Glanville Fritillary
Melitaea cinxia
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glanville_fritillary
Overview
The Glanville fritillary is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is named for Eleanor Glanville, the naturalist who discovered it, and the checkerboard pattern on its wings. These butterflies live in almost all of Europe, especially Finland, and in parts of northwest Africa. They are absent from the far north of Europe and parts of the Iberian Peninsula. To the east they are found across the Palearctic.
The Glanville Fritillary faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation of its specialized grassland ecosystems. Climate change and agricultural intensification have further reduced the availability of suitable breeding sites containing its host plant, ribwort plantain. Small, isolated populations are particularly vulnerable to local extinctions due to reduced genetic diversity and increased susceptibility to environmental stochasticity.
Habitat
The Glanville fritillary is found across Europe and temperate Asia. It is most commonly found on Åland (Finland), which host a network of about 4,000 dry meadows, the fritillary's ideal habitat. These butterflies commonly inhabit open grassland at an elevation of above sea level.
Other threatened species in Nymphalidae
Frequently asked questions
Why is Glanville Fritillary classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Glanville Fritillary live?
What are the main threats to Glanville Fritillary?
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