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M.C.C. Rodrigues et al. 2010. Contribution to the characterization of Gentiana pneumonanthe L. and Maculinea alcon L.
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Contribution to the characterization of Gentiana pneumonanthe L.
and Maculinea alcon L. distribution in the Alvão Natural Park
M. da Conceição C. Rodrigues 1,2 , Paula M. S. O. Arnaldo 1,2 & José Aranha 1,2*
1
Departamento de Ciências Florestais e Arquitectura Paisagista, Universidade de Trásos-Montes
e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
2
CITAB, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Abstract
The aim of this research was to study the distribution of Gentiana pneumonanthe in the
geographic area of Alvão Natural Park, in order to determine the area of Maculinea alcon L.
expansion as well the region’s potential for development and conservation this butterfly species.
Due to the ecology needs of Maculinea alcon L (simultaneous presence of G. pneumonanthe -
the host plant - and Myrmica sp. - Ant that feeds the larvae of M. alcon in its larvae stadium),
we made a survey of plants, butterflies and ants’ nests, using a DGPS. Data collected during
filed work was then used to create a GIS, in order to analyse the relationship between plants,
ants and butterflies.
The results show that the land with less human activity are the most favourable to the plants
development as well to the ants development and, therefore, to the presence of butterflies.
Keywords: Maculinea alcon L, Gentiana pneumonanthe, Myrmica sp, Alvão, GIS
1. Introduction
The study and monitoring of Maculinea alcon (Dennis & Schiffermüller 1775) meta-population
of, in Parque Natural do Alvão – Northern Portugal - began in 2006. This is a butterfly of the
family Lycaenidae Lepidoptera, with a life cycle very sui geniris and which is listed in the Red
Book of endangered species (Swaay et al 1999). The host of the early life of the larva, of this
butterfly, is a plant, Gentiana pneumonanthe L., and its host in the final larval stage is an ant in
the order Hymenoptera and the family Formicidae, which is genus and species is Myrmica
Alobar (Forel 1909 ).
According Nowicki et al. 2005, based on studies developed in southern Poland, in wet meadows
in the valley of the Vistula, egg-laying by females of Maculinea alcon, has a high correlation
with the number of flowers that each plant Gentiana pneumonanthe has during flowering season.
Thomas and Elmes 2001, in the Valley Tidna, Cornwall, confirmed that each species of
Maculinea has a remarkably short period of oviposition in relation to the growth stage of
Gentiana pneumonanthe. According the research results, these researchers state that Maculinea
teleius and Maculinea nausithous have different sites of oviposition, which is also related with
the local distribution of ant host species. These two species of Maculinea have preference for
floral buds, to deposit their eggs in places where it occurs Myrmica scabrinodis with a short
vegetation cover between 0 and 30 cm in the case of Maculinea teleius while Maculinea
nausithous prefers the flower buds with neighborhood predominant Myrmica rubra and plant
strata higher.
* Corresponding author; Telf. + 351 259 350 856 - Fax. + 351 250 350 480
Email address: j.aranha.utad@gmail.com
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.