New data on the Lepidoptera of Azerbaijan (Southern Transcaucasia). Superfamily Pyraloidea Latreille, 1809

Abstract

We present the faunal list of Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) of Azerbaijan, including 222 species of 114 genera, belonging to two families. Forty eight species of Pyraloidea Moths are reported for Azerbaijan for the first time.

Acta Biologica Sibirica 10: 767–790 (2024)

doi: 10.5281/zenodo.13337063

http://journal.asu.ru

Corresponding author: Aleksandr N. Streltzov (streltzov@mail.ru)

Academic editor: A. Matsyura | Received 1 August 2024 | Accepted 17 August 2024 | Published 20 August 2024

http://zoobank.org/67D0E832-A696-4E5B-A2AD-8F4F44378081

Citation: Streltzov AN, Snegovaya N, Shapoval NA, Humbatov MF-O, Mammadov IB-O, Yakovlev RV (2024) New data on the Lepidoptera of Azerbaijan (Southern Transcaucasia). Superfamily Pyraloidea Latreille, 1809. Acta Biologica Sibirica 10: 767–790. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13337063

Keywords

Biodiversity, Caucasus, species richness, fauna, Pyralidae, Crambidae

Introduction

The Caucasus Ecoregion (including the Russian Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, northeastern Turkey and northwestern Iran) is included in the list of “biodiversity hotspots” (Myers 1988; Myers et al. 2000). The Lepidoptera of this richest region are studied very unevenly. Traditionally, the most detailed summaries are on Papilionoidea (Ilyina and Morgun 2010, 2011; Tshikolovets and Nekrutenko 2012). Relatively complete information is available for most “Macrolepidoptera” (Schintlmeister 2008; Yakovlev et al. 2015; Zolotuhin 2015; Didmanidze 2016; Zolotuhin and Evdoshenko 2019; Zolotuhin and Nedoshivina 2021; Snegovaya and Petrov 2021) and for several “Microlepidoptera” (Anikin and Shchurov 2001). The fauna of most Lepidoptera families is studied very fragmentary, though in the recent years some significant faunal results have been obtained for southern Ossetia (Streltzov et al 2022a, b, 2024; Nedoshivina et al. 2023; Sinev et al. 2023) and the Republic of Dagestan (Ilyina et al. 2012; Poltavsky and Ilyina 2016; Dubatolov et al. 2021; Ustjuzhanin et al. 2022; Yakovlev et al. 2022; Tsvetkov 2023).

With this article we begin a series dedicated to the little-studied Lepidoptera families of Azerbaijan.

Geographically, Azerbaijan is located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia. It lies between latitudes 38° and 42° N, and longitudes 44° and 51° E. The country has a landlocked exclave, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Three physical features dominate Azerbaijan: the Caspian Sea, whose shoreline forms a natural boundary to the east; the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north; and the extensive flatlands at the country's center. There are also three mountain ranges, the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, and the Talysh Mountains, together covering approximately 40% of the country. The highest peak of Azerbaijan is Mount Bazardüzü 4,466 m, while the lowest point lies in the Caspian Sea −28 m. Over half of Azerbaijan's landmass consists of mountain ridges, crests, highlands, and plateaus which rise up to hypsometric levels of 400–1000 meters (including the Middle and Lower lowlands), in some places (Talish, Jeyranchol-Ajinohur and Langabiz-Alat foreranges) up to 100–120 meters, and others from 0–50 meters and up (Qobustan, Absheron). Nine out of eleven existing climate zones are present in Azerbaijan. The maximum annual precipitation falls in Lenkoran (1,600 to 1,800 mm) and the minimum in Absheron (200 to 350 mm). Azerbaijan's flora consists of more than 4,500 species of higher plants (Askerov 2008). Due to the unique climate in Azerbaijan, the flora is much richer in the number of species than the flora of the other republics of the South Caucasus. 66 percent of the species growing in the whole Caucasus can be found in Azerbaijan. The main areas of plant diversity in Azerbaijan are the highlands of Nakhchivan (60% of the species occur here), the Kura-Araz plain (40%), the Devechi-Kuba region east of the Greater Caucasus (38%), the centre of the Lesser Caucasus (29%), Gobustan (26.6%), the Lenkoran region in the Talish Mountains (27%), and the Absheron region (22%). There are over 400 species of plants endemic to Azerbaijan (including ten endemic species of lichens). The country lies within four ecoregions: Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests, Caucasus mixed forests, Eastern Anatolian montane steppe, andAzerbaijan shrub desert and steppe (Dinerstein et al. 2017).

