Research paper. New and Rare Macrolepidoptera (Insecta) from Romanian Dobrogea (South-East Romania)

Abstract

This study represents a synthesis of recent faunistical results (2012-2015), regarding the Macrolepidoptera of Dobrogea (south-eastern Romania) (Fig. 1A). Records of species of great faunistical and zoogeographical importance for the Romanian fauna are included. Eublemma porphyrina (Freyer, 1844) is reported for the first time in the Romanian fauna. The presence of several species known in the country based exclusively on very old records is confirmed (e.g. Dryobotodes carbonis (F. Wagner, 1831), Eremodrina pertinax (Staudinger, 1879), Zekelita antiqualis (Hübner, [1809])). Certain rare species with few records are also presented, such as Catopta thrips (Hübner, 1818), Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades (Hübner, 1819), Grammodes bifasciata (Petagna, 1787), Clytie syriaca (Bugnion, 1837), Symira dentinosa Freyer, 1839, Chazaria incarnata (Freyer, 1838), Protarchanara brevilinea (Fenn, 1864), Polymixis rufocincta (Geyer, [1828]), Gortyna cervago Eversmann, 1844, Dichagyris melanura (Kollar, 1846), Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) admetus (Esper, 1783), Libythea celtis (Laicharting in Fuessly, 1782), Kirinia roxelana (Cramer, 1777), etc. Several Macrolepidoptera species recorded for the first time in Dobrogea are also included, eg: Hyloicus pinastri (Linnaeus, 1758), Cyclophora quercimontaria (Bastelberger, 1897), Perconia strigillaria (Hübner, 1787), Dryobotodes carbonis (F. Wagner, 1831), Meganephria bimaculosa (Linnaeus, 1767), Cerastis leucographa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Noctua janthe (Borkhausen, 1792). There are 602 Macrolepidoptera species listed in this work. The studied localities have not been, or have been only little investigated previously in terms of Lepidoptera fauna, eg: Creasta Cardonului-Hamcearca, Enisala (Tulcea County), Fântâniţa-Murfatlar, Allah Bair Hill, Esechioi Forest, Oltina, Şipotele (Constanţa County). The study also includes aspects of zoogeography, invasive species, protection of habitats and protection of endangered species.