New data on distribution of Chamaesphecia efetovi O. Gorbunov, 2019, in the Crimea (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae)

Nuevos datos sobre la distribución de Chamaesphecia efetovi O. Gorbunov, 2019, en Crimea (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae)

This paper is a continuation of the authors’ investigation of the family Sesiidae in the Crimean Peninsula (EFETOV et al., 2012a, 2012b; GORBUNOV, 2019a, 2019b; GORBUNOV & EFETOV, 1990, 2016, 2018). According to our knowledge, the family Sesiidae is represented in the Crimea by 8 genera and 35 species. The genus Chamaesphecia Spuler, 1910 (type species: Sphinx empiformis Esper, 1783) is the largest sesiid genus in the Crimea and has 14 species here. Chamaesphecia (Scopulosphecia) efetovi was described by the second author not long ago (GORBUNOV, 2019b) from the Crimea, Volgograd Region and Stavropol Territory (Russia). 15 localities (including the type locality of this species) were mentioned in the peninsula in the original description (Figs. 1, 2). These localities are situated in Simferopol’, Sevastopol’ and five Districts of Crimea: Chernomorskoye, Belogorsk, Sovetskoye, Kirovskoye, and Lenino Disricts.

In the season 2020, the authors decided to determine more accurately the distribution of Ch. efetovi in the Crimea. For this purpose, 12 field trips were undertaken from 5-VII-2020 to 24-VII-2020 and many new localities were found.

Abbreviations

The material studied is kept in the following collections abbreviated in the text as follows:

CKAE Collection of Konstantin A. Efetov, V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol’, Russia.

COGM Collection of the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.

Methods

The males of Ch. efetovi (Figs. 3, 6, 7) were attracted to artificial female sex pheromone (Fig. 10) for European species Synanthedon vespiformis (Linnaeus, 1761) produced by PHEROBANK^®, Wijk bij Duurstede, the Netherlands. The application of the female sex attractants has one negative aspect: this method allows to collect only males (EFETOV et al., 2014a, 2014b, 2016; GORBUNOV & EFETOV, 2018). The females (Figs. 8, 9) were collected by net when feeding on flowers or flying around the larval host plant Marrubium peregrinum L. (Fig. 4). Specimens of both sexes were also obtained by breeding the larvae found in the roots of the host plant.

The images of moths were taken by the second author with a Sony^® α450 DSLR camera equipped with a Minolta^® 50 f/2.8 Macro lens. The processing of all illustrations was finalized with Adobe^® Photoshop® 2020 software. Pictures of the specimens are labeled with a number which consists of the name of the family, two consecutive digits and a year (e.g., SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0161-0162-2020). These numbers correspond to those of the illustrated specimens in the archives of the second author. Photos in the field were taken by the first author with a CANON PowerShot G11 camera.

Plant names are given according to YENA (2012).

Results

As was mentioned above, 15 localities of Ch. efetovi were cited in the original description. In 2020, the authors found this species in 21 new localities. In addition to Chernomorskoye District, Belogorsk District, Lenino District (Arabatskaya strelka), Sovetskoye District, and Kirovskoye Disrict, Simferopol’ and Sevastopol’ this species was also found in Saki District, Razdol’noye District, Kransnoperekopsk District, Pervomayskoye District, Dzhankoy District, Krasnogvardeyskoye District, Nizhnegorskiy District, Simferopol’ District, Bakhchisaray District, and Kerch Peninsula (Lenino District and Kerch). The list of collected specimens and localities is presented below

