SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología ISSN: 0300-5267 [email protected] Sociedad Hispano-Luso-Americana de Lepidopterología España Kravchenko, V. D.; Fibiger, M.; Mooser, J.; Muller, G. C. The Noctuinae of Israel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología, vol. 34, núm. 136, 2006, pp. 353-370 Sociedad Hispano-Luso-Americana de Lepidopterología Madrid, España Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=45513605 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative 353-370 The Noctuinae of Israel 14/12/06 21:14 Página 353 SHILAP Revta. lepid., 34 (136), 2006: 353-370 SRLPEF ISSN:0300-5267 The Noctuinae of Israel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) V. D. Kravchenko, M. Fibiger, J. Mooser & G. C. Muller Abstract Within the Israeli-German project for the study of the Israeli Lepidoptera fauna, intensive collecting was conducted the last 18 years. Almost half (36 / 76) of the presently known species were recorded during this survey for the first time in Israel. Nine of these species (Euxoa conspicua, Euxoa hering, Agrotis psammocharis, Agrotis (Powellinia) boetica, Pachyagrotis tischendorfi, Dichagyris melanuroides, Dichagyris amoena, Noctua tertia, Noctua interjecta) are published in this study for the first time. The highest species diversity was found in the hills of the temperate area. About one-third of the species was restricted to the Tragacanth zone of Mt Hermon (~2000 m). The bulk of the species has a Mediterranean (34), Irano-Turanian (16) or Eremic (15) distribution pattern. Three species are endemics of the Levant (Agrotis scruposa, Dichagyris rubidior and Yigoga libanicola) four are Paleo- Tropical, three Trans-Palearctic and one Afro-Tropical. The characteristic species of the arid or semi-arid zones typically fly in November while species from medium altitudes (500 – 1000 m) in the temperate zone typically fly during May and October. Most of the xero-mountain species were found in August - October. The distribution, phenology and ecology of the 76 Noctuinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) known for Israel are discussed. KEY WORDS: Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, zoogeography, Israel. Los Noctuinae de Israel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Resumen Con el proyecto Israelí-Alemán para el estudio intensivo de la fauna de Lepidoptera de israelí, se han dirigido recolecciones intensivas durante los pasados 18 años. Casi la mitad (36 / 76) de las especies presentes conocidas, fueron registrados durante estos reconocimientos por primera vez en Israel. Nueve de estas especies (Euxoa conspicua, Euxoa hering, Agrotis psammocharis, Agrotis (Powellinia) boetica, Pachyagrotis tischendorfi, Dichagyris melanuroides, Dichagyris amoena, Noctua tertia, Noctua interjecta) son publicadas por primera vez en este estudio. La mayor diversidad de especies fue encontrada en las zonas montañosas de las áreas templadas. Alrededor de un tercio de las especies estaban restringidas a la zona del tragacanto del Monte Hermon (~2.000 m). La mayor parte de las especies tiene un patrón de distribución Mediterránea (34), Irano-Turánica (16) o Erémica (15). Tres especies son endémicas del Próximo Oriente (Agrotis scruposa, Dichagyris rubidior y Yigoga libanicola) cuatro son Paleo-Tropicales, tres Trans-Paleárticas y una Afro-Tropical. Las especies típicamente características de las zonas áridas o semiáridas, vuelan poco tiempo en noviembre en unas altitudes medias (500 - 1.000 m), en las zonas templadas son típicas las que vuelan durante mayo y octubre. La mayor parte de las especies xero-montañosas fueron encontradas en agosto - octubre. Se discute la distribución, fenología y ecología de los 76 Noctuinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) conocidas para Israel. PALABRAS CLAVE: Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, zoogeografía, Israel. Introduction Within the Israeli-German project for the study of the Israeli Lepidoptera fauna, intensive 353 353-370 The Noctuinae of Israel 14/12/06 21:14 Página 354 V. D. KRAVCHENKO, M. FIBIGER, J. MOOSER & G. C. MULLER collecting was conducted from 1986-2004. This project was a joint effort of Tel Aviv University, The Hebrew University, the Nature Reserves and Park Authority of Israel, the Zoologische Staatssammlung Munich and Museum Witt, Munich, Germany. Geography of Israel Israel is located at the eastern part of the Mediterranean Basin in the northern part of the Syrian East African Rift Valley (PICARD, 1943). The character of the country is mainly determined by its position within the Mediterranean zone as crossroads between three continents and two oceans and by being a boundary of cultivated land and desert (POHORYLES, 1975). In consequence of the alternating geographical and climatic zones of Israel it has become a common ground for plants and animals of different origin and they also constitute the furthest point of geographical distribution of many species (FURTH, 1975). Israel is located in the 20º C isotherm of annual temperature (BEAUMONT, BLAKE & WAGSTAFF, 1976). However this is only true for the coastal plain (BIEL, 1944) since in the hills there is an annual average of 17º C, and in the Jordan valley of 25º C (ASHBEL, 1951). As a rule temperatures drop abruptly in November, and reach a minimum in January or February. Days below freezing point occur almost every winter in the hills but they are rare in the coastal plain. The warming in April and May is more gradual then the drop of the temperature in autumn. In summer peak temperatures fluctuate around 40º C (ASHBEL, 1951). The winter is short and almost 70% of the annual rainfall occurs between November and February. Rain from May to September is rare and negligible and the dry season is from June to August. The annual rainfall decreases from 1500 mm on Mt. Hermon in the north to 15 mm near the gulf of Eilat in the south (ASHBEL, 1951). The plants of Israel belong to five phyto-geographic regions (ZOHARY, 1966): The Mediterranean temperate Zone covers those areas which receive an annual average precipitation of 350 mm or more. The hills of Jerusalem and the coastal plain at the same latitude are the most southern parts of the Mediterranean territory in the Near East (ZOHARY, 1962). The Mediterranean vegetation is divided into two distinct types: That of the hills and that of the coastal plain. In the hills with its higher precipitation (about 500-700 mm) maquis is dominant. Today, most of the coastal plain consists of agriculture areas and human habitation. The Irano-Turanian Zone is a semi arid area, a dry steppe or desert steppe, which stretches from its south west border in Israel through Iran, Turkestan and inner Asia to the Gobi desert. The average annual rainfall is 200-300 mm during winter only. Low brush or dwarf bushes with Artemisetum plant associations are characteristic for this region. The Saharo-Arabian eremic zone is a true desert which centres on the Arabian Peninsula. Winter rainfall of up to 200 mm is followed by a short period of blooming, and afterwards the vegetation dries rapidly up. The vegetation is very sparse averaging over large areas in one plant per one to ten square metres (ZOHARY & ORSHANSKY, 1949). The Ethiopian tropical zone in Israel is only represented in small enclaves in the lower Jordan valley, the Dead Sea area and the Arava Valley where they are surrounded by extreme desert or halophytic vegetation. High temperature, abundant fresh water and rich soil conditions are typical of these oases (ZOHARY & ORSHANSKY, 1949). 354 SHILAP Revta. lepid., 34 (136), 2006 353-370 The Noctuinae of Israel 14/12/06 21:14 Página 355 THE NOCTUINAE OF ISRAEL The Tragacanth high altitude zone is restricted to the peak of Mt Hermon (above 1900 m). Snow coverage with very low temperatures in winter and hot, dry summer create specific plant communities dominated by spiny, round, dense, cushion like shrubs such as Astragalus and Onobrychis. The main water source in this area is melting snow, consequently most of this karstic mountain area is rather arid. Different types of forest are only found along the foot hills and within canyons. The subfamily Noctuinae. Most of the Noctuinae larvae develop sub-terrainously on roots and lower parts of herbaceous plants, especially Gramineae (FIBIGER, 1990; ALIEV, 1984). The Agrotis pests are also known as “cutworms” because of their habit to cut young shoots just below the surface. They are serious agricultural pests for many crops including winter cereals, cotton, clover, beets, potato and onions. Females typically lay their eggs on the soil or the lower parts of host-plants. Some species with long ovipositor lay their eggs deep inside the soil next to the sprouts (KOZHANTSHIKOV, 1937). The Noctuinae comprise one of the largest subfamilies of the Noctuid family with about 1600 species known worldwide (SPEIDEL, et al., 1996). From Europe alone 262 species are recorded (FIBIGER, 1990; 1993; 1997) while in Central Europe - 96 (NOWACKI, 1998) in West Siberia - 112 (ZOLOTARENKO, 1970) the former Soviet Union - 415 (KOZHANTSHIKOV, 1937) the Balkan countries - 93 (HACKER, 1989) Iraq – 54 (WILTSHIRE, 1957) and in Saudi Arabia - 23 species are known (WILTSHIRE, 1990). In the early 20th century, 40 Israeli Noctuinae species were summarized by SEITZ (1914), BODENHEIMER (1930) and AMSEL (1933). In the survey from 1986-2004 another 36 species have been found, 27 of these species have been already