NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY;
Volume: 22 (No.1) - pp. 104 - 106 - Art no:e262301
Note on the spatial co-occurrence of Coenonympha glycerion (Lepidoptera) and Thomisus sp. (Araneae) on Sanguisorba officinalis (Rosales) in western Romania
Short research papers → Entomology
Authors
Alexandra Cristina TOCAI (MOŢOC)1, *, Diana UIVAROSAN1, Simona Ioana VICAS2, Andrei George TEODORESCU3
1. Department of Preclinical Disciplines, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410073 Oradea, Romania
2. Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 410048 Oradea, Romania
3. Department of Morphological Disciplines, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410073 Oradea, Romania
* Corresponding author: A.C. Tocai (Moțoc), E-mail: tocai.alexandra@gmail.com
DOI https://doi.org/10.61215/nwjz.2026.22.1.12
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Keywords
spider, butterfly, habitat conservation, pollinator, predator.
Abstract
Interspecific relationships are fundamental to ecosystem functioning. In this note, we report on the interaction between Coenonympha glycerion and Thomisus sp. in western Romania. Field observations were conducted in August 2024 along a 100 m transect of semi-natural grassland and forest-edge habitats. We observed 72 individuals of C. glycerion and 25 individuals of Thomisus sp. Both were frequently found on Sanguisorba officinalis flowers. No predation event was directly observed, but the photographic evidence shows Thomisus sp. in direct contact with C. glycerion, indicating an attempted predation. Also, butterfly fragments were observed in the vicinity of S. officinalis flowers. This observation highlights how flowering plants mediate predator–prey interactions and illustrates the dual role of S. officinalis as both a pollination resource and a predation site.
Article history
Received: 04 August 2025 / Accepted: 10 November 2025 / Available online-first: 15 January 2026 / Published online: 15 June 2026 / Printed: 15 June 2026
Authors` ORCID IDs
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