1 ♀, Crimea, Chernomorskoye District, Tarkhankut, 6 km W Krasnaya Polyana, 45º28.965’N, 032º51.381’E, 115 m, 06-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0149- 0150-2020) (COGM); 1 ♂, Crimea, Chernomorskoye District, Tarkhankut, Olenevka, 45º23.690’N, 032º32.571’E, 87 m, 06-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0145- 0146-2020) (COGM); 1 ♂, Crimea, Chernomorskoye District, Tarkhankut, Dzhangul’, 45º28.011’N, 032º31.239’E, 7 m, 06-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0147-0148- 2020) (COGM); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Dzhankoy District, Blizhnegorodskoye, 45º38.357’N, 034º22.438’E, 18 m, 08-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0211-0214-2020) (COGM); 4 ♂♂, Crimea, Dzhankoy District, Pridorozhnoye, 45º47.864’N, 034º26.376’E, 1 m, 08-VII 2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (CKAE); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Dzhankoy District, Pridorozhnoye, 45º47.864’N, 034º26.376’E, 1 m, 08-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0155-0158-2020) (COGM); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Dzhankoy, Izumrudnoye, 45º47.732’N, 034º22.835’E, 6 m, 08-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0159-0162- 2020) (COGM); 3 ♂♂, Crimea, Simferopol’ District, Mramornoye, 44º49.646’N, 034º15.499’E, 492 m, 10-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (CKAE); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Simferopol’ District, Mramornoye, 44º49.646’N, 03415.499’E, 492 m, 10-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0151-0154-2020) (COGM); 1 ♂, Crimea, Simferopol’ District, Skvortsovo, 45º04.898’N, 033º48.367’E, 38 m, 11-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0143-0144-2020) (COGM); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Crimea, Saki District, Novoozyornoye, 45º22.892’N, 033º08.817’E, 28 m, 11-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0163- 0166-2020) (COGM); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Chernomorskoye District, Krasnoyarskoye, 45º30.076’N, 033º15.394’E, 25 m, 11-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0167- 0170-2020) (COGM); 5 ♂♂, Crimea, Razdol’noye District, Kashtanovka, 45º37.243’N, 033º21.166’E, 66 m, 11-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (CKAE); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Razdol’noye District, Kashtanovka, 45º37.243’N, 033º21.166’E, 66 m, 11-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0171-0174-2020) (COGM); 1 ♂, Crimea, Kransnoperekopsk District, Vorontsovka, 45º50.676’N, 033º47.458’E, 2 m, 11-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0175-0176-2020) (COGM); 1 ♂, Crimea, Pervomayskoye District, Matveyevka, 45º44.907’N, 033º49.087’E, 20 m, 11-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0177-0178-2020) (COGM); 1 ♀, Crimea, Kerch Peninsula, Kerch, Adzhimushkay, 45º22.691’N, 036º32.332’E, 64 m, 12-VII-2020, P. Ruchko, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0179-0180-2020) (COGM); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Kerch Peninsula, Kerch, Adzhimushkay, 45º22.935’N, 036º31.283’E, 55 m, 12-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0181-0184-2020) (COGM); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Kerch Peninsula, Lenino District, Bagerovo, 45º22.809’N, 036º17.091’E, 90 m, 12-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0185-0188-2020) (COGM); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Kerch Peninsula, Lenino District, Lugovoye, 45º13.840’N, 035º43.271’E, 42 m, 12-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0189-0192-2020) (COGM); 1 ♂, Crimea, Nizhnegorskiy District, Sadovoye, 45º17.492’N, 034º38.909’E, 52 m, 13-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0193-0194-2020) (COGM); 3 ♂♂, Crimea, Krasnogvardeyskoye District, Nekrasovo, 45º25.443’N, 034º16.869’E, 54 m, 13-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (CKAE); 3 ♂♂, Crimea, Krasnogvardeyskoye District, Nekrasovo, 45º25.443’N, 034º16.869’E, 54 m, 13-VII-2020, O. Gorbunov & K. Efetov leg. (SESIIDAE pictures Nº-Nº- 0197-0202-2020) (COGM); 5 ♂♂, Crimea, Bakhchisaray District, Repino, 44º49.350’N, 033º50.815’E, 210 m, 21-VII-2020, K. Efetov & A. Efetova leg. (CKAE); 2 ♂♂, Crimea, Simferopol’, Neapol’ Skifskiy, 44º56.791’N, 034º07.073’E, 266 m, 24-VII-2020, K. Efetov & A. Efetova leg. (CKAE).

Beside those localities we can mention three more on the base of the photos of imagines presented by V. V. Savchuk available from http://lepidoptera.crimea.ua/families_frame/frame_1201_ Sesiidae.htm: 5 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, Feodosiya, Kurortnoye, mountain Ashlamalyk, VII-2010; 2 ♂♂, Feodosiya, mountain Tepe-Oba, VII-2011; 1 ♀, Sudak, Vesyoloye, mountain Chatal-Kaya, VI-2012 (this female is determined by V. V. Savchuk as Ch. dumonti Le Cerf, 1922).

