Review of the noctuids (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) fauna of the Lower Don valley

Abstract

During the study of the Noctuidae-fauna in the Lower Don valley since 1972, conducted by means of light and bait-traps, 275 species from 10 collecting points (extended for 230 km, in a valley of river Don) was revealed. Among the detected species more than one third are moths highly adaptive to agrolandscapes, but only 6 species — are dangerous pests. Some of mass species are dendophyllous or meadow inhabiting forms. Surviving populations of rare steepe noctuid species are confined to the territory of Razdorsky reserve and surrouding ravines. Lognormal hypothesis of species abundance distribution was not confirmed based on the material of 9900 specimens because the constant presence in the collections of species with small.

Keywords

• Lepidoptera
• Noctuidae
• valley of the Lower Don river
• light-trap
• bait-trap
• faunistic collections
• relationship of faunas
• mass species
• biodiversity