Adscita mauretanica
| Adscita mauretanica | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Adscita mauretanica | ||||||||||||
| ( Naufock , 1932) |
Adscita mauretanica is a butterfly fromthe ram family (Zygaenidae).
features
The moths reach a forewing length of 8.5 to 13.0 millimeters in the males and 8.5 to 12.3 millimeters in the females. The head, thorax, and abdomen are shimmering green, blue-green, or blue. The last 8 sensor segments are plate-like and fused to form a shaft. The upper side of the forewings shimmers green or blue-green or green with a faint shimmer. The upper side of the hind wing is dark brownish gray and slightly translucent . The undersides of the wings are brownish gray.
The valves of the males are elongated, longer dorsally than ventrally . There is no extension. The aedeagus is short and strong and about 2.5 times longer than it is wide. On the vesica there are two large cornuti; one is comma-shaped, the other is only slightly curved and almost straight. There is also a small, straight cornutus, which is often missing. The 8th sternite reaches the rear edge of the segment.
In females, the ostium is wide, large, and heavily sclerotized . There are several groups of spines on the prebursa , which differ in the number and size of the spines. The translucent and longitudinally folded ductus bursae starts at right angles to the prebursa. The corpus bursae is egg-shaped and translucent.
The egg is yellowish green.
The caterpillars of the subspecies A. m. wiegeli have a black head and a black-brown body. On the sides or on the belly they are greenish or yellowish white. There is a fine, interrupted midline on the back. The warts on the back are dirty yellow, the thoracic legs are dark brown. The breathing holes are light brown and indistinct. The belly legs and the pusher are the same color as the belly. The caterpillars of the subspecies A. m. mauretanica are similar to A. m. wiegeli , but they have a strong dark brown basic color and light yellow warts.
The doll is reddish brown. The cocoon is dull fusiform and white to brownish white. It is covered with loosely spun silk into which soil components and litter are incorporated.
Similar species
In North Africa , Adscita mauretanica is the only species with club-shaped antennae. In the males the segments at the tip of the antennae form tooth-like plates, in the females the segments are thickened.
Subspecies
The subspecies A. m. mauretanica (Naufock, 1932) is smaller than the subspecies A. m. howgeli . The sensors are shorter and consist of 30 to 39 segments. The shimmering blue color is absent in the thorax and abdomen. The upper side of the forewings is yellowish green and has a characteristic shimmer. The nominotypical subspecies was described using specimens from the Rif Mountains in Morocco . Another subspecies, A. m. meson , which was described by Dujardin 1973, is currently considered a local mountain form of the subspecies A. m. considered mauretanica .
The subspecies Adscita m. wiegeli ( Alberti , 1973) is larger than the nominate subspecies and has longer antennae consisting of 36 to 41 segments. Thorax and abdomen shimmer blue-green or blue, the fore wing is dull green.
distribution
Adscita mauretanica is common in Morocco and northwest Algeria . The nominate subspecies A. m. mauretanica is native to the Middle Atlas , in the Rif Mountains and in northwestern Algeria and inhabits dry, open grasslands between 1000 and 2200 meters above sea level. The subspecies Adscita m. wiegeli occurs in the High Atlas in Morocco and inhabits moist to wet grasslands with stocks of forage plants at an altitude of 2000 to 2900 meters.
biology
The first stages of caterpillars live in the leaves of the fodder plants in a mining fashion until overwintering. Then they feed on the leaves. The caterpillars pupate in a cocoon on the ground. The species flies slowly and is sometimes very common. The caterpillar fodder plants include sun rose species ( Helianthemum ), on which the subspecies A. m lives . mauretanica . The subspecies A. m. wigeli is found on common sorrel ( Rumex acetosa subsp. atlanticus ). The moths fly in the Rif Mountains and in lower altitudes of the Middle Atlas from May and in the High Atlas to August.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e C. M. Naumann, WG Tremewan: The Western Palaearctic Zygaenidae . 1st edition. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 1999, ISBN 87-88757-15-3 , pp. 145 (English).
literature
- CM Naumann, WG Tremewan: The Western Palaearctic Zygaenidae . 1st edition. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 1999, ISBN 87-88757-15-3 (English).