Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta (2009) Vol. 2 : 13-15
First record of Elachistidae from the Maltese Islands (Lepidoptera) Paul SAMMUT1 ABSTRACT. Elachista nuraghella is recorded as new for the Maltese Islands which represents also the first record for the family Elachistidae. A short description and the current distribution of the species are provided. KEY WORDS: Lepidoptera, Gelechoidea, Elachistidae, Elachista nuraghella, Maltese Islands, new record. INTRODUCTION The family Elachistidae is represented by a group of generally small to very small moths with wingspans ranging from 5 - 13 mm in length. In the adult, the head is smoothly scaled. The neck tufts are raised above the head. The antennae are about three quarters the length of the wings. When resting these are directed backwards and held parallel to the wings. The first antennal segment, the scape, carries a pecten. In many species the flagellum or the antennal shaft, is clothed with scales of varying colour, giving the antennae an annulated appearance. The maxillary palps are very small while the labial palps are rarely so, drooping, generally slender, porrect to recurved and diverging. The forewings are narrow and the hindwings lanceolate, much narrower than the length of the fringe or cilia (Traugott-Olsen & Schmidt Nielsen, 1977). The larvae are miners, especially of grass leaves, stems and seeds. When the leaf is mined, it is often completely hollowed. Besides grasses, the larvae are also known to feed on leaves of Cyperaceae and Juncaceae (Emmet, 1979). When resting, adults stand on the substrate with their antennae folded alongside the wings and the distal parts of the wings look like the vertical tail fin of an aircraft (Parenti, 2000). The group has a worldwide distribution, although most of the species occur in the northern hemisphere (Scoble, 1992). Up to 1991, the family contained 355 described species worldwide (Heppner, 1991). However many new species have been recently described, especially from Europe. In Europe this family is represented by 246 species accommodated in three genera: 228 in the genus Elachista Treitschke, 1833, 12 in Perittia Stainton, 1854 and 6 in Stephensia Stainton, 1858 (Kaila, 2004). The present work provides details of a new record of this newly represented family for the Maltese Islands.
1
137, ‘Fawkner/2’, Dingli Road, Rabat RBT 9023, Malta. E-mail: farfett@onvol.net
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P. SAMMUT
Elachista nuraghella Amsel, 1951 Material examined: MALTA: Burmarrad, Wied Qannotta, 22.iv.2007, 1 ♂; Mellieħa, Għadira Bay, 1.iv.2001, 1 ♂; Rabat, 28.iii.2007, 1 ♂; Rabat, 3.iv.2007, 1 ♂. The material examined was collected by the author and is housed in his private collection.
Short description: Wingspan 13 mm. Head, thorax and tegulae white. Forewings and hindwings white, slightly shining and without markings (Fig. 1). Underside of forewings greyish; underside of hindwings white. Cilia on all wings white, those on the hindwings very long.
Figure 1 - Elachista nuraghella (adult male). Distribution: The species is known from Portugal (Carpenter & Hayden, 2004), Italy (including Sardinia and Sicily), (Parenti & Varalda, 1995). It has also been recorded from Austria, Spain, the Balearic Islands, Bulgaria, Greece and European Turkey (Kaila, 2004). Biology: The early stages of the species and the larval host plant are still unknown. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr Lauri Kaila of Finland for his help in the determination of the species. REFERENCES Carpenter, B. & Hayden, J. (2004) Moth Trapping at Curzinha in 2004. A. Rocha Portugal Observatory Report - 2004. pp. 22-26. http://www.arocha.org/int-en/work/research/2010 DSY/2020-DSY.html. Emmet, A.M. (1979) Elachistidae (pp. 97-104). In: Emmet A.M. [ed.] A Field Guide to the Smaller British Lepidoptera. The British Entomological & Natural History Society, London. 271 pp. Heppner, J.B. (1991) Tropical Lepidoptera - Fuanal Regions and the Diversity of Lepidoptera. Association for Tropical Lepidoptera, 2 (Suppl. 1.): 1-85.