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Chazara briseis Linnaeus, 1764 The Hermit round dish around it and 18-21 vertical ribs. L1 usually 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 5 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:47 | SR:-- | Cyan
eats the eggshell is 1.5-1.6 mm long greyish-white with
6 longitudinal lines of long white hairs coming out of
Among the largest of the Levant satyrines, the female has a emerge; most of the eggshell is eaten. L1 is hairless, tapers dark protrusions, head light brown with orange tint and
larger wingspan than the male, which is reported as hilltopper. backwards, and is light brown with longitudinal lighter lines. black hairs. They descend to the lower parts of the wood
Preferred biotopes are dry, open or scrubby areas, tracks or Depending on location, some enter diapause; others, with and dry grasses waiting in diapause to feed on growing
steep-sided banks. During the long Mediterranean summer, hostplants available, feed during the day. Larvae drop from 5 grasses to get whole green colour. From L2 and on, feed © Dubi Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini
C. briseis aestivates and congregates in shady cooler areas the leaf if disturbed. Overwinters as L1 to L3, depending on at night, has darker mid dorsal dark-green line and white
from which they are easily disturbed. Long, motionless location and circumstances, with feeding likely on warmer side lines that proceed to the forked short tail. Body is
periods are spent with wings closed, well camouflaged in days. At the approach of spring, feeding resumes at night, covered with short hairs. 25-30 mm long mature larva
the shade of dry overgrown watercourses, or other shady the larvae hiding at the base of the hostplant during the feeds sometimes at day. On alert they raise their front
refuges. In captivity, water (or nectar) is accepted only once day. The mature L5 is 35 mm long, with a mid-dorsal dark- body with head bent downwards. Pre-pupa is 17 mm long
every couple of weeks. Occasionally when disturbed, adults brown, segmented line, subdorsal and lateral longitudinal hangs straight down, 3.5–8 cm over the soil (measured
drop into vegetation and remain motionless (thanatosis). lines of white and various shades of brown; the head and in ten pupae). The suspended 15 X 5 mm pupa is green,
In Cyprus, Ptilostemon chamaepeuce and Onopordum legs are ochre and four, dark brown vertical lines extend with two rows of brown points on the abdomen, dark
cyprium (Asteraceae) are preferred nectar sources (Makris, across the head capsule. L5 uses its mandibles (0.5 x 0.2 brown line with white margin at wing’s case inner margin
2003: 246). The female may be dimorphic with the cream- mm in size) to dig its way into soft soil where it prepares a and a brown spot at the body centre. Wings turn brown
coloured markings replaced by orange-brown (f. pirata, shallow underground pupation chamber reinforced with silk one day before eclosion after 9-11 days. Female carries
Esper). Hesselbarth et al. (1995(2): 923) reported male (Hesselbarth et al., 1995(2): 922-924). The dark-orange the male in cop. (DB breeding notes and Benyamini, © Dubi Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini
puddling at pool margins, and in Cyprus, post-aestivation pupa is 17 mm long, formed ventral side up. Adults hatch 2001b - illustr. below)
females have been observed puddling at mud (John & after 3-5 weeks. (González Granados et al., 2009: 476-477;
Dennis, 2019). Lafranchis et al., 2015: 700-703; Lafranchis, 2019; SBN &RPPHQVDOLVP ZLWK PLWHV Only once a phoretic mite
1987: 249-250; DB, breeding notes.)
%LRORJ\ was photographed on M. telmessia in Israel, this single
mite was lodging on the thorax at the base of the hw
5HFRUGHG KRVWSODQWV Poaceae (Gramineae) – (Feingold 2006c & pers. comm. to DB – illustr.) – see
)OLJKW SHULRG late April to early November, sl to 1950 m in Brachypodium, Festuca, Lolium, Poa & Stipa spp. Commensalism parag. in Vol I.
Cyprus (John & Skule, 2016: 318). Single record at 100 m
in Hatay (Atahan et al., 2018: 82). 6\VWHPDWLFV DNA analysis has revealed that the Cyprus 5HFRUGHG KRVWSODQWV Poaceae (Gramineae) - Avena
and S European race across to Spain is separated from N sterilis, Cynodon dactylon, Brachypodium, Bromus & Poa © Dubi Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini
/LIH KLVWRU\ univoltine, males appearing before the African briseis by about 1-2 MY. However, within Cyprus two spp.
