Preimaginal stages of Polyommatus elena Stradomsky et Arzanov, 1999 and P. shchurovi Stradomsky, 2006 (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

Abstract

In this paper, we studied preimaginal instars of Polyommatus elena Stradomsky et Arzanov, 1999 and P. shchurovi Stradomsky, 2006 from ovum to pupa. The following differences between them and the related species of P. icarus (Rottemburg, 1775) are revealed: larva of P. elena bright and contrasted, with white side strip; pupa matt, grassy-green. Larva of P. icarus more monochrome, with yellow side strip; pupa glossy, brown or greenish-brown. Body of larva of P. shchurovi is elongated, cylindrical, on contrast to P. icarus and P. elena. Pupa of P. shchurovi resembles pupa of P. elena: matt, light yellowish-green. Larva of P. shchurovi feeds by leaf-mining (1-2 instars) or gnawing out rhizomal gems and buds (3-4 instars) of Astragalus fragrans Willd., using its head protruding from body on long stalk (for the length of half of body). First instar of larva of P. elena make leaf-mines too. Head of the larva also protrudes from the body. From the second instar, larvae of P. elena don’t leaf-mine and feed by eating the leaves along the edges or by scraping off parenchyma with a layer of epidermis. Senior larva feeds on flower-petals and ovary of their host plants. Head of larva P. elena in senior instar is twice as large as that of P. shchurovi.

Keywords

• Polyommatus elena
• P. shchurovi
• ovum
• larva
• pupa