Introduction

The genus Agrotis Ochsenheimer, 1816 exhibits a global distribution spanning all biogeographical regions with 80 species recorded from the Palearctic region ( Fibiger, 1990), 32 of which being present in Europe ( Fibiger, 1990). In the Maltese Islands a total of 10 Agrotis species have been recorded so far with Agrotis obesa (Boisduval, 1829) and Agrotis exclamationis (Linnaeus, 1758) have been mentioned but not officially recorded ( Sammut, 2000) leading to the assumption that these mentions were likely due to a mix-up with Agrotis lata Treitschke, 1835 and Agrotis trux (Hübner, [1824]) respectively owing to their striking similarities. Additionally, a specimen of Euxoa canariensis mauretanica (Bang- Haas, 1910) has been inaccurately recorded by the author as Agrotis desertorum Boisduval, 1840.

Typically, Agrotis species are characterized by a strongly or moderately bipectinate antennae in males and their capability to cover long distances during flight. In common parlance, the larvae of Agrotis species are often referred to as cutworms because some of these species are significant agricultural pests. Their larvae have a habit of concealing themselves during daylight hours and emerging at night to feed. The name “cutworm” alludes to the larvae’s tendency to cut down and partially consume garden and crop plants, as noted by Smit in 1964.

The larvae of Agrotis endogaea punica Pinker, 1980, have been observed feeding on Genista and Melandrum sp. in Tunisia. As for the adult moths, they are typically in flight from September to October, with occasional sightings in May. Their preferred habitat consists of sandhills with sparse vegetation.

The nominate subspecies is distributed throughout Corsica and Sardegna whilst A. e. graeca Fibiger, 1997 is found in Greece. Agrotis endogaea punica Pinker, 1980 appears to be confined to Tunisia ( Fibiger, 1990) however on the 12-IX-2002, a male specimen was recorded from Pachino in Sicily ( Bella & Fibiger, 2009) which is in the southernmost tip of the island and consequently, there is a valid basis to assume that this specimen belongs to Agrotis endogaea punica Pinker, 1980. Outside the Mediterranean region, this species can also be found in the Canary Islands.

Material Studied

MALTA, Zurrieq, 1 ♂, 17-XI-2022 at 250W MV light, coll & leg. J. Agius.

Discussion

The arrival of North African species during mid-autumn is always associated with southern winds ( Agius, 2022). In fact, over the years some interesting North African species have been recorded together such as Euxoa capsensis Chrétien, 1911, Scythocentropus inquinata (Mabille, 1888), Cucullia biskrana (Oberthür, 1918), Cucullia syrtana (Mabille, 1888), Agrotis catalaunensis (Millière, 1873), Agrotis haifae Staudinger, 1897 and Agrotis herzogi Rebel, 1911 amongst others.

With the addition of Agrotis endogaea punica Pinker, 1980 to the Maltese lepidopterofauna, the total Noctuoidea Latreille,1809 species correctly recorded from Malta as at the 30-X-2023 are 178 species.

The 178 confirmed Noctuoidea Latreille,1809 species sorted by the phylogenetic relationships among the noctuid lineages confirmed from the Maltese Islands are as follows:

1. Superfamily Noctuoidea Latreille,1809

   1. Family Nolidae Bruand, 184

      1. Subfamily Nolinae Bruand, 1847

         1. Nola chlamitulalis (Hübner, [1813])

      2. Subfamily Chloephorinae Stainton, 1859

         1. Earias insulana (Boisduval, 1833)

         2. Garella nilotica (Rogenhofer, 1882)

         3. Xanthodes albago (Fabricius, 1794)

   2. Family Erebidae Leach, 1815

      1. Subfamily Rivulinae Grote, 1895

         1. Zebeeba falsalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1839)

      2. Subfamily Hypeninae Herrich-Schäffer, [1851]

         1. Zebeeba falsalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1839)

         2. Hypena obsitalis (Hübner, [1813])

      3. Subfamily Lymantriinae Hampson, 1893

         1. Casama innotata (Walker, 1855)

         2. Euproctis chrysorrhoea (Linnaeus, 1758)

         3. Lymantria dispar (Linnaeus, 1758)

         4. Ocneria atlantica (Rambur, 1837)

         5. Orgyia trigotephras Boisduval, [1828]

      4. Subfamily Arctiinae Leach, 1815

         1. Arctia konewkaii (Freyer, [1831])

         2. Cymbalophora pudica (Esper, [1785]

         3. Dysauxes famula (Freyer, [1836])

         4. Eilema caniola (Hübner, [1808])

         5. Eilema marcida (Mann, 1859)

         6. Eilema rungsi (Toulgöet, 1960)

         7. Hyphantria cunea (Drury, 1773)

         8. Lithosia quadra (Linnaeus, 1758)

         9. Phragmatobia fuliginosa melitensis Bang-Haas, 1927

         10. Utetheisa pulchella (Linnaeus, 1758)

      5. Subfamily Herminiinae Leach, [1815]

         1. Nodaria nodosalis (Herrich-Schäffer, [1851])

         2. Polypogon plumigeralis (Hübner, [1825])

      6. Subfamily Toxocampinae Guenée, 1852

         1. Anumeta hilgerti (Rothschild, 1909)

         2. Autophila dilucida (Hübner, [1808])

         3. Autophila maura (Staudinger, 1888)

         4. Autophila rosea (Staudinger, 1888)

         5. Tathorhynchus exsiccata (Lederer, 1855)

      7. Subfamily Hypenodinae Forbes, 1954

         1. Schrankia costaestrigalis (Stephens, 1834)

      8. Subfamily Boletobiinae Guenée, [1858]

         1. Araeopteron ecphaea (Hampson, 1914)

         2. Eublemma cochylioides (Guenée, 1852)

         3. Eublemma deleta (Staudinger, 1901)

         4. Eublemma deserta (Staudinger, 1900)

         5. Eublemma ostrina (Hübner, [1808])

         6. Eublemma parva (Hübner, [1808])

         7. Eublemma scitula (Rambur, 1833)

         8. Metachrostis velocior (Staudinger, 1892)

         9. Metachrostis velox (Hübner,

         10. Odice pergrata (Rambur, 1858)

         11. Odice suava (Hübner, [1813])

      9. Subfamily Erebinae Leach, [1815]

         1. Drasteria philippina (Austaut, 1880)

         2. Pandesma robusta (Walker, [1858])

      10. Subfamily Catocalinae Boisduval, 1828

          1. Catocala coniuncta (Esper, [1787])

          2. Catocala elocata (Esper, [1787])

          3. Catocala nymphaea (Esper, [1787])

          4. Catocala nymphagoga (Esper, [1787])

          5. Cerocala algiriae Oberthür, 1876

          6. Clytie illunaris (Hübner, [1813])

          7. Clytie sancta (Staudinger, 1898)

          8. Dysgonia algira (Linnaeus, 1767)

          9. Dysgonia torrida (Guenée, 1852)

          10. Grammodes bifasciata (Petagna, 1786)

          11. Grammodes stolida (Fabricius, 1775)

          12. Heteropalpia acrosticta (Püngeler, 1904)

          13. Ophiusa tirhaca (Cramer, [1777])

   3. Family Euteliidae Grote, 1882

      1. Subfamily Euteliinae Grote, 1882

         1. Eutelia adulatrix (Hübner, [1813])

   4. Family Noctuidae Latreille,1809

      1. Subfamily Plusiinae Boisduval, 1829

         1. Abrostola triplasia (Linnaeus, 1758)

         2. Autographa gamma (Linnaeus, 1758)

         3. Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper, 1789)