The first information about the Pyraloidea fauna (Lepidoptera) of Transcaucasia in general and the modern territory of Azerbaijan in particular appeared after the expeditions of H.T. Christoph (Hugo Theodor Christoph (1831−1894)) in Transcaucasia and Northern Iran in 1881, 1882 and 1883. The results of these expeditions were published by him and Grand Duke N.M. Romanoff (Christoph 1876, 1887, 1893; Romanoff 1887) and to this day are the most complete reports on Pyraloidea of Azerbaijan. In total, he lists 134 species. Some data is also contained in the well-known catalog of G.I. Radde (1899), the first volume of which is devoted to invertebrate animals, including Lepidoptera. Radde lists 66 species of Pyraloidea for different locations. For almost the entire 20th century, the Pyraloidea of Transcaucasia were not the subject of close attention of researchers. Information about Pyraloidea of Azerbaijan in modern works is scarce and they are mentioned either in reviews of agricultural pests (Akhundova-Tuaeva 1947; Zagulyaev 1965; Vezirov et al. 1981; Jafarov 1982; Sinev 1999), or incidentally in articles devoted to the fauna of Azerbaijan in general and adjacent regions (Bogachev 1951; Ivinskis 1986; Poltavsky et al. 2013). Most of this information was taken into account in the works of F. Slamka (Slamka 2006; 2008; 2013; 2019), where 46 species are listed in the text and on maps.

Materials and methods

This article is based on materials collected by Nataly Snegovaya, Nazar Shapoval and Roman Yakovlev in the nine localities of Azerbaijan (Fig. 1). A total of 92 species of Pyraloidea were identified, of which 48 were found for the first time (marked “*” in the table). In addition to our own materials, we summarized all available literature sources and included the data available in Table 1. The order of genera is adopted as in the Catalog of Lepidoptera of Russia (Sinev et al. 2009; Sinev, Streltzov 2009). This review can serve as a basis for further research.

List of collecting localities

1. Azerbaijan, Salyan District, Shirvan Reserve, 39°39′38″N 49°20′25″ E, -20 m, 13-14.05.2023, N. Shapoval & R. Yakovlev leg. (Fig. 2);

2. Azerbaijan, near Mingechaur, Kura Valley, 40°47′47″ N 47°3′12″ E, 100 m, 16- 17.05.2023, N. Snegovaya, N. Shapoval & R. Yakovlev leg. (Fig. 3);

3. Azerbaijan, Agdash District, Bozdag Ridge, near Turianchai, 40°43′17″ N 47°30′11″ E, 140 m, 18-19.05.2023, N. Snegovaya, N. Shapoval & R. Yakovlev leg. (Fig. 4);

4. Azerbaijan, Talysh Mts., Masalli District, 25 km SW Masalli, 38°56′53″ N 48°28′42″ E, 380 m, 21.05.2023, N. Snegovaya, N. Shapoval & R. Yakovlev leg. (Fig. 5);

5. Azerbaijan, Baku city, Garadagh District, near Gobustan, 40°12′42″ N 49°12′33″ E, 310 m, 22.05.2023, N. Shapoval & R. Yakovlev leg. (Fig. 6);

6. Azerbaijan, Masalli District, Massaly, Miyanku village, 38°53′52″N, 48°39′59″E, 24-27.07.2023, N. Snegovaya leg.;

7. Azerbaijan, Ordubad District, Agdere village, 39°6′40″N, 45°54′55″E, 23- 24.08.2023, N. Snegovaya leg.;

8. Azerbaijan, Yevlakh city, near the Kainat hotel, 40°36′52″N, 47°8′51″E, 4.07.2023, N. Snegovaya leg.;

9. Azerbaijan, Lerik, Gosmalyan village, 38°40′22″N, 48°22′15″E, 5.06.2023, N. Snegovaya leg.

The collections were carried out by manual collection during the daytime and at dusk, as well as on light screens Naturaliste-180 (using lamps OSRAM-160, 250 W) (Fig. 7) and autonomous light traps ENTOSPHINX lamp UV LED 12 V/19,2W (equipped with diodes 240 UV LED) (Fig. 8). The form of the map of Azerbaijan was taken from an open Internet resource (https://www.bluegreenatlas.com).

