Introduction

As part of the research for the study of the fauna of Lepidoptera in central Italy, the results of which are summarized in the bibliography of some published works ( Pinzari, 2019; Pinzari & Pinzari, 2019a, 2019b, 2021a; Pinzari et al. 2018, 2019), in 2019 the “Biodiversity of the Lepidoptera of the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano” project was launched under direction of Manuela Pinzari. The goals are the monitoring of the species already known for the study area and the complete and detailed knowledge of the fauna of the Estate. Interesting data already resulted from our first samplings and recently have been published in Pinzari & Pinzari (2021b).

Materials and Methods

The specimens were attracted by 160 W mixed white light lamp near the ringing center at Torpaterno within the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano on the Roman coast in Italy. The study area is a mixed pine forest with Quercus sp. nearby the Torpaterno pond within a partly cultivated, but of high nature value area, value ( Tinelli et al. 2012).

The species identification was carried out by examining the genitals of both sexes. The genitalia were boiled in 10% potassium hydroxide solution for few minutes. After taking photographs of the genital parts, these were glycerol-preserved into microtubes. These were closed with vinyl glue that is easily soluble in water and put under the specimen itself. The specimens were deposited in Mn and M. Pinzari collection in Rome (Italy).

Blastobasis tarda Meyrick, 1902, is an Australian species that has spread to New Zealand and then was imported into the North America. Here, it was found in 2009 in various localities in California in the surroundings of San Diego ( Landry et al. 2013). In Europe, B. tarda was discovered in 2002 in the south of France in the Maritime Alps but it was described as Neoblastobasis ligurica Nel & Varenne, 2004. Successively, it was recorded in other localities in France, becoming locally common in Eze, Beaulieu and Cap Ferrat ( Varenne & Billi, 2008) and also in Borgo in Corsica ( Varenne, 2013). Its spread in Europe rapidly increased and Barton (2015) reports it from Cyprus (Rennwald, 2020).

Biology: J. Nel obtained adults of B. tarda from some dates collected on the ground under Phoenix sp. plants in the Parc du Mugel in La Ciotat (France). He also regularly collects the adults, of very variable size, with a UV trap in the garden of his home next to some Phoenix porphyrocarpa palms that produces clusters of orange dates (Personal Communications by email, 14-1-2020).

Results

Blastobasis tarda Meyrick, 1902 ( Figures 1-2)

Figures 1-2.
1.Blastobasis tarda Meyrick, 1902 ♀, wingspan 13 mm. 2. ♂ (gen. praep. BLAS 21, M. Pinzari).

Blastobasis tarda Meyrick, 1902. Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust., 26, 170

TL: AUSTRALIA, Rosewood and Brisbane, Queensland; Newcastle and Sydney, New South Wales

= Neoblastobasis ligurica Nel & Varenne, 2004. R. A. R. E., 13(1), 25

LT: FRANCE, Alpes Maritimes, Cagnes-Sur-Mer, Moulin du Loup

Records: 1 ♂ (gen. prep. BLAS 21, M. Pinzari), Torpaterno, 18-IV-2019, 1 ♀ (gen. prep. BLAS 22, M. Pinzari), Idem, 25-VII-2019, lux, Mn Pinzari & M. Pinzari leg.

Remarks: The Australian species Blastobasis tarda, as already reported in France, may pose significant problems for date palm crops. In Italy, the date palms are cultivated in Sicily and Calabria but exclusively for ornamental use because on our territory it does not bear fruit. In Sicily, date palms represent an ornamental element historically inserted in the urban landscape. The alien species Blastobasis tarda could add itself to the dangerous action by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier, 1790) on date palms. Fortunately, it is not present in North Africa, where date palms of excellent quality are normally grown.

Acknowledgments

We thank to Dr. Giulia Bonella, Director of the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano, and Dr. Daniele Cecca, Head of the Technical, Scientific and Training Area, for having authorized the publication of the data obtained as part of the Biodiversity Research Project of the Lepidoptera of the Presidential of Castelporziano Estate. Special thanks to our friend J. Nel for his help in determining the species and to G. Baldizzone for his constant availability and help.

References

Barton, I. (2015). A contribution to the Microlepidopteran fauna of Cyprus. The Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation, 127(4), 157-167.

Landry, J. F., Nazari, V., Dewaard, J. R., Mutanen, M., Lopez-Vaamonde C., Huemer, P., & Hebert, P. D. N. (2013). Shared but overlooked: 30 species of Holarctic Microlepidoptera revealed by DNA barcodes and morphology. Zootaxa, 3749(1), 1-93.

Meyrick, E. (1902). Description of New Species of Lepidoptera (Oecophoridae). Transactions and Proceedings and Report of the Royal Society of South Australia, 26, 133-174.

Nel, J., & Varenne, T. (2004). Description de Neoblastobasis ligurica species nova. Bedellia ehikella Szöcs, 1967 et Bucculatrix ratisbonensis Stainton, 1861, espèces nouvelles pour la France (Lepidoptera, Blastobasidae, Bedelliidae et Bucculatricidae). Revue de l’Association Roussillonnaise d’Entomologie, 13(1), 25-29.

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Pinzari, M., Cianferoni, F., Fabiani, A., & Dioli, P. (2019). Predation by nymphs of Picromerus bidens (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae, Asopinae) on caterpillars of Euphydryas aurinia provincialis (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Italy. Redia Journal of Zoology, 102, 89-94.

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Author notes

*Autor para la correspondencia / Corresponding author