The Dutch Alcon blue (''Phengaris alcon arenaria'') was a
subspecies of the Alcon blue
butterfly
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprise ...
(''
Phengaris alcon
''Phengaris alcon'', the Alcon blue or Alcon large blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae and is found in Europe and across the Palearctic to Siberia and Mongolia.
Description from Seitz
''L. alcon'' Schiff. (= areas Esp., ''euphemu ...
''). There is not much known about this subspecies, but it has always been very rare. It was
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, where two populations were known. One in Meijendel (dunes north of
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...
), and in the
Meije
La Meije is a mountain in the Massif des Écrins range, located at the border of the Hautes-Alpes and Isère ''départements''. It overlooks the nearby village of La Grave, a mountaineering centre and ski resort, well known for its off-piste ...
(in the neighbourhood of the Nieuwkoopse Plassen). The population in the Meije disappeared in 1975 and in Meijendel this subspecies disappeared in 1979.
See also
*
List of extinct animals of Europe
This list of European animals extinct in the Holocene features animals known to have become extinct in the last 12,000 years on the European continent and its surrounding islands.
Dependent territories of European countries in other continents, l ...
*
List of extinct animals of the Netherlands
This list of extinct animals of the Netherlands includes the animal species and subspecies once lived in the Netherlands but have disappeared since human habitation.
This list features the mammals, birds, fish, molluscs, butterflies, dragonfl ...
References
* Maas, P. 2005. Duingentiaanblauwtje - ''Maculinea alcon arenaria''
The Extinction Website Downloaded on 24 October 2014.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5317244
Phengaris
Brood parasites
Extinct animals of Europe
Extinct butterflies
Extinct insects since 1500
Butterfly subspecies