Biodiversity Data Journal :
Taxonomic Paper
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Corresponding author: Antonio S. Ortiz (aortiz@um.es)
Academic editor: Shinichi Nakahara
Received: 29 May 2021 | Accepted: 20 Jul 2021 | Published: 03 Aug 2021
© 2021 Manuel Garre, John Girdley, Juan Guerrero, Rosa Rubio, Antonio S. Ortiz
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Garre MJ, Girdley J, Guerrero JJ, Rubio RM, Ortiz AS (2021) An annotated checklist of the Crambidae of the region of Murcia (Spain) with new records, distribution and biological data (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae). Biodiversity Data Journal 9: e69388. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.9.e69388
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The Murcia Region (osouth-eastern Iberian Peninsula) has a great diversity of Lepidopteran fauna, as a zoogeographical crossroads and biodiversity hotspot with more than 850 butterflies and moth species recorded.
In the present paper, based on an examination of museum specimens, published records and new samples, a comprehensive and critical species list of Crambidae moths (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) is synthesised. In total, 8 subfamilies, 50 genera and 106 species have been recorded and these are listed along with their collection, literature references and biological data including chorotype, voltinism and the flight period in the study area. The subfamilies are as follows: Acentropinae, Crambinae, Glaphyriinae, Lathrotelinae, Odontiinae, Pyraustinae, Scopariinae and Spilomelinae. Forty nine species are here newly recorded for the Murcia Region.
Lepidoptera, Crambidae, checklist, chorology, distribution, new records, phenology, Iberian Peninsula
The Crambidae, belonging to the superfamily Pyraloidea, are mainly nocturnal micromoths (Microlepidoptera) with an estimated 10,100 named species worldwide, of which the European fauna is represented by ca. 490 species (
The Crambidae of Europe have been relatively well studied although there is a need for further investigation on habitus and distribution. The Southern European and especially Iberian species are poorly recorded and more precise data are necessary for the production of distribution maps.
Historically, the first crambid moth recorded and described from Murcia Region was Anania murcialis (Ragonot, 1895).
Later,
Subsequent contributions are those of
The Region of Murcia has a great diversity of Lepidopteran fauna, as a zoogeographical crossroads and biodiversity hotspot, with more than 850 butterfly and moth species (
Temperature and precipitation are climatic factors which have a direct impact on the diversity and distribution of plants and the physiognomy of the plant landscape and are fundamental to the interpretation of the lepidopteran fauna of the Murcia Region.
Considering various bioclimatic approaches relative to temperature (thermotypes) and rainfall (ombrotypes), four different bioclimatic areas can be recognised according to
This present checklist is intended to update the recorded species and to facilitate access to the most recent data on the Crambidae family from the Murcia Region (south-eastern Iberian Peninsula) for taxonomists providing data about distribution, chorology, phenology and voltinism.
The list contains all species of Crambidae collected by the authors until the end of 2020, along with the material deposited in the private collections of J.A. de la Calle, F. Lencina, F. Albert and F. Arcas. It also includes all of those records previously referenced in the bibliography.
Black and actinic (6 and 15 W) Heath traps, 125 W Robinson traps, 125 W mercury vapour traps and 4 W LED light traps were used for nocturnal sampling. Catches taken during daytime and in the urban environment (street lighting) are also included. All these sampling points are located within the study area and, especially, in the natural protected areas like the mountainous Parks of Sierra Espuña, Sierra de la Pila, El Valle and Carrascoy, etc. and the coastal Parks of Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas and Peña del Águila, Salinas and Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar, etc.
The subfamilies are systematically ordered and identified, based on the most recent classification of Crambidae by
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Biological data: Bivoltine. Flight period: V-VII. First record in Murcia Region.
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The list includes 106 species in 50 genera and 8 subfamilies: Acentropinae (one species), Crambinae (32 species), Glaphyriinae (11 species), Lathrotelinae (one species), Odontiinae (six species), Pyraustinae (23 species), Scopariinae (six species) and Spilomelinae (26 species). Forty nine new records from the Murcia Region are added to its Lepidopteran fauna.
The most species-rich subfamily Crambinae comprises 26% of all genera and 30.2% of all species, while Spilomelinae comprise 30% and 25.5%, followed by Pyraustinae (22% and 21.7%) and Glaphyriinae (2% and 10.3%), respectively (Table
Numbers and percentages of known genera and species recorded for each subfamily in Murcia Region.
