The Nepticulidae of Malta (Lepidoptera)

Three species of Nepticulidae are recorded for the fi rst time from the Maltese Islands. Acalyptris minimella, Ectoedemia euphorbiella, and Parafomoria pseudocistivora are added to the previously recorded Stigmella aurella. A short description of the adults and notes on ecology are given. Information on the egg oviposition and number of mines on leaves collected locally is provided for all species. Adults and mines are illustrated and distributional data is also provided.peer-reviewe

Stigmella naturnella (Klimesch, 1936) (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae) a fast-spreading European leafminer of Betula, with a revised key to linear leafmines on Betula

Stigmella naturnella (Klimesch, 1936), a leafminer of Betula, is here recorded as new for France, Croatia, Ukraine, Belgium, and the Netherlands, Since 2018, it has expanded its range into the last two countries, partly based on numerous online observations. Its distribution history is reviewed, the species is diagnosed and its life history is described. A lectotype is designated for Nepticula naturnella Klimesch, 1936. The species is widespread in the Palearctic, from Japan to the North Sea, with a maximum of 1.63% variation in its DNA barcode. Legacy leafmine records for Germany are reviewed, resulting in the confirmation of its occurrence in Baden-Württemberg already in 1935, but other old records are rejected. It is one of the few Nepticulidae species that hibernate as adult, a possible contributing factor to its expansion. As the leafmines may be confused with other Betula mining species, a revised key to the leafmines of European Stigmella species on Betula is provided. Stigmella glutinosae (Stainton, 1858) and S. alnetella (Stainton, 1856), usually feeding in Alnus, are both recorded to occur occasionally on Betula and are included in the key

Butterflies in bags: permanent storage of Lepidoptera in glassine envelopes

In terms of amateurs and professionals studying and collecting insects, Lepidoptera represent one of the most popular groups. It is this popularity, in combination with wings being routinely spread during mounting, which results in Lepidoptera often taking up the largest number of drawers and space in entomological collections. As resources grow increasingly scarce in natural history museums, any process that results in more efficient use of resources is a welcome addition to collection management practices. Therefore, we propose an alternative method to process papered Lepidoptera: a workflow to digitize (imaging and data registration) papered specimens and to store them (semi)permanently, still unmounted, in glassine envelopes. The mounting of specimens will be limited to those for which it is considered essential. The entire workflow of digitization and repacking can be carried out by non-expert volunteers. By releasing data and images on the internet, taxonomic experts worldwide can assist with identifications. This method was tested for Papilionidae. Results suggest that the workflow and permanent storage in glassine envelopes described here can be applied to most groups of Lepidoptera

Sex pheromones of two leafminer species, Antispila oinophylla and Holocacista rivillei (Lepidoptera: Heliozelidae) infesting grapevine in Italy

5openInternationalInternational coauthor/editorTwo heliozelid species, Antispila oinophylla van Nieukerken & Wagner and Holocacista rivillei (Stainton) severely infest Italian grapevines. The volatile pheromones from calling females were collected by solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and analyzed by gas chromatography with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD). Two compounds from A. oinophylla females eliciting electrophysiological activity from the conspecific male antenna were identified as (Z)-5-tetradecenal and (Z)-7-tetradecenal by coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. SPME collections from H. rivillei produced no GC-EAD active compounds but analysis of fatty acyl moieties in the pheromone gland, demonstrated the presence of the putative pheromone biosynthetic precursors (Z)-5-dodecenoic acid and (Z)-7-tetradecenoic acid. Field trapping experiments in Italy confirmed that (Z)-5-tetradecenal and (Z)-7-tetradecenal are essential for the attraction of male A. oinophylla in a blend ratio of 15:100 respectively, whereas (Z)-5-dodecenal and (Z)-7-tetradecenal attract male H. rivillei in a blend ratio of 100:6openWang, H.L.; Baldessari, M.; Anfora, G.; van Nieukerken, E.J.; Löfstedt, C.Wang, H.L.; Baldessari, M.; Anfora, G.; van Nieukerken, E.J.; Löfstedt, C

The Eastern Palaearctic Cosmopterix feminella Sinev, 1988, introduced in Italy: taxonomy, biology and a new synonymy (Lepidoptera, Cosmopterigidae)

