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Natura Croatica Issue number: Natura Croatica, Vol. 27 No.2

Rasprostranjenost vrsta leptira (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) u zaštićenom području “Slapovi Mirusha” na Kosovu

Authors: Ferdije Zhushi-Etemi, Milaim Musliu, Rushan Ceka, Pajtim Bytyqi

Authors and affiliation

  • Ferdije Zhushi-Etemi Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Prishtina, George Bush, nr.5, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo
  • Milaim Musliu University of Peja “Haxhi Zeka”, Faculty of Agribusiness, Street “UÇK” 30000 Pejë, Republic of Kosovo
  • Rushan Ceka South East European University, Faculty of Contemporary Sciences and Technologies, Ilindenska 335, Tetovo, Macedonia
  • Pajtim Bytyqi Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Prishtina, Mother Teresa nn, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo

Abstract

In this paper we present the results of a study on the distribution of butterfly species in the protected area Mirusha Waterfalls in Kosovo, conducted in the period from April to the end of September 2016. No studies on butterfly fauna in this area had been conducted previously. The survey was organized in 13 sites with different types of habitats, mostly dominated by grassland, natural forest and shrubs. During our study 83 species of butterflies were recorded. The highest diversity (Shannon-Wiener diversity index H) was registered at the site Dush i Sverkes which hosted 68 out of 83 recorded species. The highest number of species was Euro-Siberian (ES) followed by EuroOriental (EO), Euro-Meridional (EM) and Holarctic species (Hol). Our results confirm a rich diversity of butterfly fauna influenced by the climate characteristics, geology and plant composition of the studied area. Out of 83 recorded species in our survey, 7 have Near Threatened status in Europe: Carcharodus floccifera (Zeller, 1847); Parnassius mnemosyne (Linnaeus, 1758); Cupido decolorata (Staudinger, 1886); Hipparchia fagi (Scopoli, 1763); Hipparchia statilinus (Hufnagel, 1758); Melitea aurelia (Nickeri, 1850) and Chazara briseis (Linnaeus, 1764).

Keywords

Mirusha waterfalls, Kosovo, biodiversity, Lepidoptera, habitat

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