Genus Pempeliella Caradja, 1916 and P. bayassensis Leraut, 2001 (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) in Italy

Abstract

Pempeliella bayassensis has been reported for the first time in Italy. This species has been confused with P. ornatella for a long time. Our study of the historical collections of Carlo Prola and Federico Hartig, and also newly collected materials from central Italy, allowed us to verify the presence of P. bayassensis in Italy. At present, this species is known only in central Italy (Lazio), where it coexists with P. ornatella and P. sororiella. We also provide information on the geographical distribution of the genus Pempeliella in Italy. In northern Italy we found P. ornatella and P. sororiella, and in the south (Puglia), P. sororiella. In Sardinia, P. matilella, which has been confused with Delplanqueia cortella in the past, coexists with P. sororiella.