Melitaea ornata Christoph 1893
Eastern Knapweed Fritillary, Шашечница изящная, Նրբագեղ մելիթեա

Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: 
The species is is found in Iran, Syria, Turkey, Transcaucasia, and Ukraine. Initially it was thought that Armenia is inhabited by M. punica Oberthur, 1876, then it turned out into another hypothesis that this population belongs to species M. telona Fruhstorfer, 1908, and only quite recent investigations made in 2010-2011 demonstrated that Armenia is inhabited by M, ornata. The species primarily inhabits semi-deserts and dry mountain steppes of Central Armenia at the elevation range from 900 to 1200 m a.s.l., while the semi-deserts of South-eastern regions are inhabited by close species - M. abbas Gross & Ebert, 1975. The Eastern Knapweed Fritillary uses several species as a larval host plant: Serratula cardunculus, Jurinea cretacea, Centaurea ruthenica, C. marschalliana, and C. adpressa. The species flies once per year from mid May till late June.

Population dynamics:
The species is slightly uncommon within typical habitat, but shows stable population trend during 2003-2013 (p>0.05), which could be justified by the fact that the host-plants are not eatable for the livestock and therefore are not removed.

Conservation measures: 
The species is not included in the Global, European, and National Red Lists, as well as in CITES and Bern Convention. Our preliminary assessment of Eastern Knapweed Fritillary's conservation status in Armenia suggests it as a Least Concern. At current the species' distribution is partly covered by Khosrov Forest State Reserve and Gnishik Protected Landscape, as well as by appropriate Emerald Sites, also the species is presented in Prime Butterfly Areas Gnisheek and Ourtsadzor. Obviously there is no need for special conservation measures, however continuation of the species' monitoring is essential for tracking changes in its population trend.

Photo: K. Aghababyan