The Butterflies of Palaearctic Asia Series

This serial reference project covering particular parts of Palaearctic Asia intends to provide a substantial body of faunistic and taxonomic information on the butterflies and skippers. It is designed as a tool for identification of all species-group taxa, accompanied by full-colour illustrations, data on ecology, taxonomy and distribution, and a comprehensive review of the literature. The publication is addressed to both professional and amateur lepidopterists who are interested in the Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea not only of Asia but of the entire Holarctic.

The series is based upon faunistic surveys of the butterflies pursued through three major aspects: A study of literary sources, inclusive of all original descriptions, allowed to verify names, check their spelling, exact dates of the taxa establishment, synonymies, to inspect different taxonomic treatments by different authors at different times, to monitor species range expansion or reduction, to trace out the history of butterfly studies in a particular area, to reveal the mistakes and errors and to trace them out in subsequent publications in order to prevent them in future; Field studies: only under field observations it is possible to cast a glance over the entire environmental situation, specificity of the life conditions, life cycle, behaviour, population size and to collect material for further laboratory examination; A study of major collections holding material from particular areas which allowed replenishment of the distribution, variation and phenology data. An examination of the type material deposited in these collections was the most important prerequisite for reliable identification of the species-group taxa.

The publication of The Butterflies of Palaearctic Asia series is a result of long-standing intense field studies, bibliographic and museum search by the authors and colleagues, professional and amateur lepidopterists.