THE GEOMETRID MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA) OF THE ANCIENT CITY HASANKEYF (BATMAN) AND A NEW SPECIES FOR THE TURKISH FAUNA

Abstract

This study was conducted on the Geometridae fauna of Hasankeyf district of Batman between 2018 and 2020. 27 different localities were visited and 2.870 specimens in total were collected using insect net and UV light traps mostly in nighttimes, since the majority of Geometridae species are nocturnal. The taxonomic investigations of the collected specimens revealed presence of 66 species within 39 genera in 5 subfamilies (Desmobathrinae, Geometrinae, Ennominae, Larentiinae, Sterrhinae) in the study area. Gnophos chorista Wehrli, 1939, is reported as a new record for the Turkish fauna and photographs of the species are given for the first time. Charissa adjectaria Staudinger, 1898, Eupithecia dearmata Dietze, 1904, E. reisserata Pinker, 1976 and Gnophos sacraria Staudinger, 1895, which are rarely distributed in Turkey, are recorded in the study area.

Keywords

• biodiversity
• moth
• new record
• geometridae
• gnophos chorista
• turkey