Subfamilies |
Genus richness |
% Genus |
Species richness |
% Species |
Crambinae |
13 |
26 |
32 |
30.2 |
Spilomelinae |
14 |
30 |
26 |
25.5 |
Pyraustinae |
11 |
22 |
23 |
21.7 |
Glaphyriinae |
3 |
2 |
11 |
10.3 |
Odontiinae |
5 |
10 |
6 |
5.7 |
Scopariinae |
2 |
4 |
6 |
5.7 |
Acentropinae |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0.9 |
Lathrotelinae |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0.9 |
Total |
50 |
100 |
106 |
100 |
The European family of Crambidae consists of ca. 90 species (
Known Crambidae diversity in the Murcia Region seem relatively rich when compared to those in other Iberian Regions and with the whole of the Iberian Peninsula, as for instance, nearby areas like the Natural Park of Cabo de Gata-Nijar in Almeria (51 species;
Knowledge on Crambidae diversity in Murcia Region is still incomplete, but is probably even more limited in nearby Regions, with less than 65 species recorded in littoral wetlands in Catalonia (
The most species-rich Crambidae genera in the Murcia Region are Evergestis (9 species, 8.49%), Pyrausta (8 species, 7.55%), Euchromius (6 species, 5.66%), Metasia, Udea and Agriphila (5 species, 4.72%) and Ancylolomia, Mecyna and Loxostege (4 species, 3.77% each, respectively). The majority of genera (10) are species-poor (2-3 species) or known in the Murcia Region from a single species (31 genera).
Species richness varies substantially amongst the different bioclimatic areas of the Murcia Region (Fig.
List of unique species in each bioclimatic area or in more than one bioclimatic area.
Oro- and Supramediterranean | Agriphila inquinatella (Denis & Schiffermuller, 1775) |
Chrysocrambus sardiniellus (Turati, 1911) | |
Xanthocrambus caducellus (Muller-Rutz, 1909) | |
Evergestis mundalis (Guenée, 1854) | |
Pyrausta ostrinalis (Hubner, 1796) | |
Scoparia gallica Peyerimhoff, 1873 | |
Scoparia pyralella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Mecyna lutealis (Duponchel, [1833]) | |
Udea bipunctalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1851) | |
Mesomediterranean | Agriphila geniculea (Haworth, [1841]) |
Agriphila tristella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Ancylolomia palpella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Angustalius malacellus (Duponchel, 1836) | |
Catoptria fulgidella (Hübner, [1813]) | |
Catoptria pinella (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Catoptria staudingeri (Zeller, 1863) | |
Tegostoma comparalis (Hübner, 1796) | |
Pyrausta acontialis (Staudinger, 1859) | |
Diasemiopsis ramburialis (Duponchel, [1834]) | |
Metasia hymenalis Guenée, 1854 | |
Udea institalis (Hübner, 1819) | |
Thermomediterranean | Ancylolomia disparalis (Hübner, 1825) |
Chilo luteella (Motschulsky, 1866) | |
Euchromius cambridgei (Zeller, 1867) | |
Euchromius gozmanyi Bleszynski, 1961 | |
Euchromius gratiosella (Caradja, 1910) | |
Euchromius ocellea (Haworth, 1811) | |
Mesocrambus salahinellus (Chrétien, 1917) | |
Pediasia ribbeella (Caradja, 1910) | |
Pediasia serraticornis (Hampson, 1900) | |
Pseudobissetia terrestrellus (Christoph, 1885) | |
Pseudoctenella inornata Staudinger, 1870 | |
Hyperlais lutosalis (Mann, 1862) | |
Evergestis extimalis (Scopoli, 1763) | |
Evergestis politalis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Cynaeda dentalis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Tegostoma erubescens (Christoph, 1877) | |
Anania murcialis (Ragonot, 1895) | |
Anania verbascalis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Euclasta varii Popescu-Gorj & Constantinescu, 1973 | |
Loxostege scutalis (Hübner, [1813]) | |
Pyrausta (Pyrausta) aurata (Scopoli, 1763) | |
Sitochroa palealis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Arnia nervosalis Guenée, 1850 | |
Diplopseustis perieresalis (Walker, 1859) | |
Duponchelia fovealis Zeller, 1850 | |
Herpetogramma licarsisalis (Walker, 1859) | |
Metasia corsicalis (Duponchel, [1833]) | |
Spoladea recurvalis (Fabricius, 1775) | |
Udea simplicella (La Harpe, 1861) | |
Oro-, Supra- and Mesomediterranean | Ephelis pudicalis (Duponchel, [1832]) |
Paracorsia repandalis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Pyrausta limbopunctalis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1849) | |
Pyrausta pellicalis (Staudinger, 1870) | |
Scoparia staudingeralis (Mabille, 1869) | |
Mecyna auralis (Peyerimhoff, 1872) | |
Mecyna trinalis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Metasia cuencalis Ragonot, 1894 | |
Meso- and Thermomediterranean | Agriphila cyrenaicellus (Ragonot, 1887) |
Ancylolomia tentaculella (Hubner, 1796) | |
Ancylolomia tripolitella Rebel, 1909 | |
Euchromius ramburiellus (Duponchel, 1836) | |
Mesocrambus pallidellus (Duponchel, 1836) | |
Pediasia contaminella (Hübner, 1796) | |
Evergestis desertalis (Hübner, 1813) | |
Evergestis dusmeti Agenjo, 1960 | |
Evergestis frumentalis (Linnaeus, [1760]) | |
Evergestis isatidalis (Duponchel, 1833) | |
Evergestis marionalis Leraut, 2003 | |
Aporodes floralis (Hübner, 1809) | |
Achyra nudalis (Hübner, 1796) | |
Loxostege comptalis (Freyer, [1848]) | |
