UTirana Fluturat Atlas Additions

Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 05.viii.2023

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Tirana University
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Department of Biology
0 Introduction Acknowledgements Content General Chapters Monographs Checklist Additions Sources Index Updates  
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1. Glossary
Abdomen Part of the body behind the thorax
Aberration Abnormal specimen, individual variety of rare occurrence arising from environmental or genetic cause
Adult Imago
Adeagus Intromittent male, chitinized organ
Aestivation Summer diapause
Allopatric Species occurring in separate areas of distribution
Anal At the inner margin of the hindwing
Anal angle Point of the hindwing at the junction of the inner and outer margins
Anal fold Fold in the hindwing close to the inner margin
Androconium (androconia) Specialized wing scales of special form in male butterflies containing chemicals to attract females
Antenna(e) Paired sensory organs, clubbed in the case of butterflies, arising from the insect's head
Antistyle Short inferior extension of the styliifer in male genitalia
Apex Point of the wing where the costa and outer margin meet on fore- and hindwing
Apical area Area contiguous with the apex
Barcode Method of representing data in machine readable form
Basal At the base of the wing
Base Part of the wing nearest to the body
Binominal nomenclature System in which the scientific name of a species is composed of two words, the generic and the specific name
Biodiversity Measure of variety and variability at genetic, species and ecosystem level
Bivoltine Having two annual generations (broods)
Brachium (brachia) Paired process of male genitalia, arising from the uncus or tegumen. Present on each side and curving backwards
Brood Generation
Calcareous Rocks and soils containing lime or chalk (calcium carbonate)
Caterpillar Larval stadium of the butterfly
Cell Basal area of fore- and hindwing, generally enclosed by veins
Chevron Arrow-shaped mark
Checklist List of butterflies providing information on the status (presence, absence, data deficiency) in a country
Chitin Hard organic substance and major component of the exoskeleton and genitalia
Chrysalis Third developmental stage. Pupa
Clasper Valve (male genitalia)
Classification Science of arranging organisms into groups bases on similar characteristics. Taxonomy
Climate Long-term weather pattern in an area. Variables commonly measured: temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind an precipitation
Club Terminal, thickened part of a butterfly antenna
COI Most commonly used mitochondrial gene for DNA barcoding. Cytochrome c oxidase I (COX1)
Common name Vernacular name
Conservation status Indicators to list and rank the level of threat or extinction for an organism
Copula Sexual union between male and female butterfly. Mating
Costa Front edge of the fore- and hindwing
Costal fold Fold of the forewing costa enclosing androconia present in Hesperiidae
Courtship Behavior resulting in mating
Cremaster Minute hooks at the abdominal extremity of a pupa by which the insect is attached to a silk pad spun before pupation
Cryptic Taxa that are more or less indistinguishable morphologically
Cuillier Broad expanded posterior region of the valve (male genitalia), well developed in Pyrgus. Cucullus
Cucullus Broad expanded posterior region of the valve (male genitalia), well developed in Pyrgus. Cuilller
Dentate Small cuspidal projections on the outer margin fo the the wings
Diapause Delay in development in all stages. See aestivation and hibernation
Dimorphism Occurrence within a species of two distinct forms, either seasonal or sexual
Discal Central area of the wing
Discoidal Central area of the wing around the transverse discoidal veins
Distal Away from the center of the body
DNA barcoding A method of species identification using a short sector of DNA from a specific gene (e.g. mitochondrial COI)
Dorsal On the upper part of the body. Opposite of ventral
Early stages Immature stages: egg, caterpillar and pupa
Ecology Study of relationships between living organisms and their environment
Ecosystem(s) Specific environment where a group of living organisms live and interact with each other
Elongate Lengthened form
Endangered IUCN criteria indicating that a taxon is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild
Endemic Native to a particular area or country and found nowhere else
Environment Total physical and chemical conditions surrounding an organism
Exuvium The cast skin of a caterpillar
Falcate Forewing apex extending beyond the outer margin
Falx (falces) Slender curved appendages of male genitalia on the uncus (Hamearis lucina) or from the labides (Lycaenidae)
Family Group of organisms with certain similar characters and considered closely related
Fauna All the animal life present in a region and time period
Flora All the plant life present in a region and time period
Form (forma) Group of individuals of a species differing in a certain way from each other, e.g. female form, seasonal form, ...
Frons Front of the head, especially the part between the eyes
Furca

 Chitinous prop under the aedeagus (male genitalia) Usually bifid. Depending on family it is attached to the vinculum of valves
Fuscous Greyish-brown
Fusiform Central wide structure tapering at each end. Spindle-shaped
Gene DNA region that encodes a function, the heritable unit for transmission of biological traits
Gene flow Exchange of genetic material between populations
Generation Brood
Genetics Study of genes, genetic variation and heredity
Genitalia Male and female sexual organs or reproductive organs
Genotype Total genetic characters of an organism
Genus Taxonomic category
Girdle Silken thread supporting the central part of a pupa
Gnathos Small paired process of male genitalia, descending from the uncus.
Habitat Natural environment of an organism
Hair tuft Group of hair-shaped androconia
Harpe A densely chitinized process of male genitalia, often toothed at the inner side of the valves
Head Part of the body before the thorax
Hibernaculum Protective structure for hibernation
Hibernation Winter diapause
Hyaline Translucent part of the wings
Identification Process of assigning an existing species name to an individual organism
Imago Adult
Inner margin Hindwing margin closest to the body
Instar Shape of a caterpillar between two moultings
Invertebrate(s) Group of animals lacking a vertebral column or backbone
Irrorate Minutely speckled, covered with coloured scales
Julien organ