Result

Table 1. List of Pyraloidea of Azerbaijan (http://journal.asu.ru/biol/article/view/15707/13375)

Faunistic and systematic notes

*Hypotia infulalis Lederer, 1858

The species is widespread in the Mediterranean region and is known from Turkey (Leraut 2014). The northernmost find.

*Psorosa sp. (marashella sp. group)

An unidentified species from the marashella group, possibly new to science, additional materials and research are required.

*Ceutholopha isidis (Zeller, 1867)

The species is distributed in Africa, the Middle East, and is locally occurring in Great Britain and Corsica (Leraut 2014). Relatively recently, the species was discovered in Turkey (Akın 2018). The most northeastern records.

Discussion

Thanks to this, a complete summary of the Pyraloidea fauna of Azerbaijan was obtained, including 222 species. This summary can serve as a basis for further research.

Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to director of Institute of Zoology Dr. Aladdin Gismet oglu Eyvazov (Baku), rector of Western Caspian University Prof. Huseyngulu Seyid oglu Baghirov (Baku) for the help with organizing the field studies in the Azerbaijan in May of 2023. The work of N.S. was carried out as a part of the research project No. 122031100272-3 of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

References

Akhundova-Tuaeva LM (1947) Pests of ornamental plants in Baku and its environs. Proceedings of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR 12: 126–151. [In Russian]

Akın K (2018) Ceutholopha isidis (Zeller, 1867), a new Phycitinae record from Turkey (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea). Journal of the Entomological Research Society 20(3): 117–120.

Anikin VV, Shchurov VI (2001) Casebearers from Caucasus (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae). Zoosystematica Rossica 10: 171−179.

Askerov AM (2008) Higher Plants of Azerbaijan (Abstract of the flora of Azerbaijan). Baku, 244 pp. [In Azerbaijani]

Bogachev AV (1951) Order of butterflies, or lepidoptera – Lepidoptera. Fauna of Azerbaijan. Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Baku, 375–398 p. [In Russian]

Christoph HT (1876–1877) Sammelergebnisse aus Nordpersien, Krasnowodsk in Turkmenien und dem Daghestan. Horae Societatis entomologicae Rossicae 12: 181–299.

Christoph HT (1887) Lepidoptera aus dem Achal-Tekke-Gebiete. Dritter Theil. Mémoires sur les Lépidoptères 3: 50–125, pls 3–5.

Christoph HT (1893) Lepidoptera Nova Faunae Palaearcticae. Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift Iris 6(1): 86–96.

Didmanidze EA (2016) The Geometer Moths of Georgia and neighbouring countries from Caucasus. Tbilisi, 392 pp.

Didmanidze EA, Petrov VA, Zolotuhin VV (2013) A list of Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) of Georgia and neighbouring countries with special attention to material from the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia. Entomofauna 34(21): 269−304.

Dinerstein E, Olson D, Joshi A, Vynne C, Burgess ND, Wikramanayake E, Hahn N, Palminteri S, Hedao P, Noss R, Hansen M, Locke H, Ellis EC, Jones B, Barber CV, Hayes R, Kormos C, Martin V, Crist E, Sechrest W, Price L, Baillie JEM, Weeden D, Suckling K, Davis C, Sizer N, Moore R, Thau D, Birch T, Potapov P, Turubanova S, Tyukavina A, de Souza N, Pintea L, Brito JC, Llewellyn OA, Miller AG, Patzelt A, Ghazanfar SA, Timberlake J, Klöser H, Shennan-Farpón Y, Kindt R, Lillesø JB, van Breugel P, Graudal L, Voge M, Al-Shammari KF, Saleem M (2017) An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm. Bioscience 67(6): 534−545. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix014

Dubatolov VV, Poltavsky AN, Ilyina EV (2021) Lithosiini and Arctiini of Daghestan (NE Caucasus) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Arctiinae). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterologia 49 (193): 129−148.

