Abiotic factors affect the occurrence of different morphological characteristics in Erebia medusa (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

A total of 333 specimens of Erebia medusa from four sites with different altitudes in the Western Carpathians, specifically from orographical units of the Kosicka kotlina basin (Beniakovce), the Busov Mts (Cigeľka), the Pieniny Mts (Targov) and the Muranska planina Mts (Studna), were collected and subsequently analyzed for specific morphological structures of valvae using morphometric techniques to explore the pattern of shape variation of genitalia in the different environments. The degree of influence of selected abiotic factors in eastern Slovakia on the occurrence of different morphological features of E. medusa valvae was studied. The variation was defined using principal component analysis. The altitude and bedrock type showed significant effects on morphological variation. The morphology of male butterfly genitalia from sites at higher altitude showed different shapes of valvae than males from sites at lower altitude. Targov and Cigelka areas contain the largest populations of E. medusa in the Western Carpathians. Although morphological features of valvae are considered to be permanent, variation of these features could be caused by different factors such as geographical isolation and abiotic factors.