Neolycaena davidi (Oberthur, 1881).

A female laying eggs on the foodplant, the bush Caragana microphylla (Pall.) Lam. This Central Asian species is remarkable for (i) it was recently split by A.A. Zhdanko into several ones, at least some of which seeming to be bona species indeed, and (ii) it will be included into the new Red Book of Russia, which is to be published soon, as hardly entering Russian territory. However, this species is obviously benefited by herding, being common in disturbed steppen habitats with C. microphylla, in settlements etc., i.e. it is far from suffering from man and so needs no protection.

Range: S Transbaikalia, Mongolia, the Great Hinghan Mts.

ssp.: davidi (Oberthur, 1881) - monotypical.

an egg-laying female

A bushy (Caragana microphylla (Pallas) Lam.) herding meadow in the Onon River right bank at the village Verkhnii Tsasuchei, Onon District, SE Chita Province (Dahuria), Transbaikalia, Siberia, Russia. 30th June 1996. O. Kosterin.

A representative of a genus in which more and more very similar species are being described permanently.