Pseudophilotes sinaicus Nakamura 1975

Entire world population occurs in a metapopulation on some but not all of the 53 existing patches of thyme, estimated in 2001 at 3000 adults. Large year-to-year variability.

The Sinai Baton Blue butterfly, Pseudophilotes sinaicus Nakamura, is a narrow-endemic species occurring only in the high mountain region of the St. Katherine’s Protectorate in South Sinai, Egypt. The species was discovered in 1974 (Nakamura 1975), and was seldom recorded again (let alone studied) until the start of my work in spring 2001. I chose to study this butterfly both as a model organism on which to apply the metapopulation approach, and more specifically for its intrinsic conservation value (James 2006a,b,c,d,e,f; James et al., 2003; Hoyle & James, 2005).
Egypt has a spectacular endemic in this butterfly, a good candidate for the smallest butterfly in the world. Adult males are absolutely tiny, with each wing only 6.5mm long. The only place in the world that it occurs is on and around Mt. Sinai

Tiny size: 14-18 mm. It is probably the world's smallest butterfly. The underside of the wing is heavily spotted; 40% of the basal of the wing hair fringes is black. There are orange spots only on the underside of the hindewing.

Mountain Sinai and surrounding peaks. AOO = 7 km2. EOO 244 km2. 1 location.

Endemic (St Katherine Protectorate in South Sinai)

Sheltered areas at the foot of rocky slopes above 1800 m where the host-plant and other flowers grow; pupate among roots of host-plant.

Critically Endangered ( B2 a,c, iv)

One generation per year.

48 records. Latest in 2007 (Mt Sinai)

Resident

Well-defined and not closely related to other Pseudophilotes spp in same region

May-June

Overgrazing by sheep and goats, and overcollection of host-plant for medicinal use in the medium term; global warming in the long term.

Host-plant: near-endemic Sinai Thyme, Thymus decussatus.