Cosmopterix feminella Sinev, 1988, previously known from the East Palearctic, Primorskiy Territory in Russia and Japan has been collected at light in Europe. In northern Italy 58 females were collected in two localities in the province Asti, two in Alessandria, three in Udine, and in one locality in Pordenone. Cosmopterix feminella is most likely parthenogenetic as only females are known. The caterpillars are leafminers on grasses. The species is redescribed and illustrated. DNA barcodes are provided and compared with other European species. Cosmopterix feminae Kuroko, 2015 is synonymised with C. feminella. The species was probably accidentally introduced into Italy

A preliminary molecular phylogeny of shield-bearer moths (Lepidoptera: Adeloidea: Heliozelidae) highlights rich undescribed diversity

Heliozelidae are a widespread, evolutionarily early diverging family of small, day-flying monotrysian moths, for which a comprehensive phylogeny is lacking. We generated the first molecular phylogeny of the family using DNA sequences of two mitochondrial genes (COI and COII) and two nuclear genes (H3 and 28S) from 130 Heliozelidae specimens, including eight of the twelve known genera: Antispila, Antispilina, Coptodisca, Heliozela, Holocacista, Hoplophanes, Pseliastis, and Tyriozela. Our results provide strong support for five major Heliozelidae clades: (i) a large widespread clade containing the leaf-mining genera Antispilina, Coptodisca and Holocacista and some species of Antispila, (ii) a clade containing most of the described Antispila, (iii) a clade containing the leaf-mining genus Heliozela and the monotypic genus Tyriozela, (iv) an Australian clade containing Pseliastis and (v) an Australian clade containing Hoplophanes. Each clade includes several new species and potentially new genera. Collectively, our data uncover a rich and undescribed diversity that appears to be especially prevalent in Australia. Our work highlights the need for a major taxonomic revision of the family and for generating a robust molecular phylogeny using multi-gene approaches in order to resolve the relationships among clades

New Species in the Old World: Europe as a Frontier in Biodiversity Exploration, a Test Bed for 21st Century Taxonomy

The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species described annually, mostly from the tropics. However, taxonomy is usually described as a science in crisis, lacking manpower and funding, a politically acknowledged problem known as the Taxonomic Impediment. Using data from the Fauna Europaea database and the Zoological Record, we show that contrary to general belief, developed and heavily-studied parts of the world are important reservoirs of unknown species. In Europe, new species of multicellular terrestrial and freshwater animals are being discovered and named at an unprecedented rate: since the 1950s, more than 770 new species are on average described each year from Europe, which add to the 125,000 terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species already known in this region. There is no sign of having reached a plateau that would allow for the assessment of the magnitude of European biodiversity. More remarkably, over 60% of these new species are described by non-professional taxonomists. Amateurs are recognized as an essential part of the workforce in ecology and astronomy, but the magnitude of non-professional taxonomist contributions to alpha-taxonomy has not been fully realized until now. Our results stress the importance of developing a system that better supports and guides this formidable workforce, as we seek to overcome the Taxonomic Impediment and speed up the process of describing the planetary biodiversity before it is too late

The European union’s 2010 target: Putting rare species in focus

P. 167-185The European Union has adopted the ambitious target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010. Several indicators have been proposed to assess progress towards the 2010 target, two of them addressing directly the issue of species decline. In Europe, the Fauna Europaea database gives an insight into the patterns of distribution of a total dataset of 130,000 terrestrial and freshwater species without taxonomic bias, and provide a unique opportunity to assess the feasibility of the 2010 target. It shows that the vast majority of European species are rare, in the sense that they have a restricted range. Considering this, the paper discusses whether the 2010 target indicators really cover the species most at risk of extinction. The analysis of a list of 62 globally extinct European taxa shows that most contemporary extinctions have affected narrow-range taxa or taxa with strict ecological requirements. Indeed, most European species listed as threatened in the IUCN Red List are narrow-range species. Conversely, there are as many wide-range species as narrow-range endemics in the list of protected species in Europe (Bird and Habitat Directives). The subset of biodiversity captured by the 2010 target indicators should be representative of the whole biodiversity in terms of patterns of distribution and abundance. Indicators should not overlook a core characteristic of biodiversity, i.e. the large number of narrow-range species and their intrinsic vulnerability. With ill-selected indicator species, the extinction of narrowrange endemics would go unnoticedS