The Crimean Peninsula can be divided landscape-geographically into three parts (Fig. 5): the Plain region (with steppe vegetation), the Hilly Kerch Peninsula (also steppe) and the Mountain region. The last one is represented by foothill forest-steppe, mountain forests, yayla (mountain meadows) and Southern coast of the Crimea with forests and scrub of sub-Mediterranean type. The Crimean Mountains are situated between Sevastopol and Feodosiya having 180 km in length. They consist of three mountain ridges: the Main ridge (up to 1545 m above sea level), the Internal ridge (up to 738 m above sea level), and the External ridge (up to 344 m above sea level).

According to our data, Ch. efetovi is known in the Crimea in Plain region, Kerch Peninsula and in some localities of Mountain region (foothill forest-steppe and eastern part of Southern coast of the Crimea). So far there are no findings of the species in the western part of Southern coast. Apparently Ch. efetovi is absent in mountain forests and meadows of the mountain tops (yayla) because of the absence of Marrubium peregrinum in these biotopes.

Biology

Ch. efetovi is an univoltine species with an annual life cycle. The larvae of Ch. efetovi live in the roots of Marrubium peregrinum L. in which they bore tunnels about 5-8 cm long. Pupation takes place in the upper part of the tunnel (the upper part of the root or lower part of the stem). Males of Ch. efetovi have alar expanse 16.5-20.5 mm (Figs. 6, 7), females - 16.8-21.0 mm (Figs. 8, 9). Moths are on the wing from the end of June to the second half of July. Imagines have well developed proboscis and can be found feeding on flowers. The species inhabits open biotopes with Marrubium peregrinum L.: steppes, abandoned lands, roadsides etc. In some biotopes Ch. efetovi can be found sympatrically with Chamaesphecia (Scopulosphecia) oxybeliformis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1846) and/or Ch. (S.) dumonti Le Cerf, 1922. Males of Ch. efetovi are active in the late afternoon and can be attracted from 16:30 to 19:00 (local time) to synthetic sex attractants for S. vespiformis. On overcast, but not rainy days, activity shifts somewhat towards mid-day.

Differential diagnosis

Ch. annellata species-group is represented in the Crimea by three species, viz. Chamaesphecia (Scopulosphecia) efetovi O. Gorbunov, 2019, Ch. (S.) annellata (Zeller, 1847) and Ch. (S.) dumonti Le Cerf, 1922. These species have different host plants. The larvae of Ch. efetovi are living in roots of Marrubium peregrinum L., those of Ch. annellata - in roots of Ballota nigra L., while larvae of Ch. dumonti - in different species of the genus Stachys (all above mentioned plants belong to the family Lamiaceae). Moreover, Ch. efetovi differs well from Ch. dumonti and Ch. annellata by the size of the transparent areas of the forewing (GORBUNOV, 2019b).

The Crimean species Ch. (S.) oxybeliformis in which the larvae feed in the roots of Phlomis herba-venti ssp. pungens (Willd.) Maire ex DeFilipps (Lamiaceae) differs from the Ch. annellata species-group not only by the host plant but also by morphological characters, especially by the female genitalia (GORBUNOV, 2019b).

Range of Ch. efetovi

Russia: Volgograd Region, Stavropol Territory, Crimea; Romania, Bulgaria (GORBUNOV, 2019b). Moreover, two females from Ram (Ramska Pescara, North-East Serbia) reared (ex l.) “ex Marrubium vulgare, June 5-16, 1985, leg. and coll. Tosevski”, mentioned as Ch. oxybeliformis and figured in the thesis of Dr I. Tosevski (“Sesiidae fauna of Serbia (Lepidoptera, Dytrisia)”, 1991) should refer to Ch. efetovi.

Ch. efetovi most probably can be distributed also in adjacent territories, for example, in Moldova, Ukraine, Turkey, and (in addition to Bulgaria and Serbia) in other countries of the Balkan Peninsula (where Marrubium peregrinim L. is distributed). The confirmation of this requires further research.

Acknowledgments

We are indebted to Mr Mikhail S. Efetov, Mrs Anna K. Efetova, and Mr Pavel V. Ruchko (all - Russia) for their help during our fieldwork, to Prof. Dr Predrag Jakšić (Serbia) for valuable information, to Prof. Dr An. V. Yena (Russia) for botanical consultations, and last but not least to Mr Vlad Proklov (Great Britain) for correcting the English typescript.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Notas de autor

*Autor para correspondencia / Corresponding author efetov.konst@gmail.com