Chazara persephone (Hubner, [1805]) Dark Rockbrown, Бархатница персефона, Պերսեֆոնա
Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: The species can be found from Crimea across the Caucasus and north of the Middle East to Iran, from the southern Urals across Kazakhstan to the southern Altai and west Siberia. Armenia is inhabited by subspecies C. p. transies Zerny, 1932, which predominantly occurs in arid habitats, like semi-deserts, juniper woodlands, and dry mountain steppes at the elevation range from 400 to 1700 m a.s.l., although some records of the species up to 3000 m a.s.l. have been made. The host plants of the species are various grasses. The Dark Rockbrown gives one annual generation, and the butterflies are on wing from early July till late October.
Population dynamics: The species is slightly uncommon within typical habitat, and demonstrates stable population trend in 2003-2013 (p>0.05), which mostly can be justified by ability of the species to shift the host plants, and therefore not to suffer from anthropogenic pressure.
Conservation measures: The species is not included in the Global and Armenian Red Lists, and also in CITES and Bern Conventions. Its evaluation for European Red Book assessed the species as Least Concern, the same status that the Dark Rockbrown receives at the National Level. Its current distribution is covered by number of Protected Areas and Emerald Sites, also it is presented in number of Prime Butterfly Areas. At current there is no need for development of conservation measures to protect the species, however it is worth to continue its monitoring in order to determine changes in population trend and respond accordingly.