Ypthima asterope

Abstract: Little has been written about Ypthima asterope (Klug, 1832) in its eastern Mediterranean range, which extends from the Aegean islands of Samos, Symi and Rhodes in the west to Kastellorizo (= Megisti), Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan in the east.The origin of Y. asterope in the eastern Mediterranean is discussed and within the constraints of a broadly ecological paper, we comment on the possibility of Y. asterope asterope not extending further eastwards than the Gulf of Oman. A natural variation in wing morphology led earlier authors to claim the presence of a Mediterranean subspecies: examination of specimens from Cyprus and Rhodes shows no evidence of genitalic differences. Increasingly, tourism poses a potential threat on some Mediterranean islands, although the status of Y.asterope is not yet considered to be at serious risk. Pressure from tourism is a concern on Cyprus in particular, where the stronghold for this species is concentrated in vulnerable coastal areas. A detailed, illustrated account of the lifecycle of Y. asterope is provided and a probable new host-plant,Hyparrhenia hirta (Linnaeus), is introduced.