Lignyoptera fumidaria (Hübner, 1825)

Beshkov, Stoyan & Nahirnić-Beshkova, Ana, 2022, Paracossulus thrips (Hübner, 1818) (Cossidae) and Lignyoptera fumidaria (Hübner, 1825) (Geometridae) - two Lepidoptera genera new for Serbia with a review of the distribution of these two Habitats Directive species in the Balkan Peninsula, Ecologica Montenegrina 51, pp. 65-80 : 74-78

Lignyoptera fumidaria (Hübner, 1825)

L. fumidaria is another species listed in Annexes II and IV of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC, Code 4037. It is also included in Annexes 2 and 3 of the Biodiversity Protection Act of the Republic of Bulgaria. In the Balkan Peninsula ( Fig. 11 ) L. fumidaria was known only from Bulgaria. The first report for Bulgaria was from Baba and Ostritsa summits in Golo Bardo Mt., Pernik Region at altitude of 800-1000 m ( Vihodcevsky, 1958). Subsequently Ganev (1982, 1983a) reported it from Skakavitsa railway station in Zemen gorge – Koniavska mn., 500 m [Kyustendil Region]. These localities were not confirmed (Beshkov & Nahirnić-Beshkova, 2021; Beshkov, 2017a; Hristova, 2019), although the species was searched for there. Areas where L. fumidaria has been searched for in the past are listed below. Beshkov (2011) reported L. fumidaria from the area between Beledie Han and Ponor villages, Kostinbrod Municipality at an altitude of 740-920 m. Beshkov (2017a) published again these findings of L. fumidaria with coordinates from “Ponorite” near the crossroad to Ponor village. Some more localities in this area ( Dragoman Natura 2000 Protected Area ) are presented in Beshkov & Nahirnić- Beshkova (2021). Outside the Balkan Peninsula in Europe L. fumidaria is known from Stânca near Iaşi town in Central Moldova, Romania ( Manci et al., 2015, Rákosy et al., 2021, Rákosy & Goia, 2021). According to Rákosy & Goia (2021) the IUCN Category in Romania is Data Deficient - DD. In Europe it is also known from eastern Austria, Hungary and Ukraine, steppe regions of European Russia, the Caucasus and in Asia in Transcaucasus across Siberia and as far as the Altai Mountains ( Scou & Sihvonen, 2015, Petrányi, 2014, Manci et al., 2015, Rákosy et al., 2021). According to Rákosy et al., (2021) the habitat of L. fumidaria is steppes or steppe-like meadows on soils with loess or that are loamy ( Stipo-Festucetalia ), calcareous ( Festuco-Brometali a) or slightly salty, sometimes even on limestone cliffs ( Petrányi, 2014). Attraction to light is also mentioned by Rákosy et al. (2021). Achillea sp. is the larval host-plant. The overwintering stage is the egg. The larva feeds on flowers of the host-plant from April to June / July ( Scou & Sihvonen, 2015, Manci et al., 2015, Rákosy et al., 2021). Achillea millefolium L. is mentioned as the caterpillar’s food plant in Nestorova (1998), but the source of this data is not original.

Here one new locality for Bulgaria, from Dragoman Natura 2000 protected area, is reported: Kostinbrod district, between Ponor and Bezden Villages, 913 m, N42.91343, E023.09819, 05.XI.2021, S. Beshkov & A. Nahirnić- Beshkova leg. A single specimen of L. fumidaria was observed there flying in the evening at 17:00 (sunset 17:14), as well as 3 specimens that were attracted to a Finnish “ tent trap ” with a 160 watt MV bulb and a 20 watt “blacklight”; one more specimen was seen flying at 7:00, exactly at sunrise (7:06). The habitat in this locality is 02E1 Mountain petrophytic steppes. At Chepan Hill, Petrovski Kurst, 1167 m, L. fumidaria was also observed at a Finnish “ tent trap ” in November 2020, as well as flying early in the morning (Beshkov & Nahirnić- Beshkova, 2021; personal observation). At the same locality it was not seen active in the afternoon and in the evening, perhaps because of the wind. Our observations show that L. fumidaria is active daily from the early morning, as well as in the night, and the activity depends on the sun, and the temperature and wind respectively. According to Scou & Sihvonen (2015) copulation takes place in the morning between 9 and 12 a.m. Sympatric and synchronic species, collected at light are: Geometridae : Crocallis tusciaria (Borkhausen, 1793) , Colotois pennaria (Linnaeus, 1761) , Erannis declinans (Staudinger, 1879) , Agriopis budashkini Kostjuk, 2009 , Peribatodes rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Aplocera plagiata (Linnaeus, 1758) , Chloroclysta siterata (Hufnagel, 1767) , Epirrita dilutata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775); Noctuidae : Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper, 1789) , Diloba caeruleocephala (Linnaeus, 1758) , Allophyes oxyacanthae (Linnaeus, 1758) , Asteroscopus sphinx (Hufnagel, 1766) , Mesogona acetosellae ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Anchoscelis litura (Linnaeus, 1758) , Leptologia macilenta (Hübner, [1809]) , Sunira circellaris (Hufnagel, 1766) , Conistra vaccinii (Linnaeus, 1761) , Conistra erythrocephala ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Lithophane ornitopus (Hufnagel, 1766) , Eupsilia transversa (Hufnagel, 1766) , Ammoconia caecimacula ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Ammoconia senex (Geyer, [1828]) , Dasypolia templi vecchimontium Ronkay & Varga, 1985 , Polymixis rufocincta (Geyer, 1828) , Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel, 1766) , Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758) .

