Polygonia egea (Cramer, 1775) Southern Comma, Sudlicher C-Falter oder Gelbe C-Falter, Vanesse des parietaires, Углокрыльница эгея, Անկյունաթև էգեյա
Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: The species is distributed from Southern Europe, through Syria, Southern Transcaucasia and Iran, to Baluchistan and Bhutan. Armenia is inhabited by nominate subspecies, which occurs predominantly in semi-desert and dry steppe zone with rocky formations, at the elevation range from 400 to 1500 m a.s.l. In Armenia Southern Comma uses Parietaria spp as the host plant, although in other parts of its range several other host-plants are reported. It gives two generations per year, having butterflies on wing from mid May till late Sptember or even early October.
Population dynamics: The species is uncommon to rare within typical habitat, but shows stable population trend during 2003-2013 (p>0.05). Most probably, the species is not affected by human induced threats, because its host-plant is a herb, which is specialized to grow on the hardly accessible rocks and cliffs.
Conservation measures: The species is not included in the Global and National Red Lists, as well as in CITES and Bern Conventions, but is listed in European Red Book as Least Concern. Presumably, for Armenia the Southern Comma deserves the same status. The species distribution is partly covered by Zangezur Biosphere Complex, Gnishik Protected Landscape, and Khosrov Forest State Reserve, as well as by appropriate Emerald Sites. Also the Southern Comma is presented in Shvanidzor, Kaladash, Meghri, Agarak, Gnisheek and Ourtsadzor Prime Butterfly Areas. It appears that the species doesn't need special conservation measures, however it's monitoring as the representative of rocky habitat is very important.