﻿A review of the distribution and ecology of the elusive Brown Hairstreak butterfly Thecla betulae (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) in the Iberian Peninsula

Marabuto, Eduardo; Pires, Pedro; Romão, Fernando; Lemos, Paulo; Merckx, Thomas

Publicação

A review of the distribution and ecology of the elusive Brown Hairstreak butterfly Thecla betulae (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) in the Iberian Peninsula

2022-02Artigo científico

dc.contributor.author	Marabuto, Eduardo
dc.contributor.author	Pires, Pedro
dc.contributor.author	Romão, Fernando
dc.contributor.author	Lemos, Paulo
dc.contributor.author	Merckx, Thomas
dc.date.accessioned	2022-03-20T18:55:06Z
dc.date.available	2022-03-20T18:55:06Z
dc.date.issued	2022-02
dc.description.abstract	The Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae L.) is one of the least observed butterflies of the Palaearctic region, even though its distribution spans from Portugal in the west, to Russia and Korea in the far east. Adults are arboreal and seldom descend to ground level. As a result, this species is mostly monitored via the detection of eggs on the food plant during wintertime. In the Iberian Peninsula, this species was largely unknown until very recently, but a recent burst of regional studies in Spain has begun bridging this gap. However, their focused nature and a still incomplete knowledge on T. betulae in Portugal promoted the need for an integrative study at the Iberian scale. Here, we carried out a full literature review on the distribution, ecology and behaviour of T. betulae in Portugal and Spain. Complemented with field work in Portugal, we revealed an almost continuous distribution in the northern third of Iberia, whilst populations further south are mostly mountain-bound. In order to help with future discovery of new populations, we built a species-distribution model relating its occurrence with bioclimatic variables. This model accurately explains the current known occupation of the territory and highlights other areas where the species may potentially be found. Finally, we found evidence of a broadening of the species’ niche through the local use of an hitherto unknown food plant. This study sets a new knowledge baseline for future works and conservation of T. betulae through southern Europe.	pt_PT
dc.description.version	info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion	pt_PT
dc.identifier.citation	Marabuto E, Pires P, Romão F, Lemos P, Merckx T (2022) A review of the distribution and ecology of the elusive Brown Hairstreak butterfly Thecla betulae (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) in the Iberian Peninsula. Nota Lepidopterologica 45: 101-118. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.45.76222	pt_PT
dc.identifier.doi	10.3897/nl.45.76222	pt_PT
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10451/51845
dc.language.iso	eng	pt_PT
dc.peerreviewed	yes	pt_PT
dc.publisher	Pensoft Publishers	pt_PT
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/	pt_PT
dc.title	A review of the distribution and ecology of the elusive Brown Hairstreak butterfly Thecla betulae (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) in the Iberian Peninsula	pt_PT
dc.type	journal article
dspace.entity.type	Publication
oaire.citation.endPage	118	pt_PT
oaire.citation.startPage	101	pt_PT
oaire.citation.title	Nota Lepidopterologica	pt_PT
oaire.citation.volume	45	pt_PT
person.familyName	Marabuto
person.givenName	Eduardo
person.identifier.ciencia-id	A716-FEDD-CFBD
person.identifier.orcid	0000-0001-7017-8451
person.identifier.rid	B-7284-2013
person.identifier.scopus-author-id	36061223100
rcaap.rights	openAccess	pt_PT
rcaap.type	article	pt_PT
relation.isAuthorOfPublication	fa523814-be30-4870-bf89-a2777ed2f946
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery	fa523814-be30-4870-bf89-a2777ed2f946