First comprehensive contribution to the knowledge of the lepidopteran fauna of Gioia Tauro Plain, South Italy (Lepidoptera)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigated for the first time on the composition of nocturnal Lepidoptera of the Gioia Tauro Plain, Calabria region (South Italy). The main goal was to acquire information on the biodiversity of this insect order in an area little investigated and subject to strong anthropic pressures. The study was carried out for one year in 4 sites characterized by different habitats. Sampling was carried out about twice a month through the use of UV-LED light traps. In total, 791 specimens belonging to 97 species were collected. The species richness of the study area was rather low compared to a more natural habitat sampled near to the study area in previous years. However, we found species very interesting from a faunistic point of view. In detail, Morophaga morella (Duponchel, 1838) is a new record for the continental Italy. 15 species are new for the fauna of the Calabria region: Ornativalva tamaricella (Zeller, 1850), Cnephasia (Cnephasia) genitalana Pierce & Metcalfe, 1915, Euzophera lunulella (O. Costa, 1836), Hellula undalis (Fabricius, 1794), Raphimetopus ablutella (Zeller, 1839) Achyra nudalis (Hübner, 1796), Dioryctria mendacella (Staudinger, 1859), Ematheudes punctella (Treitschke, 1833), Endotricha flammealis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), Oxybia transversella (Duponchel, 1836), Lamoria anella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), Anania crocealis (Hübner, 1796), Evergestis isatidalis (Duponchel, 1833), Udea ferrugalis (Hübner, 1796), and Uresiphita gilvata (Fabricius, 1794).

Contribution to the knowledge of South Italian Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea)

“…The fauna of Gelechiidae of southern Italy is scarcely known as very few records are available (Costa, 1863;Parenti, 2000;Scalercio et al 2015;Baldizzone & Scalercio, 2018;Bonelli et al 2021). For the Calabria and Basilicata regions only 36 species of Gelechiidae are known so far, most of them only having been recorded in very recent years.…”

“…In more recent years, Scalercio et al (2015) listed two species from the Sila Mountains, Huemer & Karsholt (2018) listed Megacraspedus lanceolellus (Zeller, 1850), and Baldizzone & Scalercio (2018) raised the total number of species to 35 thanks to one week of investigations in the Aspromonte Massif. Bonelli et al (2021) reported one more species for the Gioia Tauro Plain reaching a total of 36 species.…”