DOLOMITES - Annexes 2-8 - Provincia di Udine

NOMINATION OF THE DOLOMITES FOR INSCRIPTION ON THE WORLD NATURAL HERITAGE LIST UNESCO
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titude. Among the amphibians, the most characteristic is the Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra)
which has been observed up to 2,300 meters in the Dolomites. The same altitudes also give a home
to the male Alpine newt (Triturus alpestris). Several species of invertebrates have adapted to the higher
elevations in the Dolomites. Among the coleopterans, for example, the species Cychrus caraboides,
Carabus creutzeri kircheri, Notiophilus biguttatus, Amara erratica, Harpalus laevipes, Trichotichnus laevicollis,
Quedius alpestris, Teuchestes fossor, Athous subfuscus, Otiorhyncus prolixus, O. montivagus, O.
nodosus, O. chalceus, O. hadrocerus, O. cadoricus, O. subdentatus, and O. subquadratus have been observed;
among the dipterans, Bibio pomonae, Scaeva pyrastri, and Platycheirus manicatus are found up
to 2,500 meters and higher. Among the daytime butterflies of the high elevation grazing land and
screes, in addition to the spectacular Apollo butterfly (Parnassius Apollo), which is not found at elevations
beyond 1,600 m, noteworthy are its cousin, the clouded Apollo (P. mnemosyne), Pieris callidice,
the mountain clouded yellow (Colias phicomone), the Alpine heath (Coenonympha gardetta), the
silky ring- let (Erebia gorge), the eriphyle ringlet (E. eriphyle), the large ringlet (E. euryale), the blind
ringlet (E. pharte), the common brassy ringlet (E. cassioides), the woodland ringlet (E. medusa), the
dewy ringlet (E. pandrose), the sooty ringlet (E. Pluto), the Shepherd’s fritillary (Boloria pales), the
mountain fritillary (B. napaea), the mazarine blue (Cyaniris semiargus), and the Alpine blue (Plebeius
(Albulina) orbitulus). At very high elevations, up to 2,500 meters, several species of butterfly with
extraordinary ecological value fill the air, such as the lesser tortoiseshell and the painted lady (Vanessa
urticae and V. cardui), on the paths of the long-range migratory movements that cross the Dolomites.
The blooms of the high elevation pioneer plants are visited by several spectacular hymenopters
apoidea, such as Psithyrus flavidus and Bombus elegans, which subsist at elevations above 2,500
m, and Bombus pyrenaeus, which has been sighted at over 3,000 m. Among the dipterans, well represented
in the higher belts are the Chironomidae and Sciaridae, two families that on the Dolomites
include two small-winged endemic species, respectively Bryophaenocladius thaleri and Lycoriella ventrosa,
both found at over 3,000 meters. Among the small-winged insects, an interesting specimen is
the mecoptera Boreus hyemalis, which is active mainly in the winter and which has been observed in
the Dolomites up to 3,200 meters. Among the arthropods, which have been sighted up to 2,500 m
and beyond, on the Dolomites, several spiders such as Alopecosa pulverulenta, Gnaphosa badia, Pardosa
nigra and Erigone tirolensis (the last two species have been sighted above 3,000 m), myriapods
such as Glomeris helvetica (a circumalpine species with a fragmented distributional range), Leptoiulus
alemannicus and L. montivagus and isopod crustaceans such as Trachelipus ratzeburgii. Endemic
in the Dolomites are the spider species Lepthyphantes merretti and L. brunneri. The terrestrial mollusc
community is very extensive in the most peripheral districts. A recent survey conducted in the
Parco delle Dolomiti Bellunesi (Dalfreddo et al. 2000) has led to classification of some 134 species,
111 which are land-inhabiting and 23 live in fresh water. Of this quota, some 75 species are found in
the subalpine transitional belt between 1,600 and 1,900 m and 47 species reach or exceed 1,900 m.
This population is much poorer in the more internal areas, for edaphic (the molluscs are much more
scarce on non-carbonate soils), climatic and historic reasons. Also noteworthy are the Truncatellina
monodon, present at higher elevations on the Sciliar, the Catinaccio, and the Alpe di Fedaia, and the
rare Neostyriaca corynodes. Among the Annelida phylum, two species of Lumbricus subsist at very
high elevations, despite the low depth of the soil. These are Dendrobaena rubida, up to 2,300 meters,
and Lumbricus rubellus up to 2,400 meters. Among the aquatic species, the small leech Helobdella
stagnalis reaches habitats up to 2,500 meters.