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Erebia epiphron / Mountain Ringlet
Zijoshja epifron
Nymphalidae - Satyrinae
Erebia epiphron (Knoch, 1783). TL: Brocken, Hartz Mts., Germany.
 
 
1a. Erebia epiphron, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Erebia epiphron ♂ upperside. Greece (© Lazaros Pamperis)
1c. Habitat Erebia epiphron. Vermosh, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Erebia epiphron ♂ underside. Greece (© Lazaros Pamperis)
Description
♂♂
Small butterfly. Fw: 17-18 mm.
Ups: dark brown gc.
Upf: pointed apex, red postdiscal band enclosing blind ocelli, variabel from s2 to s5.
Uph: reduced postdiscal band enclosing small black spots.
Unh: brown gc, almost unmarked, rarely small dark spots.
♀♀
Sligthly larger.
Ups: slightly stronger marked.
Unh: paler brown.
Similar species
Other Erebia.
All are larger.
Ups: none with this pattern of blind ocelli in orange pd band.
Unf: none with this pattern of blind ocelli in orange pd band.
Unh: none with this pattern.
 
Life cycle
Adults: single generation from end-June to August.
Egg: short stage.
Caterpillar: overwintering, often two years to develop.
Pupa: short stage.
Habitat
Erebia epiphron inhabits a large variety of subalpine and alpine habitats, as well in dry as more humid rocky places from 1500 up to 2300 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement modest, population density often high.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed mainly on Nardus stricta, Festuca airoides, F. ovina, F. rubra, F. valesiaca and F. violacea, also mentioned are Carex praecox, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia cespitosa and Poa annua.
Butterflies feed on alpine flowers, often Arnica sp.
Distribution
Albania: only recorded in northern Albania (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, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.
Conservation status
Erebia epiphron is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: VU.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.
Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
euroButterflies
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