Serbian record: Vidlič Mt., Pirot municipality, above Krupac Village, Rumenac , N43.12068, E022.68643 ( Fig. 8 ), 525 m, 21.XI.2021, 1 male ( Fig. 9 ), during daytime, local time 15:15 (sunset 15:59). Regarding Lepidoptera at that time, only a single specimen of Colias croceus ( Geoffroy in Fourcroy , 1785) was observed resting and some flying Microlepidoptera, cf. Tortricidae . Here we propose the Serbian vernacular name for L. fumidaria as “dimni jesenji glasnik” (English: smoky autumn herald), “dimni” is for fumidaria (Latin: fumus - smoke) as its scientific name is given according to the smoky colour pattern of male moths and “jesenji glasnik” is for its occurrence in autumn.

The bedrock of this locality is limestone. The slope is exposed to the W-SW and is of inclination 10- 15°. The moth was found flying from the grassland where Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng, Satureja montana L., Chrysopogon gryllus (L.) Trin., Festuca sp. and Stipa sp. were dominant. It was ca 10 m from Carpinus orientalis Mill. stands. Several small trees and bushes were present in the exact place: P. spinosa , C. orientalis and Q. pubescens . The weather was sunny and slightly windy. Sympatric and synchronic Lepidoptera species were not found. This locality is ca 5 km from the border of “Stara planina” Nature Park.

General threats for this species are: burning of dry vegetation in autumn and spring, plantations of pine or black locust on slopes with steppe vegetation, grazing during the winter months, the expansion of shrubs due to lack of land use, and pesticides on nearby agricultural land ( Petrányi, 2014, Manci et al., 2015, Rákosy et al., 2021), which can also be considered as potential threats at the locality in Serbia. We recommend L. fumidaria to be included in the list of the protected species in Serbia and its habitat to be protected. Species on Annex II of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC, such as P. thrips and L. fumidaria require “the designation of special areas of conservation”. Such a protected area can be included in nearby “Stara planina” Nature Park or a new protected area on Vidlič Mt. can be designated. According to Hristova (2019) in Bulgaria L. fumidaria is IUCN Category Critically Endangered, CR B2ab(iii) with a Сhorological index CI = 14. Taking into account the situation in Bulgaria when L. fumidaria was evaluated and the present knowledge for this species in Serbia, it is clear that, in the latter country, it will fall in the same IUCN category.

Chepan seems to be the highest locality of the range of the species. According to Scou & Sihvonen (2015) L. fumidaria is restricted to lowlands, in Austria from 120 to 300 m altitude, in southern Ural found at 220 m. The Romanian specimen was also collected at only 50 m elevation ( Manci et al. 2015). In Bulgaria it occurs from ca. 600 m in Zemen Gorge up to 1167 m on Chepan Ridge (Beshkov & Nahirnić- Beshkova, 2021). It is possible that only the localities in West Caucasus and Altai ( Belljaev & Mironov, 2019) are of higher elevation. The Serbian locality is the lowest one in the Balkan Peninsula. Under the discussion for P. thrips above, we tried to explain why in Bulgaria and Serbia we find the highest localities of this steppe species.

Areas where L. fumidaria was searched for, but not found:

In Bulgaria:

Ponor Planina Mt., above Breze Village

NW Bulgaria, Pastrina Natura 2000 Protected Area

Vrachanski Balkan Natura 2000 Protected Area

Dobrogea, Rositsa-Loznitsa Natura 2000 Protected Area

NE Bulgaria, Durankulak Lake Natura 2000 Protected Area

NE Bulgaria, Kraymorska Dobrudzha Natura 2000 Protected Area

Golo Bardo Mt., Ostritsa Natura 2000 Protected Area

E Stara Planina Mts, Sinite Kamani Natura 2000 Protected Area

Strandzha Mts, Strandzha Natura 2000 Protected Area

Ossogovska Planina Mts Natura 2000 Protected Area

Zemen Natura 2000 Protected Area

Skrino Natura 2000 Protected Area

Etropole-Baylovo Natura 2000 Protected Area

In Serbia:

near Gornji Krivodol Village, Sveta Petka Chapel near Smilovci and between these destinations, 20.X.2010, SB;

Dimitrovgrad (Caribrod) district, Zabrđe Mt., Kozarica pass, Vištni Kamen on the road to Bačevo Village, 763m, Sveta Petka Chapel near Smilovci and near Smilovska jezera lakes, 09.XI.2013, SB & VG;

