Observations, genetic analysis, and conservation status of Papilio alexanor Esper, 1799 (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) in southern Italy

Abstract Papilio alexanor exhibits a disjunct distribution across the western Palearctic. Records of this species from southern Italy have been rare and sporadic, leading to suggestions that these individuals might be strays originating from the Balkans or Greece. In this study, we provide an updated list of observations of P. alexanor in southern Italy, including records of ovipositing females and early larval instars, as well as DNA sequences from the COI barcode of five specimens from Monte Pollino (Calabria) and Cilento (Campania), to investigate the origin of these southern Italian populations. Our findings support the hypothesis that P. alexanor is native to southern Italy, with three unique COI haplotypes differing by a single nucleotide from populations in Greece (Lesbos) and the Balkans. We discuss these results in the context of the species’ biogeography and conservation. Implications for insect conservation The populations of P. alexanor in southern Italy are small, currently not recognized as native, and partially distributed outside of protected areas. We propose a revision of the conservation status of this species in Italy and highlight the need to invest on locating and safeguarding potentially stable populations in southern Italy.