Anarta vaciva (Püngeler, 1906)

Matov, Alexey Yu., Nedoshivina, Svetlana V., Ivonin, Vadim V., Knyazev, Svyatoslav A., . & ., 2023, Anarta vaciva (Püngeler, 1906) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a new species for the fauna of Europe and Russia, Ecologica Montenegrina 62, pp. 107-111 : 108-110

Anarta vaciva (Püngeler, 1906) ( Figs 1–6 )

Discestra vaciva Püngeler, 1906 , Dt. Ent. Z. Iris, 19: 90. Type locality: [ Kazakhstan]: Ili- Gebiet. Types in coll. Püngeler, MfN (Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt Universität), Berlin.

Material examined. RUSSIA: Volgograd Region, 1 ♂, S shore of Elton Lake , 49.0845 o N 46.666 o E, 18.05.2021, S. V. Nedoshivina leg. ( Fig. 1 ), slide No. Matov 0638 ( Figs. 5, 6 ) (collection of the Zoological

Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences – further ZISP ); Novosibirsk region, 1 ♂, Chistoozyorny District , Polyanovo, 54 o 31’40.49” N 75 o 53’14.27 E, 11.06.2022, V. V . Ivonin leg. ( Fig. 2 ) (private collection of V. V. Ivonin, Novosibirsk); KAZAKHSTAN: 1 ♂, Ili, M. Bartel leg. ( ZISP); 6 ♂, [Almaty Region, Balkhash District], Topar , 8– 11.07.1986, A. Kondratiev leg. ( Fig. 3 ), genitalia preparation in glycerine by A. V . Nekrasov Nos. 1794, 1794а, 1794б and 1974в ( ZISP) .

Bionomics. In Novosibirsk Region the specimen was collected in saline steppe with Stipa , Phlomis and Goniolimon near the lake Solyonoye in the vicinity of Polyanovo Village ( Fig. 8 ). The specimen came at light of a mercury vapour bulb near midnight at a temperature +15+17 oC. The species composition that night was represented by the following species: Cucullia mixta (Freyer, 1841) , Anarta stigmosa (Christoph, 1887) , Anarta trifolii (Hufnagel, 1766) and Sideridis lampra (Schawerda, 1913) . In Volgograd Region A. vaciva was collected in the saline steppe on the south shore of the salt lake Elton ( Fig. 7 ), wich is the largest salt lake in Europe. The specimen came to light in the evening during the storm with strong winds and rain.

Distribution. European part of Russia (Volgograd Region), south of West Siberia (Novosibirsk Region), Northeast and Southeast Kazakhstan ( Fig. 9 ).

Discussion. For a long time A. vaciva was considered to be endemic to Central Asia and was known only from the territory of Southeast Kazakhstan ( Hacker 1998). Only recently it was also found in Northeast Kazakhstan – in the Pavlodar region ( Titov et al. 2017). Our data allow us to extend the known boundaries of the distribution of A. vaciva to Siberia (Novosibirsk Region) and South-East Europe (Volgograd Region). The new findings were presumably not caused by the expansion of the range of this species, but are a result of a closer study of the fauna of salt marshes, steppes and semi-deserts of the southern regions of Russia, from which further faunistic discoveries of Lepidoptera are very possible. We assume that this species also occurs in other regions of North Kazakhstan. A specimen from the Novosibirsk region ( Fig. 2 ) has a more variegated colour of the forewings than the specimens from SE Kazakhstan ( Fig. 3 ) but so far, we cannot be sure that this is typical of the Siberian population. A specimen from North-Eastern Kazakhstan ( Fig. 4 ) has a colouration transitional between the specimens from Novosibirsk Region and South-Eastern Kazakhstan.

Figures

Figure 7. Habitat of Anarta vaciva in Volgograd Region: S shore of Elton Lake, photo by S.V. Nedoshivina.

Figure 8. Habitat of Anarta vaciva in Novosibirsk Region: Chistoozyorny District, Polyanovo vic., photo by V.V. Ivonin.

Figure 9. Distribution map of Anarta vaciva. Red triangles – new localities, blue circles – previously known localities.

Figures 1-6. Anarta vaciva: adults (1-4) and male genitalia (5-6). 1 – ♂, Russia, Volgograd Region, S bank of Elton Lake, 18.05.2021, S.V. Nedoshivina leg.; 2 – ♂, Russia, Novosibirsk Region, Polyanovo Vill. vic., 11.06.2022, V.V. Ivonin leg.; 3 – ♂, SE Kazakhstan, Topar, 8-11.07.1986, A. Kondratiev leg.; 4 – Adult specimen in nature: ♂, NE Kazakhstan, vic. of Karazhar Vill., 52°12'18.64"N, 74°42'48.51"E, 10.VI.2021, steppe and salines, photo by S.V. Titov; 5-6 – Male genitalia, slide No. Matov0638.