The checklist of geometrid moths (Lepidoptera) of Altai Krai with new regional records and tree pest overview

Abstract

Here we provide the checklist of geometrid moths for Altai Krai compiled based on original data, published records and exploration of the Geometridae collection stored in the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St Petersburg). The checklist accounts 262 species discovered in Altai Krai in 1897–2023. Among them, nine species collected during our field trips are documented for the region for the first time: Eilicrinia cordiaria (Hübner, 1790), Charissa (Dysgnophos) turfosaria (Wehrli, 1922), Jankowskia bituminaria (Lederer, 1853), Apocheima hispidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Macaria (Speranza) halituaria (Guenée, 1858), Scopula dignata (Guenée, [1858]), Cyclophora pendularia (Clerck, 1759), Eupithecia orphnata W.Petersen, 1909 and Eupithecia thalictrata (Püngeler, 1902). Overall, 42 out of 262 geometrid species (i.e. 16%) from 29 genera are known as tree pests enabling to cause significant damage to their host plants in the region and beyond.

Keywords

• insects
• lepidoptera
• geometridae
• geometrid moths
• fauna
• altai
• siberia
• russia