Chesias plumbeata Staudinger, 1901 (Geometridae Larentiinae Chesiadini) new species for the European fauna discovered on the island of Pantelleria (Italy, Sicily).

Abstract

Chesias plumbeata Staudinger, 1901 is recorded for the first time from Europe based on some adults collected in the island of Pantelleria (Strait of Sicily, Italy), near Bagno dell’Acqua lake. The species was previously known from North Africa. Identification was confirmed by using morphological and molecular taxonomic characters. Male genitalia of C. plumbeata are here described for the first time. Biological information and illustrations useful for the moth identification are provided. The finding of this species shows that the inventorying of the lepidoptera fauna of Pantelleria, from where 152 species have so far been recorded, is still far away from completion and needs further efforts.