Theresimima ampellophaga
| Theresimima ampellophaga | ||||||||||||
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Theresimima ampellophaga |
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| Beach , 1917 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Theresimima ampellophaga | ||||||||||||
| (Bayle-Barelle, 1808) |
Theresimima ampellophaga , sometimes also called Wein-Zygaene , is a butterfly fromthe ram family (Zygaenidae). The species epithet is composed of the Greek words άμπελος for vine and φάγος for eater and indicates the fact that the species wasa feared pest in viticulturein the Mediterranean region .
features
The moths reach a forewing length of 8.5 to 12 millimeters for the males and 7.5 to 11.5 millimeters for the females. The head and thorax are glossy dark brown, the abdomen has a bluish or greenish brown gloss. The antennae are long and distinctively comb-shaped. They are covered in shiny green scales and have 35 to 38 segments. The forewings have a dark brown base color, there are shiny scales on the wing base. The blackish brown hind wings are rounded and much shorter and narrower than that of the other species of the Procridinae that are native to the Western Palearctic . The species is not variable apart from the differences in size and there are no similar species in the western Palearctic.
In the male genitalia, the uncus is relatively short compared to most of the Western Palearctic Procridinae and has a broad triangular base. The tegumen and vinculum are only slightly sclerotized. The valves have a small ventral process and a small pulvinus at the end . The aedeagus is of medium size, slightly curved upwards and has a large cornutus. Occasionally two other smaller cornuti are also formed. The distal part of the ejaculatory duct has a number of small triangular spines.
In the female genitalia, the antrum is flat and heavily sclerotized. The ductus bursae is long, translucent and has a characteristic longitudinal structure. The corpus bursae is small and spherical. The annal papillae are large and have short apophyseal appendages.
The eggs are egg-shaped, initially pearly colored and later pale yellow.
The caterpillar stages L1 - L3 are whitish, the belly is yellowish white, the head and thoracic plate are blackish brown. The integument has no tubercles . Adult caterpillars are 18 to 22 millimeters in size.
The pupa is brownish black.
distribution
Theresimima ampellophaga is distributed from Algeria , Spain (?) And southern France over most areas of southern Europe to the north coast of the Black Sea including the northern areas of Hungary and Slovakia . In the east, the distribution area extends to the south of the European part of Russia , the west of the Caucasus and Transcaucasus and via Turkey , Lebanon and Syria to Israel .
biology
The females lay the eggs in groups of 20 to 100 on the undersides of the leaves of the forage plants. The caterpillars hatch after six to eight days. The first stages of the caterpillar eat the parenchyma of the leaves, creating an irregular network of remaining leaf veins. Later stages live individually and feed on all leaf parts. The adult caterpillars pupate in a white cocoon-like web. A diapause is inserted during the third or fourth stage of the caterpillar. Overall, larval development takes place over five caterpillar stages. The main forage plant is the grapevine ( Vitis vinifera ). Caused by the use of insecticides, the caterpillars now also feed on common virgin vines ( Parthenocissus vitacea ) and self-climbing virgin vines ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia ). The latter two plant species were introduced from North America . The caterpillars pupate in a brownish-white, not very dense cocoon on the bark of the trunk, in cracks in the bark or, rarely, under leaves. The moths hatch after 14 to 20 days at night or in the early morning hours, the males are more active and fly into the late morning. The moths mate in the late morning 24 to 48 hours after hatching, and rarely in the afternoon. The moth's proboscis has receded so that they cannot absorb any nectar and therefore cannot be found on flowers. The moths usually fly in one generation from May to July, in Hungary and Lebanon a second generation can also be formed.
Theresimima ampellophaga has been a major pest in viticulture since Roman times . However, due to the use of insecticides , the species has now become extinct in many areas of its range, such as in North Africa, Spain, southern Italy and Hungary. Current evidence is rare and mostly comes from the eastern areas of the Mediterranean, such as the Greek islands and Turkey. As a result of the change in host mentioned above, the species is now developing high population densities again and is regaining its original range. In view of the historical distribution of viticulture in Europe, it must be assumed that the above distribution area is not identical to the original distribution area of the species. This is supported by the fact that Theresimima ampellophaga is the only species from the subfamily Procridinae in the western Palearctic whose caterpillars only go through five developmental stages instead of the usual six. Five caterpillar stages are typical for the tropical representatives of the subfamily. Presumably, one must classify Theresimima ampellophaga like the strawberry tree butterfly ( Charaxes jasius ) as a relic species originating from tropical Africa or Asia.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe. 2nd volume. E. Schweitzerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1910, p. 166
- ↑ a b c C. M. Naumann, WG Tremewan: The Western Palaearctic Zygaenidae . 1st edition. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 1999, ISBN 87-88757-15-3 , pp. 105 (English).
- ↑ L. Issekutz: The vine pest Theresimima ampelophaga Bayle-Barelle in Hungary. (Lepidopt., Zygaenidae). Journal of the Vienna Entomological Society 42 (1957): pp. 75–80 PDF at www.biologiezentrum.at
- ↑ P. Huemer, W. Rabitsch: 6.3.19 Butterflies (Lepidoptera). In: Franz Essl, Wolfgang Rabitsch: Neobiota in Austria. Umweltbundesamt Wien, 2002, ISBN 3-85457-658-7 , p. 36
literature
- CM Naumann, WG Tremewan: The Western Palaearctic Zygaenidae . 1st edition. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 1999, ISBN 87-88757-15-3 (English).
Web links
- Theresimima ampellophaga at Fauna Europaea. Retrieved March 20, 2011
- Lepiforum e. V. Taxonomy and Photos