Ilyina EV, Morgun DV (2010) Ecological and faunistic review of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Hesperioidea et Papilionoidea) of Daghestan: Part 1. Entomological Review 90(9): 1167−1191.

Ilyina EV, Morgun DV (2011) Ecological and faunistic review of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Hesperioidea et Papilionoidea) of Daghestan: Part 2. Entomological Review 91(4): 450−466.

Ilyina EV, Poltavsky AN, Matov AYu, Gasanova NM-S (2012) Catalogue of Owlet-Moths (Lepidoptera: Nolidae, Erebidae, Noctuidae) of Dagestan. Nauka−Dagestan Publ., Makhachkala, 192 pp. [In Russian]

Ivinskis PP (1986) A rewiew of the pyralid moth of the genus Epischnia Hubner, 1825 (Lepidoptera, Phycitidae) of the fauna of the USSR. Proceeding of the Zoological institute 145: 110–119. [In Russian]

Jafarov CB (1982) Leaf-eating lepidopteran pests of the forests of the Lesser Caucasus within the western part of the Azerbaijan SSR and measures to combat them. Abstract of dissertation of candidate of biological sciences. Baku, 19 pp.

Leraut PJA (2014) Moths of Europe, Pyralids 2. N.A.P. Editions, Verrières-le-Buisson, 441 pp.

Myers N (1988) "Threatened biotas: "Hot spots" in tropical forests". Environmentalist 8: 187–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02240252

Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, da Fonseca GAB, Kent J (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403(6772): 853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501

Nedoshivina SV, Ustjuzhanin PY, Kovtunovich VN, Streltzov AN, Yakovlev RV (2023) Lepidoptera of South Ossetia (Northern Transcaucasia). Part III. Tortricidae, Pterophoridae and Alucitidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 51(203): 437−445. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.529

Poltavsky AN, Ilyina EV (2016) Materials to the Snout-Moths Fauna (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) of Dagestan Republic. Proceedings of Dagestan State Pedagogical University 1: 53−59. [In Russian]

Poltavsky AN, Sinev SY, Matov AY (2013) New data on Pyraloidea and Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) rare species distribution basing on materials from Rostov Region (Russia). Caucasian Entomological Bulletin 9(2): 283–291.

Radde GI (1899) Collections of the Caucasian Museum, processed together with scientific specialists and published by other G.I. Radde, director of the Caucasian Museum and Public Library in Tiflis. Tiflis, 521 pp.

Romanoff NM (1887) Les Lépidoptères de la Transcaucasie. Troisième partie. Mémoires sur les Lépidoptères 3: 1−49.

Schintlmeister A (2008) Palaearctic Macrolepidoptera 1. Notodontidae. Apollo Books, Stenstrup, 482 pp.

Sinev SYu (1999) Fam. Phycitidae. Insects and mites – crop pests, 3(2). Science, St. Petersburg, 127–157. [In Russian]

Sinev SYu, Anikin VV, Piskunov VI, Streltzov AN, Ustjuzhanin PY, Yakovlev RV (2023) Lepidoptera of South Ossetia (Northern Transcaucasia). Part IV. Microlepidoptera: Adelidae to Choreutidae. Acta Biologica Sibirica 9: 1061–1072. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10213217

Sinev SYu, Streltzov AN (2019) Crambidae. In: Sinev SYu (Ed.) Catalog of Lepidoptera (Lepidoptera) of Russia. 2nd edition. Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 178–196.

Sinev SYu, Streltzov AN, Trofimova TA (2019) Pyralidae. In: Sinev SYu (Ed.) Catalog of lepidoptera (Lepidoptera) of Russia. 2nd edition. Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 165–178.

Slamka F (2006) Pyralinae, Galleriinae, Epipaschiinae, Cathariinae & Odontiinae. Pyraloidea of Europe 1. Bratislava, 138 pp.

Slamka F (2008) Crambinae & Schoenobiinae. Pyraloidea of Europe 2. Bratislava, 223 pp.

