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Coenonympha vaucheri

Vaucher's Heath

Field Notes

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High Atlas, Morocco, July 2005, 3000m

 

High Atlas, Morocco, July 2005, 3000m
 

High Atlas, Morocco, July 2005, 3000m
 

High Atlas, Morocco, July 2005, 3000m
 

High Atlas, Morocco, July 2005, 3000m

 

A stunningly beautiful and highly distinctive species. It is found locally in the mountains of Morocco where it is endemic. These photos represent the High Atlas subspecies of the species, although the other subspecies (from the Rif and the Middle Atlas) appear to be very similar.

The flight period is long. On the Tizi-n-Test we found them in 1996 at the end of May and in 2005 at the same place they were still fresh (mostly) in early July. We also found them at 3000m in early July 2005 at Oukaimeden (photos above) so the species was likely to carry on for many weeks yet.

Our experience of the habitat in the Middle and High Atlas at around 2000m is of scrub with sparse grasses in places. At 3000m the habitat is of sparse vegetation on dry rocky slopes (indeed there isn't much alternative at these levels!).

 

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