Papilio alexanor (Esper, 1799)  
Alexanor, Südlicher Schwalbenschwanz, L'Alexanor, Алексанор, Ալեքսանոր. 

Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: 
The species is mostly distributed in Southern Europe, Balkans, Asia Minor to Middle East, Middle Asia to Iran and Afghanistan. The host plants of the species throughout its range are Falcaria vulgaris, Seseli libanotis, Torilis heterophylla, various species of Ferula. Armenia is inhabited by subspecies orientalis (Romanov, 1884). In Armenia the species distributed in a patchy manner with fairly big population on the slopes of Gegham Mountains and other smaller populations in Central and Southern Armenia. Mostly it inhabits stony semi-deserts, and xerophyte mountain steppes. The elevation range occupied by the species is from 1000 to 2100 m a.s.l. Flight period in Armenia lasts from mid May to mid July in single generation. In Armenia the host plant of the species are Ferula orientalis and F.rigidula, which are distributed wider within the country than the species.
 
Population dynamics:
The species shows steep declining trend (p<0.01) trend in most of the areas of its range in Armenia. The host plant is not influenced directly by livestock grazing, although the general degradation of habitat and subsequent erosion might affect it. Nevertheless Ferula species in Armenia are widely used as an eatable herb, which provokes extensive collection of the plants by local inhabitants. Also it was notified that the species abundance shows dependence on average humidity of particular season and therefore can be affected by unsustainable watershed management practices. The trade of the species exists in Armenia, however its volume and the level of harm for populations is not well studied.
 
Conservation measures: 
The species is not evaluated yet for IUCN Red List, nevertheless it has a status of Least Concern in European Red List. It is included in Red Book of Animals of Armenia as Vulnerable and included in Appendix II of Bern Convention. At current it is protected in Zangezur Biosphere Reserve, in Khosrov Nature Reserve and in Gnisheek Community Protection Area. However still some important populations of the species in Central Armenia are not covered by the network of protected areas. Re-evaluation of the national conservation status of the species and development of the network of Prime Butterfly Area are the first steps of species and habitat conservation, since they can lead to change of the land status into Emerald Site and therefore to make them internationally protected under Bern Convention. In addition to that, it is important to study the trade of the species. Also it is important to develop sensitive mechanisms of eatable herb collection, as well as sustainable pastureland management in the areas of its distribution.

Photo: A. Danchenko

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