Loxostege sticticalis (Linnaeus, [1760]) | |
Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner, 1796) | |
Palepicorsia ustrinalis (Christoph, 1877) | |
Eudonia angustea (Curtis, 1827) | |
Eudonia lineola (Curtis, 1827) | |
Dolicharthria bruguieralis (Duponchel, 1833) | |
Dolicharthria punctalis ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Hodebertia testalis (Fabricius, 1794) | |
Hydriris ornatalis (Duponchel, [1832]) | |
Mecyna asinalis (Hübner, 1819) | |
Metasia ibericalis (Ragonot, 1894) | |
Metasia suppandalis (Hübner, 1823) | |
Nomophila noctuella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) | |
Palpita vitrealis (Rossi, 1794) | |
Oro- and Supra- and Thermomediterranean | Agriphila trabeatellus (Herrich-Schäffer, 1848) |
Antigastra catalaunalis (Duponchel, 1833) | |
All areas | Xathocrambus delicatellus (Zeller, 1863) |
Evergestis dumerlei Leraut, 2003 | |
Hellula undalis (Fabricius, 1775) | |
Ecpyrrhorrhoe diffusalis (Guenée, 1854) | |
Pyrausta despicata (Scopoli, 1763) | |
Pyrausta sanguinalis (Linnaeus, 1767) | |
Uresiphita gilvata (Fabricius, 1794) | |
Eudonia mercurella (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Udea ferrugalis (Hübner, 1796) | |
Udea numeralis (Hübner, 1796) |
Approximately half of the species can be considered specialists in a given bioclimatic area, while the other 50% can be considered as opportunists of different types of vegetation that characterise each of the bioclimatic areas. The detailed data for the bioclimatic areas of Crambidae in the Murcia Region are summarised in Table
Chorological analysis for the family Crambidae in the Region of Murcia showed that the Mediterranean chorotype, including the endemic Pediasia ribbeellus (Caradja), is the most abundant with 56.6% of the total, which is consistent with the geographical position of the study area. Amongst these, the Asiatic-Mediterranean elements (34.9%) are more frequent than the Atlanto-Mediterranean elements (21.7%). On the other hand, the elements of wide distribution, such as the Eurasiatic, Holarctic and Palaearctic (26.4%), are the most common in the mountainous biotopes of the centre and north of the study area, while the tropical and cosmopolitan species (17.0%) have their origin mainly in Africa. The presence of opportunistic species is due to the agricultural crop fields that dominate a part of the Murcian territory.
Regarding the biology of the species, the environmental conditions of the study area, which affect the availability of trophic resources for reproduction, suggest that most of the species are bivoltins (47.2%) and univoltins (47.2%), while the rest are polyvoltins (5.7%). Most of the recorded species feed on plant species belonging to the Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Amaranthaceae families, amongst others, although the species of the Crambinae subfamily feed on grasses (Poaceae). The most particular cases are those related to the genus Eudonia which feed on lichens and the species Euchromius ocellea, E. cambridgei and Dolicharthria bruguieralis which feed on plant detritus. Some species, such as Palpita vitrealis, Ostrinia nubilalis and Nomophila noctuella, must be controlled since they are agricultural crop pests. Finally, the host plants of 34.0% of species are unknown, so it will be necessary to carry out complementary studies to further biological understanding.
Prior to our investigation, the number of known Crambidae moth species in the Murcia Region was 56. Our study increases this number to a total of 106, based on an examination of museum specimens, published records and sampled individuals, 41.41% of all of the Iberian species known. This study presents an updated checklist of current Crambidae moth species with their distribution and biological information for the Murcia Region in the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula.
This study serves as both a guide for collection in the poorly sampled south-western European continent and a comprehensive reference list with the Crambidae taxa and localities where conservation is an important priority for policy-makers, conservation planners and for the management of insect diversity in Spain.
We encourage lepidopterists holding additional data on systematically collected crambids to produce an updated dataset. Additionally, new intensive surveys in adjacent regions are being conducted, as well as unknown specimens being continuously identified to species level.
Thanks are due to José A. de la Calle, Francisco Lencina, Fernando Albert and Francisco Arcas for allowing access to their personal collections, to Richard Mally from Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague for his comments and suggestion, while Claire Ward improved the manuscript linguistically. We are very grateful for this collegial and kind support. This study has been supported by the Regional Excellence 19908-GERM-15 project of the Fundación Séneca (Regional Government of Murcia, Spain). Collecting permits were issued by Environmental Authority of Murcia Region.