Volume 2025
	Issue 4

Toward a revised checklist of the Western Palearctic butterflies, hyperlinked to the original descriptions at species, genus and family level (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea) Part III: Rationale and framework for the Pieridae.
Taymans Michel & Cuvelier Sylvain
AWPL 2025(4): 61-68 — DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17818135
Taxonomic and nomenclatural issues concerning the butterfly family Pieridae are reviewed in light of the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), historical classifications, recent phylogenetic studies and current usage. Particular attention is given to the classification of subfamilies and tribes, where older names and synonymies have sometimes conflicted with prevailing usage, requiring rigorous evaluation under the Code. At the tribal level, the status of Aporiini is discussed. The various interpretations concerning the species composition of certain genera are examined, and the decisions adopted for the compilation of the checklist are explained, particularly for the genera Leptidea, Gonepteryx and Colias. The status of the genus Belenois and its placement within the classification, including the resulting modifications to the checklist, are clarified. Finally, the generic structure within the tribe Anthocharidini is analysed.

Additional notes on the fauna of Mount Žeden (North Macedonia) in late spring 2025 (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea & Zygaenidae)
Taymans Michel & & Jonckers Bénédicte
AWPL 2025(4): 57-60 — DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17818348
A first visit to Mount Žeden in April 2025 (Taymans & Cuvelier 2025) enabled the observation of several species of interest for the Papilionoidea fauna of North Macedonia, including Proterebia phegea (Borkhausen, 1788), a species newly for the country. A second visit was scheduled for mid-June of the same year refine our knowledge and confirmed the importance of this region for the conservation of the Lepidoptera fauna of North Macedonia.

A systematic and synonymic list of the Hesperiidae of Western Palearctic butterflies hyperlinked to the original descriptions (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea)
Taymans Michel & Cuvelier Sylvain
AWPL 2025(4): 25-56 — DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17793560
The family Hesperiidae comprises groups of species with a remarkably similar habitus, making species identification often challenging. Identification frequently requires examination of the genitalia (e.g., in the genus Pyrgus), and in some cases genetic analysis is necessary, for instance to distinguish Spialia rosae Hernández-Roldán et al., 2016. Research on species within this family has long been neglected due to these identification difficulties. Whether owing to scarce material or simple oversight, early authors frequently confused species or grouped several taxa under a single name, resulting in a chaotic classification of the group. Linnaeus described only three species for the European fauna, and his successors made little progress. It was not until Rambur (1839), who described seven new Pyrgus species in the same publication, that a coherent outline of the European Hesperiidae fauna began to emerge. Hesperiidae were traditionally assigned to the superfamily Hesperioidea. The reclassification of the family within Papilionoidea was proposed following significant advances in molecular phylogenetics over the past two decades, as reported by Warren et al. (2009) and subsequent studies.
For the Western Palaearctic fauna, the implications of these studies remain limited, yet they can occasionally prompt substantial reorganisation within certain groups, such as Carcharodus. It is therefore crucial to monitor the current literature closely and to integrate these findings into the systematics of Western Palaearctic species. Regularly updating a comprehensive systematic and synonymic reference list is therefore essential. A dynamic, continuously maintained list offers clear advantages over fixed, paper-based publications, which cannot be revised once issued and may become outdated relatively quickly as new taxonomic findings emerge.

An updated checklist of the Serbian butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea Latreille, [1802])
Jakšić Predrag
AWPL 2025(4): 14-24 — DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17594685
A new checklist of the butterflies of Serbia is presented, including both scientific and vernacular names. The differences between this and previous checklists are discussed, as well as current taxonomic issues. A new Red List is proposed, with supporting justification, and species considered regionally extinct (RE) are identified.

Following the trail of Rebel and Misja. A century-later confirmation of Pseudochazara geyeri (Herrich-Schäffer, [1846]) in Albania and a critical reassessment of its Balkan range.
Cuvelier Sylvain & Molinari Giuseppe
AWPL 2025(4): 1-13 — DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17618015
The presence of Pseudochazara geyeri (Herrich-Schäffer, [1846]) in Albania (Misja, 2005) is confirmed, documenting a population on the west-facing slopes of Mali i Thatë (1565–2088 m). The species appears locally abundant and occupies a larger area than previously recognised. The Balkan population, previously described as ssp. occidentalis, is here considered a geographical race to emphasise its disjunct distribution, a status further supported by the limited resolution of available mitochondrial COI data. The species’ occurrence on Mt. Pelister (North Macedonia) is uncertain and is treated as data deficient. Implications for its distribution, conservation status, and management in the Balkans are discussed.