females. Courting of briseis from Cyprus was observed lineages colonized the island in different periods. One is
in captivity on 10.9.2016, when a male was seen to flit identical to the Balkan race in Romania, North Macedonia,
around a motionless female, the male vibrating its wings, Bulgaria and Greece, the other, older, lineage arrived from 'LVWULEXWLRQ
approaching close from the side and rear before positioning Europe. The exact source and colonizing period needs
head to head a few mm apart. The male then bowed forward additional research (Vila & Benyamini, 2022, in prep.). TL: Marmaris, Turkey. The species’ distribution ranges
and folded its forewings over the female’s antennae and &RQVHUYDWLRQ Considered to be in permanent decline in from east Aegean islands throughout S Turkey, most of Ļ
wings, releasing pheromones. Such behaviour was repeated most of Europe, i.e. Critically Endangered (CR) in the Czech Syria, Lebanon and the Middle East. In the Levant, the
continuously nine times, but when mating was attempted, Republic (Kadlec et al., 2009a), Near Threatened (NT) in the nominotypical ssp. is found in southern Turkey, Syria, Ļ
the female flipped her wings to deter the male, before European Red List (van Swaay et al., 2010: 34), contracted Lebanon, Israel, NW Jordan, N Iraq and W Iran. Its © Evyatar Feingold
raising and concealing her abdomen within her closed range in France, extinct in parts of Germany, sporadic in southern limit is N Beit Guvrin, Israel, near Tel Goded
wings. Unreceptive females may fly tens of metres up with Switzerland and N Italy (Tolman & Lewington 1997: 199), 31º38’ N, 384 m (Benyamini, 2003c). At N Samarian © Dubi Benyamini
the male in pursuit, ultimately evading attention by dropping regression of habitat in C & N France (Lafranchis et al., Desert close to the Jordan Valley a male was recorded
down to surface and escape flying low and fast. The female 2015: 700) and locally extinct in Spain (González Granados N Gitit 100 m in mid-April 1983 (DB, pers. obs.). It is
carries the male in cop. (Lafranchis, 2001). Throughout its et al., 2009: 477). In Czechoslovakia, reduced grazing, not recorded from Sinai. In Cyprus it is replaced by the
range, C. briseis undergoes delayed egg maturation, even successional overgrowth and afforestation has caused endemic Maniola cypricola.
though in some populations, e.g. in Czechoslovakia, there serious decline (Kadlec et al., 2009a). C. briseis remains
is no period of aestivation. There, Kadlec et al. (2009a, very common in Cyprus (Sparrow & John, 2016: 318) and
2009b) reported mortality of 25-55% during the period of of Least Concern (LC) in the Red Lists of Mediterranean
ca. three weeks required for egg maturation post mating. butterflies (Numa et al., 2016: 27) and Turkey (Karaçetin &
In Cyprus populations, months of aestivation then follow Welch, 2011:115).
prior to oviposition. A caged female, taken at Stavrovouni
(Cyprus) for rearing at Beit Arye (Israel), was observed 'LVWULEXWLRQ TL: Germany. From NW Africa, Spain,
© Stav Talal
between 16.00-19.00 on 20.7.2014, in full sun, behaving France, C Italy, C Europe to 50ºN, Greece, Turkey, NE Iraq, to © Dubi Benyamini
skittishly, occasionally turning full circle and curving W & N Iran, Afghanistan, NW China, Tuva Republic S Russia
its abdomen 180º. Twelve eggs were eventually laid, & S Siberia (absent from Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan
prematurely, on the cage wall (DB, breeding notes). Three and Sinai) (Hesselbarth et al., 1995(3): 787); Tolman &
months after being caged outdoors at Alethriko (Cyprus), a Lewington, 1997: 199; Tuzov, 1997(1): 258: Zarikian, 2016).
female from the same area laid five eggs at the appropriate Two subspecies are found in the Levant: C. b. meridionalis
time of year, in early October. Ovipositing in the wild has Staudinger, 1886; TL: Amasya – S Turkey, is very rare in S
been recorded in autumn, eggs often being deposited low Hatay, its southern limit in the Levant (Atahan et al., 2018:
(ca. 2 cm above ground) on dry grass prior to the arrival of 82). C. b. larnacana Oberthür, 1909; TL: Cyprus, Larnaca,
seasonal rain (Makris, 2003: 246; Lafranchis, 2001). The is a common endemic ssp. to Cyprus, where the orange-
white, barrel-shaped egg is 1.0 mm in diameter, 1.2-1.5 brown f. pirata females are frequently observed. Olivier
mm high and with 12-14 longitudinal ribs. Before eclosion (1993: 221) concurred with Oberthür’s designation of C.
2-3 weeks later, the L1 nibbles a series of peripheral b. larnacana as a valid ssp. and confirmed this to differ
holes beneath the top of the egg and pushes upwards to slightly, but consistently, from Greek and Turkish material. © Ofir Tomer © Stav Talal

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