Introduction

The Papilionoidea that inhabit the southern Mediterranean regions, with the exception of the butterflies of Morocco ( Pierre et al. 2008), are poorly studied, despite the fact that various studies on European ones have been carried out ( e.g., Lafranchis, 2000; Tolman & Lewington, 2014; De Prins, 2016). Algeria, however, is starting to be an exception, with the regular appearance of publications since 2015 ( Remini & Moulai, 2015; Kacha et al. 2017; Berkane et al. 2019, Haddad et al. 2020; Daunicht & Moulai, 2022), especially in the northeast of the country. In fact, remarkable discoveries or rediscoveries are still possible, such as those of Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) ( Haddad et al. 2020), Zygaena theryi Joannis, 1908 ( Daunicht & Moulai, 2022) and Azanus jesous (Guérin-Méneville, 1849) ( Bougaham et al. 2023). The Saharan region is still largely unknown, with the exception of Speidel & Hassler (1989) study, which described the lepidopterological species in Hoggar and Tassili in Algeria.

The Afrotropical region is the distribution area to the majority of Genus Colotis Hübner, [1819]. This genus has 60 species, of which 44 are found in the Afrotropical regions and 11whose biogeographic origins are in the Palearctic and Oriental regions. In North Africa, there are four species ( Tennent, 1996), namely Colotis chrysonome (Klug, 1829), Colotis phisadia (Godart, 1819), Colotis liagore (Klug, 1829), and Colotis evagore (Klug, 1829), and all four species are present in Algeria. However, Colotis amata (Fabricius, 1775) is not cited by Tennent (1996).

On November 2, 2022, at Timiaouine, Hadoun Abdellah photographed a Colotis amata (Fabricius, 1775) perched on the Salvadora persica L. plant while visiting Bordj Badji Mokhtar region of Southern Algeria ( Figure 1). Throughout its distribution range, this species mainly consumes the same plant stated there ( Larsen, 2005a). One of us (A. Hadoun) verified the identification after examining the synthesis studies done on butterfly species known from West Africa (Larsen, 2005a), which every time orientated him to Colotis amata. The two photos illustrated in Figure 2 (a, b) clearly show the upper side of the male has a salmon pink ground color, with a black spot at apex of cell ( Figure 2a). Additionally, the underside of the wings has a greenish-yellow color ( Figure 2b). The antennae, head, thorax, and abdomen are black, the antennae speckled with white, the head and thorax are covered with fuscous-green hairs (Figures 2a, b).This species was observed in the village of Tawendert, which is located in the southeast of the commune of Timiaouine (20º23’22.57”N, 2º5’58.74”E, 669 m.). This Saharan area is characterized by the following plants Salvadora persica, Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, and Acacia sp. ( Figure 3). This discovery was made 15 kilometers from the border between Algeria and Mali.

Figures 1-3.
1. Colotis amata (Fabricius, 1775) observed on Salvadora persica in Algeria. Photos by a. Hadoun. 2. Distribution Map. A. worldwide distribution. B. distribution in North Africa. C. its position in Bordj Badji Mokhtar (Algeria). Squares represent occurrences from GBIF, the triangle represents the observation point in Algeria. Colotis amata observed in Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Algeria. Photos by A. Hadoun. 3. Colotis amata observation site. Photo by F. Seddiki.

This is the first observation of this species in North Africa, particularly in southern Algeria. It is widely distributed in Afro-tropical areas. In North Africa, the small salmon Arab is not observed, and could be explained by the fact that certain areas of this region, such as the Sahara, are unexplored and that this species has gone unnoticed.

References

Berkane, S., Rahmani, A., Arifi, B., & Moulaï, R. (2019). Diversity and ecology of diurnal Lepidoptera in Belezma national Park (Aurès, Algeria). Zoology and Ecology, 29 (2), 143-151. https://doi.org/10.35513/21658005.2019.2.11

Bougaham, A. F., Soukkou, W., Gougam, H., & Hadoun, A. (2023). First record of Azanus jesous (Stoll, 1782) in Algeria (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología, 51 (203), 573-576. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.544

Daunicht, W., & Moulaï, R. (2022). Rediscovery of Zygaena theryi Joannis, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae) in Algeria. Entomologist’s Gazette, 73 (3), 145-149. https://doi.org/10.31184/G00138894.733.1862

De Prins, W. (2016). Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Belgium. Entomobrochur, 9, 1-279.

Haddad, K., Kalaentzis, K., & Demetriou, J. (2020). On track to becoming a cosmopolitan invasive species: First record of the box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in the African continent. Entomologia hellenica, 29 (2), 27-32. https://doi.org/10.12681/eh.23483

Kacha, S., Adamou-Djerbaoui, M., Marniche, F., & De Prins, W. (2017). The richness and diversity of Lepidoptera species in different habitats of the national park Theniet El Had (Algeria). Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, 9 (2), 746-769. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jfas.v9i2.10

Lafranchis, T. (2000). Les papillons de jour de France, Belgique et Luxembourg et leurs chenilles. Collection Parthénope, éditions Biotope, Mèze.

Larsen, T. B. (2005). Butterflies of West Africa. Apollo Books. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004531109

Pierre, J., Tarrier, M. R., & Delacre, J. (2008). Les Papillons de jour du Maroc, guide d’identification et de bio- indication. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 113 (4), 516-516. https://www.persee.fr/doc/bsef_0037-928x_2008_num_113_4_3051

Remini, L., & Moulaï, R., (2015). Diversity and structure of butterflies populations in agro-ecosystems of Mitidja (Algeria). Zoology and Ecology, 25 (4), 355-364. https://doi.org/10.1080/21658005.2015.1090119

Speidel, W., & Hassler, M. (1989). Die Schmetterlingsfauna Der Südlichen algerischen Sahara und Ihrer Hochgebirge Hoggar und Tassili N’ Ajjer (Lepidoptera). Nachrichten des entomologischen Vereins Apollo, Supplement, 1-156.

Tennent, J. (1996). The butterflies of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Gem Publishing Company.

Tolman, T., & Lewington, R. (2014). Papillons d’Europe et d’Afrique du Nord. Delachaux and Niestlé.

Notes aux auteurs

* Autor para la correspondencia / Corresponding author abdelazize.bougaham@univ-bejaia.dz