What is it about?

A new host (Centaurea stapfiana) record for the moth Metzneria subflavella

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Why is it important?

M. subflavella reduces seed viability and destroys most of the seeds. Moths can be used as a biological agent for the control of this weed. C. stapfiana is a weed species that can be found throughout the southeast Anatolia Region. This highly competitive weed species can invade the vineyard fields and overgrazed rangeland. This moth can help to control these weeds. This study showed that there could be many hitherto unrecorded host plants of M. subflavella in Turkey. More studies should be conducted on the host plants of M. subflavella, including studies on their biology.

Perspectives

In Turkey, while 261 species of Gelechiidae family are known, 11 species of Metzneria genus are known (Koçak 2014 Koçak AÖ. 2014. List of the 23773 pterygot species in Turkey based upon the info-system of the Cesa. Priamus Supplement. 32(Suppl.):1–876.). When Englert (1974 Englert WD. 1974. Revision der Gattung Metzneria Zeller (Lepid., Gelechiidae) mit Beiträgen zur Biologie der Arten [Revision of the genus Metzneria Zeller (Lepid., Gelechiidae) contribution towards the biology of species]. Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie [Journal of Applied Entomology]. 75:381–421.) revised Metzneria genus with contribution to the biology of the species, he described M. subflavella from France. He reported that its flight time was from late June to early July. Besides, he stated its host plant was unknown. Currently, M. subflavella is known to be from France, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Spain, and Ukraine (Englert 1974 Englert WD. 1974. Revision der Gattung Metzneria Zeller (Lepid., Gelechiidae) mit Beiträgen zur Biologie der Arten [Revision of the genus Metzneria Zeller (Lepid., Gelechiidae) contribution towards the biology of species]. Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie [Journal of Applied Entomology]. 75:381–421.; Karsholt 2013 Karsholt O. 2013. Fauna Europea: Gelechiidae. In: Karsholt O, van Nieukerken EJ, editors. Fauna Europea: Lepidoptera, Moths Fauna Europaea version 2.6.2. [cited 2016 Feb 16]. Available from: http://www.faunaeur.org). Host plant of M. subflavella has been reported as Serratula baetica (Asteraceae) (Corley 2005 Corley MFV. 2005. Further additions to the Lepidoptera of Algarve, Portugal II (Insecta: Lepidoptera). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología. 33(131):347–364.). Centaurea stapfiana (Hand.-Mazz.) Wagenitz (Asteraceae) was recorded as a new host of M. subflavella from Turkey for the first time in the world. So, while the number of species in family Gelechiidae in Turkey reaches to 262, the number of species in the Metzneria genus reaches to 12.

Dr. Cumali OZASLAN
Dicle Universitesi

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This page is a summary of: A new host [Centaurea stapfiana (Hand.-Mazz.) Wagenitz (Asteraceae)] record for the moth Metzneria subflavella Englert (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from Turkey, Oriental Insects, September 2016, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/00305316.2016.1231637.
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