Slamka F (2013) Pyraustinae and Spilomelinae. Pyraloidea of Europe 3. Bratislava, 357 pp.

Slamka F (2019) Phycitinae. Pyraloidea of Europe 4(1). Bratislava, 432 pp.

Snegovaya NYu, Petrov VA (2021) A list of Sphingidae (Lepidoptera) of Azerbaijan. Acta Biologica Sibirica 7: 103–124. https://doi.org/10.3897/abs.7.e56707

Streltzov AN, Ustjuzhanin PYa, Kolesnichenko K, Yakovlev RV (2024) Lepidoptera of South Ossetia (Northern Transcaucasia). Part V. Superfamily Papilionoidea Latreille, 1809. Acta Biologica Sibirica 10: 375–381. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11161306

Streltzov AN, Ustjuzhanin PYa, Morozov PS, Naydenov AE, Spitsyn VM, Yakovlev RV (2022a) Lepidoptera of South Ossetia (Northern Transcaucasia). Part II. Cossidae, Limacodidae, Erebidae (Lymantriinae, Arctiinae, Syntominae, Notodontinae), Lasiocampidae, Lemoniidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae, Drepanidae and Cimeliidae. Acta Biologica Sibirica 8: 647–654. https://doi.org/10.14258/abs.v8.e40

Streltzov AN, Ustjuzhanin PYa, Yakovlev RV (2022b) Lepidoptera of South Ossetia (Northern Transcaucasia). Part I. Introduction and Superfamily Pyraloidea Latreille, 1809. Acta Biologica Sibirica 8: 281–296. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7686863

Tshikolovets VV, Nekrutenko YP (2012) The Butterflies of Caucasus and Transcaucasia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russian Federation). Tshikolovets-Press, Kyev, 424 pp.

Tsvetkov E (2023) New data on the fauna of pyraloid moths (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) of Dagestan (Russia). Zootaxa 5254(3): 340−356. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5254.3.2

Ustjuzhanin PYa, Teimurov AA, Anikin VV, Matov AYu, Naydenov AE, Streltsov AN, Yakovlev RV (2022) Materials on the Lepidoptera fauna of the Dagestan Republic (Northeastern Caucasus, Russia): autumn aspect (Insecta: Lepidoptera). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterologia 50(198): 213−228.

Vezirov NJ, Effendi RM, Aliyeva ZM (1981) Pests of fruit plants in Azerbaijan. Azerneshr, 90 pp. [In Azerbaijani]

Yakovlev RV, Poltavsky AN, Ilyina EV, Shchurov VI, Witt TJ (2015) Cossidae (Lepidoptera) of the Russian Caucasus with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 4044(2): 270−288. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4044.2.5

Yakovlev RV, Teymurov AA, Kurbanova NS, Anikin VV, Matov AYu, Morozov PS, Naydenov AE, Spitsyn VM, Streltsov AN, Ustjuzhanin PYa (2022) Materials on the Lepidoptera fauna of the Dagestan Republic (Northeastern Caucasus, Russia): spring aspect. Families Coleophoridae, Pterophoridae, Pyralidae, Crambidae, Drepanidae, Geometridae, Sphingidae, Saturniidae, Notodontidae, Erebidae & Noctuidae. South of Russia: ecology, development 17(2): 19−27. https://doi.org/10.18470/1992‐1098‐2022‐2‐19‐27 [In Russian]

Zagulyaev AK (1965) Moths and moths are pests of grain and food supplies. Science, Moscow, 274 pp. [In Russian]

Zolotuhin VV (2015) Lappet Moths (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) of Russia and Adjacent Territories. Korporaciya tekhnologiy prodvizheniya, Ulyanovsk, 384 pp. [In Russian]

Zolotuhin VV, Evdoshenko SI (2019) Hawk moths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) of Russia and Adjacent Territories. Korporaciya tekhnologiy prodvizheniya, Ulyanovsk, 408 pp. [In Russian]

Zolotuhin VV, Nedoshivina SV (2021) Drepanoid lepidopterans (Lepidoptera: Drepanoidea) of Russia and Adjacent Territories. Korporaciya tekhnologiy prodvizheniya, Ulyanovsk, 480 pp. [In Russian]