Mellicta aurelia Nickerl, 1850  
Nickerl's Fritillary, Ehrenpreis-Scheckenfalter, Melitee des digitales, Шашечница аврелия, Աուրելիա 

Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: 
The species is distributed in Western France, Southern Europe, Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Northern Kazakhstan and to the east to Eastern Tian-Shan and South-western Siberia. In Armenia the subspecies M. a. ciscaucasica Rjabov, 1926 is found, which occurs in several spots of Southern regions of the country. The Nickerl's Fritillary inhabits calcareous mountain steppes at the elevation range from 1800 to 2200 m a.s.l. There are several host-plants known for the species, such as Plantago, Veronica, Melampyrum, Digitalis, and Tanacetum, however which one is used by Nickerl's Fritillary in Armenia is not known yet. The species gives one generation per year, the butterflies are flying from late June till late July.

Population dynamics:
The species is uncommon to rare within typical habitat, and the scarcity of records doesn't allow computation of its population trend. However, the species is obviously specialized towards specific habitat, which potentially puts it in vulnerable position towards overgrazing and uncontrolled mowing. 

Conservation measures: 
The species is not included in the Global and Armenian Red Lists, as well as in CITES and Bern Conventions, however it is assessed for the European Red Book as Near Threatened. Preliminary assessment of its national conservation status suggests the same as European. The current distribution of Nickerl's Fritillary is covered by Khosrov Forest Reserve  and Gnisheek Protected Landscape, and by appropriate Emerald Sites. The species is secured in Khosrov reserve, but in Gnisheek Protected Landscape its habitats are used for livestock grazing and mowing. Potential intensification of those processes can affect the species, that is why it is important to: (1) develop management plans for both Emerald Sites; (2) begin development and introduction of habitat friendly grazing and mowing practices; (3) development of alternative income sources for the communities, which use grasslands of Gnishik Protected Landscape, particularly via promotion of butterfly-watching and other branches of nature tourism in Gnisheek Prime Butterfly Area.

Photo: K. Aghababyan