Parmentier L. & Qirinxhi X. 2025. Unexpected cryptic diversity revealed through integrative analysis within isolated populations of the Graylings (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) in the Western Balkans — Phegea 53(1) 22-38.
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