 Group of stiff rods formed from modified scales on the dorsal side of the last segment of the abdomen in some male Satyrinae
Karyotype Number and disposition of the chromosomes in the cell nucleus
Labium (labia) Small palpi, below the eyes, protecting the proboscis
Labides

 Paired lobes on male genitalia of Lycaenidae in place of the central uncus in other butterfly families. Divided uncus, sub-unci
Larva Caterpillar
Lepidoptera Order of insects with scales on the wings
Linear In the form of a line
Lunule Crescent-shaped mark
Macular Composed of spots
Marginal Wing area of fore- and hingwing, contiguous with the outer margin
Metamorphosis Transition of caterpillar to pupa an pupa to adult
Migration Dispersal of butterflies establishing temporary colonies over a large geographical area from overwintering locations to summer breeding grounds
Moulting A too small inelastic exoskeleton is shed of during growth and replaced by a larger new one. Ecdysis.
Monograph(s) Chapter on one species
Monophagous Restricted to a single larval host-plant
Monovoltine Having one annual generations (brood)
Morphology Study of structure and markings in all stages
Mutation Alteration in a DNA sequence
Ocellus 1. Eye spot on the wings, often including a central white pupil
2. The unit in the composed eyes of butterflies. The simple true eye
Oligophagous Feeding on a limited range of related larval host-plants
Osmaterium Eversible pair of scent organs situated behind the head in Papilionidae caterpillars
Oviposition Deposition of eggs by female butterflies
Ovum (ova) Egg
Palearctic Biogeographic region encompassing Europe, northern Africa, Oriental region and western, central and eastern Asia
Palp(i) Paired sensory organs on each side of the proboscis
Papilionoidea Superfamily of Lepidoptera including six families of butterflies in Albania
Parapatric Species occurring together only in a narrow contact zone
Phenology Study of the timing of recurrent life cycles in relation to climate and habitat factors
Phenotype Total external characteristics of an organism arising from the interaction of its genotype with the environment
Pheromones Chemicals produced by male butterflies, involved in male-female interactions during courtship
Phylogeny

 History of evolution of an organism or a group of organisms in reference to lines of descent and relationships among groups
Pilose Covered with fine short hair
Polymorphism Occurence within a species of different forms
Polyphagous Feeding on a large range of host-plants and belonging to different plant genera
Polyvoltine Having several annual generations (broods)
Population A group of interbreeding organisms of one species living on the same place at the same time
Postdiscal Wing area beyond the discal area and before the marginal area
Posterior Towards the abdominal extremity
Proboscis Feeding tube of the butterfly
Proximal Near or towards the center of the body
Pupa Third developmental stage. Chrysalis
Race Informal rank in taxonomic hierarchy. Used for a level below subspecies, sometimes as synonym for subspecies
Range The total geographic area, potentially disjunct, within which a taxon occurs
Reticulate Network pattern
Sacculus Anterior basal angle of the valve (male genitalia)
Saccus

 Median process arising from the lower margin of the vinculum extending forwards in the abdominal cavity (male genitalia)
Sagittate Arrow-shaped
Sex-brand Group of androconia, in conspicious patches
Sexual dimorphism The differences in external appearance between male and female butterflies
Space Area of the wing between two veins and the outer wing margin. Abbreviation: s (see Fig. 4 in General Chapter 2)
Species Basic unit of taxonomic classification and biodiversity unit.
Largest group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring
Sphragis Hard structure secreted during copulation underneath the female abdomen
Stage Different forms in the life cycle related to the complete metamorphosis: egg, caterpillar, pupa and adult
Stria(e) Narrow line. Streak
Style Slender process of male genitalia, arising from the stylifer and curving upwards
Stylifer Posterior termination of the costal valve of male genitalia, bordering an irregular spiny area
Subgenus Subunit of taxonomic classification for a closely related group of species within a genus
Submarginal Wing area for fore- and hindwing between the postdiscal area and the maringal area
Subspecies Subunit of taxonomic classification for populations of the same species with different characters occupying a distinct geographical region
Symbiosis Two or more species living together and dependent in different degrees upon one another
Sympatric Species occurring together in broadly overlapping areas
Systematics Study and classification of the diversity of organisms and the description of their relationships
Taxon (taxa) Defined biological unit (species, subspecies) or group of units (family, subfamily, genus)
Taxonomy The classification of animals and plants
Tegumen Dorsal structure of male genitalia, joining with the vinculum and posteriorly connected to the uncus
Thorax Middle section of an insect's body that bears the wings and the legs
Toponym Name designating type locality
Traits Specific characters of an individual
Type locality Geographical site of capture of a type specimen
Uncus Terminal dorsal structure of male genitalia, based on the tegumen and usually ending in a pointed apex
Undulate Scalloped outer margin of the wing
Univoltine Having one annual generation (brood)
Valve

 Paired lateral appendages of the male genitalia, flat and wide in side view, articulated with the vinculum and the tegumen
Vein Semi-rigid tubes supporting the membrane of the wing.
Venation Pattern of veins in the wing. Abbreviation: v (see Fig. 4 in General Chapter 2)
Ventral On the lower part of the body. Opposite of dorsal
Vernacular Common name
Vinculum U-shaped frame of the male genitalia articulating with the tegumen
Voltinism Number of annual generations (broods)
   
   
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