         4. Cornutiplusia circumflexa (Linnaeus, 1758)

         5. Ctenoplusia accentifera (Lefèbvre, 1827)

         6. Thysanoplusia circumscripta (Freyer, 1831)

         7. Thysanoplusia daubei (Boisduval, 1840)

         8. Thysanoplusia orichalcea (Fabricius, 1775)

         9. Trichoplusia ni (Hübner, [1803])

      2. Subfamily Pantheinae Smith, 1898

         1. Chloantha hyperici ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

      3. Subfamily Dilobinae Aurivillius, 1889

         1. Diloba caeruleocephala (Linnaeus, 1758)

      4. Subfamily Metoponiinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1851

         1. Aegle semicana (Esper, [1798])

         2. Synthymia fixa (Fabricius, 1787)

         3. Tyta luctuosa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

      5. Subfamily Eustrotiinae Grote, 1882

         1. Pseudozarba bipartita (Herrich-Schäffer, [1850])

      6. Subfamily Acontiinae Guenée, 1841

         1. Acontia lucida (Hufnagel, 1766)

         2. Acontia trabealis (Scopoli, 1763)

         3. Aedia leucomelas (Linnaeus, 1758)

      7. Subfamily Cuculliinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1850

         1. Cucullia biskrana (Oberthür, 1918)

         2. Cucullia calendulae (Treitschke, 1835)

         3. Cucullia lychnitis (Rambur, 1833)

         4. Cucullia syrtana (Mabille, 1888)

         5. Cucullia thapsiphaga Treitschke, 1826

         6. Cucullia verbasci (Linnaeus, 1758)

      8. Subfamily Oncocnemidinae Forbes & Franclemont, 1954

         1. Calophasia platyptera (Esper, 1788)

         2. Cleonymia chabordis (Oberthür, 1876)

         3. Rhabinopteryx subtilis (Mabille, 1888)

      9. Subfamily Amphipyrinae Guenée, 1838

         1. Amphipyra tragopoginis (Clerck, 1759)

      10. Subfamily Psaphidinae Grote, 1896

          1. Valeria oleagina ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

      11. Subfamily Heliothinae Boisduval, 1829

          1. Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner, [1808])

          2. Heliothis nubigera Herrich-Schäffer, [1851]

          3. Heliothis peltigera (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

          4. Protoschinia scutosa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

      12. Subfamily Condicinae Poole, 1995

          1. Condica viscosa (Freyer, [1831])

      13. Subfamily Eriopinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1851

          1. Callopistria latreillei (Duponchel, [1828])

      14. Subfamily Bryophilinae Guenée, 1852

          1. Bryophila raptricula ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

          2. Bryopsis segunai (Fibiger, Steiner & Ronkay, 2009)

          3. Cryphia algae (Fabricius, 1775)

          4. Cryphia pallida (Bethune-Baker, 1894)

      15. Subfamily Xyleninae Guenée, 1852

          1. Agrochola lychnidis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

          2. Agrochola ruticilla (Esper, 1791)

          3. Aporophyla canescens (Duponchel, [1827])

          4. Aporophyla chioleuca sammuti Fibiger, Yela, Zilli & Ronkay, 2010

          5. Aporophyla nigra (Haworth, 1809)

          6. Aporophyla nigra cinerea (Staudinger, 1901)

          7. Athetis hospes (Freyer, [1831])

          8. Caradrina clavipalpis (Scopoli, 1763)

          9. Caradrina flava Oberthür, 1876

          10. Caradrina flavirena Guenée, 1852

          11. Caradrina germainii (Duponchel, 1835)

          12. Caradrina proxima Rambur, 1837

          13. Caradrina selini djebli Rungs, 1972

          14. Caradrina vicina castrensis Berio, 1981

          15. Denticucullus pygmina (Haworth, 1809)

          16. Dryobotodes tenebrosa (Esper, 1789)

          17. Episema grueneri Boisduval, 1837

          18. Eremohadena roseonitens (Oberthür, 1887)

          19. Eremopola lenis magnifica (Rothschild, 1914)

          20. Gortyna xanthenes (Germer, 1842)

          21. Hoplodrina ambigua ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

          22. Luperina dumerilii (Duponchel, [1827])

          23. Mesapamea secalella Remm, 1983

          24. Mniotype deluccai (Berio, 1976)

          25. Mormo maura (Linnaeus, 1758)

          26. Nonagria typhae (Thunberg, 1784)

          27. Oria musculosa (Hübner, [1808])

          28. Phlogophora meticulosa (Linnaeus, 1758)

          29. Scythocentropus inquinata (Mabille, 1888)

          30. Sesamia cretica Lederer, 1857

          31. Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèbvre, 1827)

