Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 20.xii.2023

Pseudophilotes vicrama / Eastern Baton Blue
Flatrabluja njollëzezë
Lycaenidae - Polyommatinae

Pseudophilotes vicrama (Moore, 1865). TL: Dom Altenberg, Austria.

1a. Pseudophilotes vicrama, distribution map. Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Pseudophilotes vicrama ♀ lateral. Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Pseudophilotes vicrama ♂ underside. Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Pseudophilotes vicrama ♂ upperside. Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Habitat of Pseudophilotes vicrama. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1f. Pseudophilotes vicrama ♀ underside. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)

Description
♂♂
Small butterfly. Fw: 10-12 mm.
Ups: light powdered blue gc, narrow marginal border.
Upf: black discal spot.
Uph: black discal spot, small black antemarginal spots, no orange submarginal dots.
Uns: light grey to grey-brown gc, prominent dark spots.
Unh: orange submarginal lunules extending to s5.
♀♀
Similar size.
Ups: black gc, variable blue basal flush.
Uph: small black antemarginal spots, no orange submarginal dots.
Uns: light grey to grey-brown gc, prominent dark spots.
Unh: orange submarginal lunules extending to s5.

Similar species

Pseudophilotes bavius (P) Size: larger Pseudophilotes. Upf: dark blue gc. Upf: chequered fringes. Uph: orange sm lunules. Unf: strong black antemarginal spots. Unf: chequered fringes. Unh: band of orange sml lunules extending to s6 and s7.

Life cycle
Adults: two generations from end-March to August (depending on altitude)
Egg: 5-8 days.
Caterpillar: depending on the generation.
Pupa: overwintering stage.

Habitat
Pseudophilots vicrama inhabits dry, rocky grasslands with scattered bushes or shrubs from lowland up to 2000 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement modest, population density low.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Thymus sp., also mentioned are Hyssopus officinalis, Mentha spicata and Satureja montana,.
Butterflies feed mostly on flowers of the caterpillars foodplant.

Distribution
Albania: widespread.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT* - ALP* - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA* - EEU (sibling species: Pseudophilotes baton)
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.

Conservation status
Pseudophilotes vicrama is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: VU.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.

Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
euroButterflies

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