Scythris acipenserella K. Nupponen & T. Nupponen, 2000

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Budashkin, Yury I. & Zhakov, Aleksandr V., 2017, Checklist of scythridid moths (Lepidoptera, Scythrididae) of Ukraine with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4291 (3), pp. 481-503 : 494

Scythris acipenserella K. Nupponen & T. Nupponen, 2000

Material examined. 1♂, Crimea, Barakol’ lake , halophytic steppe, 11.vi.2007 (Budashkin) ; 103♂, 2♀, same loCation, but 28.v–10.vi, 14.vii–14.viii.2014 (BudasHkin).

Distribution. Spain, Russia (SoutH Ural, Altai) ( Nupponen et al. 2000; Nupponen & Nupponen 2001; Sinev 2008). New to Ukraine.

Ecology. THe tropHiC speCialiZation and pHenology oF tHis speCies were studied in details in 2014 wHen tHe speCies was observed in numbers on tHe soutH bank oF Barakol Lake ( Fig. 37 ) ( BudasHkin 2014b). THe adult FligHt season is uninterrupted From late May to late August in two generations. THe speCies is restriCted to Artemisia santonica ( AsteraCeae ) plant Communities in HalopHytiC steppes. THe adults were regularly observed eXClusively on tHis plant, partiCularly in loCalities wHere A. santonica Forms most oF tHe vegetation Cover. In spite oF tHe FaCt tHat tHe immature stages Have not been observed, tHere is no doubt tHat A. santonica is a Host plant For S. acipenserella .

Figures

FIGURES 37 – 40. Habitats and host plants of Scythris spp. 37. Salt marshes on Barakol Lake, East Crimea, Feodosia distr. Habitats of S. zhakovi, S. aegrella, S. acipenserella, S. sublaminella. 38. Halimione verrucifera, host-plant of S. zhakovi and S. inertella. 39. Steppe in the vicinity of Schastlivtsevo vill., Arabatskaya strelka, Kherson reg. Habitat of S. zhakovi. 40. Oleshki sands, Kherson reg. Habitat of S. psammitis, S. pudorinella and S. sp. pr. hornigi.