Introduction

Geometridae are the second-largest family of Lepidoptera, known to include approximately 24,000 species worldwide (SCOBLE & HAUSMANN, 2007) with 900 species recorded from Europe (HAUSMANN, 2001). In Malta this family is represented by around 75 species (SAMMUT, 2000).

Species in the genus Microloxia Warren, 1893 have a deep green ground colour and are relatively small, with the males measuring around 17mm whereas the females measure up to 22 mm. The males have bipectinate antennae whilst the females have dentate antennae. Microloxia Warren, 1893 includes six worldwide species and are distributed in Europe, Africa including Madagascar and the Indo-Pacific.

The genus Scopula Schrank, 1802 which belongs to the Scopulini Duponchel, 1845 tribe, includes more than 700 worldwide species, with 10 species being mentioned from Malta, however Scopula (Glossotrophia) confinaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1847), Scopula (Scopula) rubiginata (Hufnagel, 1767), and Scopula (Scopula) emutaria (Hübner, [1809]) have probably been recorded by mistake since these species have never been found in the recent history of Maltese entomology (SAMMUT, 2000) and potentially have been confused with other species.

Material and methods

This material has been collected by the author using a 250 W mercury vapour light and an 18W UV Black light tube and is found in the author’s private collection.

Results

Microloxia herbaria (Hübner, [1813])

Material: Malta, Gozo, Daħlet Qorrot, 1 ♂, 11-VI-2021, at MV light, coll & leg. J. Agius.

Life History: Microloxia herbaria (Hübner, [1813]) is found in open grassland of hot coastal plains and rocky steppes. The area from where the specimen was recorded is a valley which leads straight to the sea. The valley has considerable agricultural fields however on the sides it is mainly made up of rocky garigues. The larvae are polyphagous and feed on the flowers of Helichrysum stoechas (L.) Moench, Teucrium polium capitatum (L.) Arcang, Vernonia centaureoides Klatt, and Artemisia species. None of these plants are found in the Maltese islands but Gozo is home to Helichrysum melitense (Pignatti) Brullo, Lafranco, Pavone & Ronsisvalle, the Maltese everlasting, which is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Malta, specifically on the island of Gozo. Helichrysum melitense is quite common in the area and could potentially be a substitute for H. stoechas. Other related plants are Teucrium fruticans L. and T. flavum L. which are both common whilst Artemisia arborescens (Vall.) L. is considered a rare species. However, so far there is no evidence that Microloxia herbaria (Hübner, [1813]) is breeding in the Maltese Islands.

Distribution: Microloxia herbaria (Hübner, [1813]) is the only species in this Microloxia genus which is recorded from Europe and mainly from the Mediterranean basin including Spain, France and Italy. This species is present in neighbouring Tunisia and Sicily (BELLA et al., 2009) too.

Remarks: The species is new to the Maltese lepidopterofauna. The author proposes the Maltese name Qejjies tal-Ħxejjex, after a transliteration of the scientific name.

Scopula luridata (Zeller, 1947)

Material: Malta - Zurrieq, Bassasa, 1 ♀, 04-V-2021, at MV light, coll & leg. J. Agius; Zurrieq, 1 ♀, 16-X-2021, at UV light, coll & leg. J. Agius; Zurrieq, 1 ♂, 20-XI-2021, at UV light, coll & leg. J. Agius; Zurrieq, 1 ♂, 23-XI-2021, at MV light, coll & leg. J. Agius.

Life History: Scopula luridata (Zeller, 1947) is found near coasts and xeromontane localities but in Europe it is restricted to lowlands. The Zurrieq, Bassasa area where the first specimen was found is a coastal area whereas the three other specimens were found further inland, but nonetheless, not far away from the coast. The larvae are polyphagous on Solanaceae but have also been recorded feeding on Silene vulgaris (Moench.) Garcke (Caryophyllaceae), Asparagus (Liliaceae), Opuntia (Cactaceae) and Rosa (Rosaceae). The first female laid 9 eggs whilst the second female laid 7 eggs. All the eggs of the first female hatched whilst only 5 eggs hatched from those laid by the second female. All the larvae were successfully bred on cultivated roses. Silene vulgaris is a scarce species in Malta but sometimes it could be found in sizeable pockets in some localities such as Marsaskala. When fed on roses, the lifecycle of the larvae from egg to adult moth takes 2 months in early summer. Even though no larvae have been found in the wild so far, the fact that 4 specimens including 2 gravid females have been found in a relatively short period of time might be a sign that this species is breeding in Malta. This could have been easily facilitated by the many ornamental roses spread in private and public gardens.

Distribution: Scopula luridata (Zeller, 1947) is found in the east Mediterranean including southern Greece and Crete, east Libya, Egypt to Cyprus, southern Turkey, extending to the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen and Somalia, across Iran and western India (HAUSMANN, 2004)

Remarks: The species is new to the Maltese lepidopterofauna. The author proposes the Maltese name Skopula Mah- mug. a, after a transliteration of the scientific name. With the addition of Scopula luridata (Zeller, 1947) to the Maltese lepidopterofauna, the Scopula species correctly recorded from Malta are:

Scopula (Glossotrophia) asellaria romanaria (Millière, 1869)

Scopula (Scopula) imitaria (Hübner, [1799])

Scopula (Scopula) decolor (Staudinger, 1897)

Scopula (Scopula) marginepunctata (Goeze, 1781)

Scopula (Scopula) minorata (Boisduval, 1833)

Scopula (Scopula) ornata (Scopoli, 1763)

Scopula (Scopula) vigilata (Prout, 1913)

Scopula (Scopula) luridata (Zeller, 1947)

Figures A-C.–
A.Microloxia herbaria (Hübner, [1813]). B-C.Scopula luridata (Zeller, 1947) B. 20-XII-2021. C. 23-XI-2021.

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to Dr. Antonio Vives for the Spanish abstract and to Dr. Axel Hausmann for the confirmation of Scopula luridata.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BELLA, S., PARENZAN, P. & RUSSO, P., 2008-2009.– I Macrolepidotteri della Riserva Naturale Regionale di Vendìcari.– Entomologica, 41(2008-2009): 113-193.

BREHM, G., MURILLO-RAMOS, L., SIHVONEN, P., HAUSMANN, A., SCHMIDT, B. C., ÕUNAP, E., MOSER, A., MÖRTTER, R., BOLT, D., BODNER, F., LINDT, A., PARRA, L. E. & WAHLBERG, N., 2019.– New World Geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae): Molecular phylogeny, biogeography, taxonomic updates and description of 11 new tribes.– Arthropod Systematic & Philogeny, 77: 457-486.

HAUSMANN, A., 2001.– Introduction. Archiearinae, Orthostixinae, Desmobathrinae, Alsophilinae, Geometrinae.– The Geometrid Moths of Europe, 1: 282 pp., Apollo Books, Stenstrup.

HAUSMANN, A., 2004.– Sterrhinae.– The Geometrid Moths of Europe, 2: 600 pp., Apollo Books, Stenstrup.

SAMMUT, P., 2000.– Kullana Kulturali. 12 – Il-Lepidoptera: X + 246 pp. Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza, Malta.

SCOBLE, M. J. & HAUSMANN, A., 2007.– Online list of valid and nomenclaturally available names of the Geometridae of the World: Available from http://www.herbulot.de/globalspecieslist.htm (accessed 10th June 2020).

Notas de autor