DOLOMITES - Annexes 2-8 - Provincia di Udine

NOMINATION OF THE DOLOMITES FOR INSCRIPTION ON THE WORLD NATURAL HERITAGE LIST UNESCO
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of the Scandinavian peninsula and another to the south, corresponding to a section (fairly extensive
and continuous) of the Alpine arc. The distribution of these boreoalpine species is the result of the
climatic changes during the last ice age and the subsequent post-glacial period. These geographic distribution
areas have taken shape in fairly recent times, over the past ten thousand years. Such a short
interval of time was generally not sufficient for Alpine and Scandinavian populations to accumulate
a sufficient level of genetic divergence to be considered distinct species. Across the Alpine chain,
there are at least 200 animal species in the boreoalpine distribution. Many of these are present in the
Dolomites and include especially valuable species, among which the mountain hare (Lepus timidus
varronis) and the rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus). One of the boreoalpine species is also the threetoed
woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), whose presence on the Dolomites was observed and recorded
half a century ago. There are several species of boreoalpine butterflies. Some of the daytime species
are the Apollo butterfly (Parnassius Apollo), peak white (Pontia callidice), Shepherd’s fritillary (Boloria
pales), Thore’s fritillary (B. thore), small mountain ringlet (Erebia epiphron), Alpine argus (Plebeius
(Albulina) orbitulus), and the Alpine grizzled skipper (Pyrgus andromedae); among the night-time
species, Agrotis fatidica, Elophos vittaria, Pygmaena fusca, Grammia quenseli, Setema cereola, Sterrhopterix
standfussi, and Gazoryctra ganna. Other elements in the boreoalpine area that refer to zoological
groups of less ‘landscape’ value are represented by species important on a biogeographical level.
Among these is the small rove beetle Mannerheimia arctica, whose presence in the Italian Alps is limited
to two realms, one of which is in the Dolomites. Other boreoalpine beetles are the rove beetle
Eucnecosum tenue and the click beetle Selatosomus confluens. Among the dipterans we observe the tiny
Sphaeroceridae Crumomyia setitibialis; while the hemipterans are represented by the Lygaeidae Geocoris
lapponicus. Many other species of the Dolomite fauna can be described as glacial relicts of boreal
origin, but are not included in the boreoalpine category as they are much more disseminated in
Northern and Central Europe. Among these elements are three Tetraonidae, some of the most characteristic
birds of the Dolomite bird population, namely the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), the black
grouse (Tetrao tetrix) and the hazel grouse (Bonasa bonasia); plus, the nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes)
and the short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea).
Tetrao tetrix.