Svrljiški Planini Mts, Rinjska Planina above Bela Palanka Town , 10.XI.2014, SB & AN;

Vidlič, Crni Vrh above Pirot Town , 11.XI.2014, SB & AN;

above Trnava Village , Preševo district, 11.XI.2015, SB & AN;

Vranje Region, Starac Mt., around Turski Grob , 12.XI.2015, SB & AN;

Pčinja River Valley, Vražji Kamen near Trgovište Village , 13.XI.2015, SB & AN;

Šljivovički Vis Mt., above Šlivovik Village , Bela Palanka district, 06.XI.2016;

Dimitrovgrad (=Caribrod) district, Zabrđe Mt., Kozarica pass, Vištni Kamen on the road to Bačevo Village, 06.XI.2021, SB & A. N-B;

Vidlič, Kapana above Gulenovci Village, 06.XI.2021, SB & AN-B;

Vidlič, above Smilovci Village, gorge of Jankov dol stream, 06.XI.2021, SB & AN- B.

The most interesting species from Vidlič Mt. are listed below:

Beshkov (2015a): Poecilocampa populi (Linnaeus, 1758) , Dasypolia templi (Thunberg, 1792) ; Beshkov (2015b): Trichiura crataegi (Linnaeus, 1758) , Asovia maeoticaria (Alphéraky, 1876) , Nychiodes dalmatina Wagner, 1909 , Charissa obscurata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Aspilates gilvaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Idaea trigeminata (Haworth, 1809) , Paradrymonia vittata (Staudinger, 1892) , Rhyparia purpurata (Linnaeus, 1758) , Orectes proboscidata (Herrich-Schäffer, 1851), Chelis maculosa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Drasteria cailino (Lefebvre, 1827) , Lamprosticta culta ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Caradrina terrea Freyer, [1839] , Calamia tridens (Hufnagel, 1766) , Apamea syriaca tallosi Kovacs & Varga, 1969 , Apamea sublustris (Esper, [1788]) , Oligia versicolor (Borkhausen, 1792) , Dryobotodes monochroma (Esper, [1790]) , Cucullia formosa Rogenhofer, 1860 , Cucullia santonici (Hübner, [1813]) , Sideridis turbida (Esper, 1790) , Hadena drenowskii (Rebel, 1930) , Dichagyris nigrescens (Höfner, 1888) , Dichagyris forcipula ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Divaena haywardi (Tams, 1926) , Chersotis rectangula ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Chersotis margaritacea (de Villers, 1789) , Spaelotis senna contorta (Rebel & Zerny, 1931) Eugnorisma depuncta (Linnaeus, 1761) ; Jakšić (2015): Erebia alberganus (Prunner, 1798) ; Jakšić (2017): Abraxas grossulariata (Linnaeus, 1758) , Heliomata glarearia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Cleorodes lichenaria (Hufnagel, 1767) , Epirrhoe tristata (Linnaeus, 1758) , Perizoma hydrata (Treitschke 1829) , Nola cucullatella (Linnaeus, 1758) ; Beshkov (2017b): Pharmacis lupulina (Linnaeus, 1758) , Muschampia cribrellum (Eversmann, 1841) , Narraga tessularia (Metzner, 1845) , Lycia graecarius (Staudinger, 1861) , Charissa onustaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1852) , Dyscia innocentaria (Christoph, 1885) , Catarhoe putridaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1852) , Catarhoe permixtaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1856) , Eupithecia breviculata (Donzel, 1837) , Nola confusalis (Herrich-Schäffer, [1847]) , Watsonarcta deserta (Bartel, 1902) , Euplagia quadripunctaria (Poda, 1761) , Euchalcia variabilis (Piller & Mitterpacher, 1783) , Epimecia ustula (Freyer, [1835]) , Caradrina suscianja (von Mentzer, 1981) , Pseudoxestia apfelbecki (Rebel, 1901) , Apamea illyria Freyer, 1846 , Sideridis lampra (Schawerda, 1913) , Conisania renati meszarosi Varga & Ronkay, 1991 ; Beshkov & Nahirnić (2017): Amphipyra tetra (Fabricius, 1787) ; Nahirnić et al. (2019): Adscita albanica (Naufock, 1926) , Jordanita graeca ( Jordan, 1907) and Zygaena brizae (Esper, 1800) ; Jakšić & Milošević (2021): Dysstroma citrata (Linnaeus, 1761) , Fagivorina arenaria (Hufnagel, 1767) , unpublished data of the authors: Dyscia conspersaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775).

Figures

Figure 8. Habitat of Lignyoptera fumidaria at Vidlič Mt., above Krupac Village, 525 m.

Figure 9. Lignyoptera fumidaria male from Vidlič Mt., above Krupac Village, 525 m. Scale bar = 1 cm.

Figure 11. Distribution of Lignyoptera fumidaria in the Balkan Peninsula. Red dots represent the new localities; black dots – recently published localities; yellow dots – old published localities.