          32. Spodoptera cilium Guenée, 1852

          33. Spodoptera exigua (Hübner, [1808])

          34. Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval, 1833)

          35. Thalpophila vitalba (Freyer, [1834])

          36. Xylena exsoleta maltensis Fibiger, Sammut, Seguna & Catania, 2006

      16. Subfamily Hadeninae Guenée, 1837

          1. Anarta deserticola (Hampson, 1905)

          2. Anarta sabulorum pulverata (Bang-Haas, 1907)

          3. Anarta trifolii (Hufnagel, 1766)

          4. Brithys crini (Fabricius, 1775)

          5. Hadena capsincola ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

          6. Hadena sancta trisagittata (Rothschild, 1914)

          7. Hecatera weissi (Draudt, 1934)

          8. Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus, 1758)

          9. Leucania loreyi (Duponchel, 1827)

          10. Leucania punctosa (Treitschke, 1825)

          11. Leucania putrescens vallettai Boursin 1952

          12. Leucania zeae (Duponchel, [1828])

          13. Luteohadena luteago ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

          14. Mamestra brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)

          15. Mythimna albipuncta ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

          16. Mythimna l-album (Linnaeus, 1767)

          17. Mythimna languida (Walker, 1858)

          18. Mythimna prominens (Walker, 1856)

          19. Mythimna sicula (Treitschke, 1835)

          20. Mythimna umbrigera (Saalmüller, 1891)

          21. Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth, 1809)

          22. Mythimna vitellina (Hübner, [1808])

      17. Subfamily Noctuinae Latreille, 1809

          1. Agrotis catalaunensis (Millière, 1873)

          2. Agrotis endogaea punica Pinker, 1980

          3. Agrotis haifae Staudinger, 1897

          4. Agrotis herzogi Rebel, 1911

          5. Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel, 1766)

          6. Agrotis lasserrei (Oberthür, 1881)

          7. Agrotis lata Treitschke, 1835

          8. Agrotis puta (Hübner, [1803])

          9. Agrotis segetum ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

          10. Agrotis spinifera (Hübner, [1808])

          11. Agrotis trux (Hübner, [1824])

          12. Axylia putris (Linnaeus, 1761)

          13. Cerastis faceta (Treitschke, 1835)

          14. Euxoa canariensis mauretanica (Bang-Haas, 1910)

          15. Euxoa capsensis Chrétien, 1911

          16. Euxoa distinguenda (Lederer, 1857)

          17. Noctua comes Hübner, [1813]

          18. Noctua janthe (Borkhausen, 1792)

          19. Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758)

          20. Noctua tirrenica Biebinger, Speidel & Hanigk, 1983

          21. Ochropleura leucogaster (Freyer, [1831])

          22. Peridroma saucia (Hübner, [1808])

          23. Xestia c-nigrum (Linnaeus, 1758)

          24. Xestia xanthographa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Conclusion

The species is new to the Maltese lepidopterofauna. The author proposes the Maltese name Agrotis tat-Tunez. ija, after the country from where the female holotype to describe the subspecies was collected.

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to Dr. László Ronkay and Dr. Gábor Ronkay from the Hungarian Natural History Museum (Hungary) for identifying the species and for providing images of Agrotis endogaea punica Pinker, 1980 material bred by Pinker. Also, special thanks go to Mr. Mark Gauci and Mr. Justin Formosa for reviewing the paper and to Dr. Antonio Vives for the Spanish abstract.

References

Agius, J. (2018b). Agrotis desertorum Boisduval, 1840 new to the Maltese Islands. SHILAP Revista de lepidop- terología, 46(183), 501-503. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.801

Agius, J. (2022). Dispersal of Heterocera species from North Africa to the Maltese Islands (Insecta: Lepidoptera). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología, 50(200), 659-663. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.254

Bella, S. & Fibiger, M. (2009). Contribution to the Knowledge of Noctuoidea in Sicily. Naturalista siciliano, (4) 33(1-2), 167-176.

Fibiger, M. (1990). Noctuinae I. Noctuidae Europaeae (Vol. 1). Entomological Press.

Sammut, P. (2000). Il-Lepidoptera - Kullana Kulturali, 12, X + 245, 24 pls. Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza, Msida.

Author notes