Bonner zoologische Beiträge Band 53 (2004) Heft 1/2 Seiten 109-110 Bonn, Juni 2005 First Record of Hyles dahlii (Geyer, 1827) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from the African Mainland 1 Anna K. HUNDSDÖRFER, Dresden 1The hawkmoth species Hyles dahlii (Geyer, 1827) is of prior occurrence, such as droppings or nibbled plant considered to be restricted to Corsica, Sardinia and the sprouts. In contrast, on other beaches in Tunisia, and Balearic Islands (REBEL 1934), although there are occa one especially on the north coast, as weil as at one local sional reports from Sicily (PITTAWAY 2004). In addi ity inland, I found numerous caterpillars of H. tithymali, tion, it has also been found on the Catalan coast, in but I did not find any other H. dahlii caterpillars. There northeastem Spain, in 1975 (MAS6 PLANAS et al. 1979) fore, 1 consider this first record of H. dahlii from the Af and on the island of Pianosa, offthe Tuscan coast (Italy) rican mainland is probably the result of a rare dispersion in 1998 (DAPPORTO et al. 1999). event, possibly of only a single fertilised female from Sardinia, which lies geographically nearest to tbe Tuni Here I report the discovery of about 15-20 first instar sian locality. (Ll) larvae of H. dahlii feeding on Euphorbia paralias in northem Tunisia in October 2004. The exact locality is the beach at Residence Shiri, a small hotel and camp ing site on the coast north of Sejane between Cap Serrat and Bizerte. I collected and reared about a dozen indi viduals. After two moults it was possible to determine them as H. dahlii (a caterpillar is illustrated in Fig. 1 and an adult in Fig. 2). This species has to date not been reported from Africa. Voucher specimens will be depos ited at the Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig (Bonn) and the Natural History Mu seum (London). I doubt that H. dahlii is already established on the Afri can mainland. I observed very few habitats for spurge feeding hawkmoths in Tunisia, as I found little food plant in the parts of the country I visited. During my one-week tour (from the northem coast due south near the Algerian border, then back north along the eastern coast), I found herbaceous Euphorbia only along one inland stretch of road; otherwise there was only E. paralias along the coast. In the north, there are few sandy coastlines and these are often short and very iso lated, with stretches of rocky coast and cultivated pine forest surrounding them. In parts of the eastem coast, the air is so humid that water condenses on the plants and the sand becomes baked onto them, so that they do not appear to be easily eatable by caterpillars. Also, the beaches are often partly or wholly developed for the tourist industry and thus it is possible that the popula tions of E. paralias have become relictual or destroyed due to human activities. I found no other Hyles caterpil lars at the beach of Residence Shiri, or any indications Fig. 1: Fifth instar larva of Hyles dahlii found on Euphorbia ' Clas Michael Naumann zu Königsbrück (26.06.1939 _ 15.02.2004) paralias in Tunisia in October 2004 (feeding in captivity on E. zum Gedenken myrsinites). 110 Bonner zoologische Beiträge 53 (2004) (London) for his correction of my language and for very helpful suggestions to this note. 1 would also like to ex press gratitude to the late Clas Naumann for his long-tenn interest and participation in the collection of Hyles samples for our joint studies with Ian J. Kitching and Michael Wink (Heidelberg). REFERENCES DAPPORTO, L., CECCHI, B., Lü CASCIO, P. & SFORZI, A. (1999): Contributi alla conoscenza dell'artropodofauna dell'Isola di Pianosa (Arcipelago Toscana). II. Prima nota sui macrolepidotteri (Insecta Lepidoptera). Bol lettino della Societa Entomologica ltaliana 131: 245- 252. MAs6 PLANAS, A., P:EREz DE-GREGORIO, J. & SIM6 CA STELS, L. L. (1979): Primera cita d'Hyles dahlii (Lep. Sphingidae) al continent Europeu. Treballs de la So cietat Catalana de Lepidopterologia 2: 11-1 7. PITTAWAY, A. R. (2004): Sphingidae ofthe Western Palae Fig. 2: An adult moth of Hyles dahlii, emerged from the pupa arctic: Hyles dahlii (Geyer, 1827). http://tpittaway.tri in February 2005. The individual was collected as fust instar pod.com/sphinx/h dah.htm larva in Tunisia in October 2004 and reared in captivity. REBEL, H. (1934): Lei)ldopteren von den Balearen und Pi tyusen. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift Iris 48: 122-138. Acknowledgements. 1 would like to thank Michael Korn (Konstanz) for this successful joint collecting trip to Tuni Author's present address: Anna K. HUNDSDÖRFER, sia and his specific help in looking out for Euphorbia Staatliches Naturhistorische Sammlungen, Museum für plants and Hyles caterpillars. Special thanks also go to Tierkunde - Zoological Museum, DNA - Laboratory, Paolo Mazzei (Rome), who first determined these larvae as H. dahlii on the basis of the single specimen 1 gave to him Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, D-01109 Dresden, Genna during my retum journey. 1 am indebted to Ian J. Kitching ny, [email protected] ZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature Zeitschrift/Journal: Bonn zoological Bulletin - früher Bonner Zoologische Beiträge. Jahr/Year: 2005 Band/Volume: 53 Autor(en)/Author(s): Hundsdörfer Anna K. Artikel/Article: First Record of Hyles dahlii (Geyer, 1827) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from the African Mainland 109-110