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1 Map of mid Atlantic Ocean. Ascension Island habitats: 2 Green Mountain 3 Typical habitat of Erechthias grayi; Lichen covered rocks on Green Mountain.
Source publication
One previously named and two new species of the tineid genus Erechthias Meyrick are described and illustrated from the small, remote, mid-Atlantic Ascension Island. With these additions the Lepidoptera fauna of Ascension now totals 38 known species. Little is known regarding the biology of the two new species of Erechthias, and none of the species...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... of its generic and subfamily affinities. [1968]: 259, 262. Type species: Acrocenotes niphochrysa Diakonoff [1968]: 257, 262, by original designation. [Philippines]. Neodecadarchis Zimmermann, 1978: 264, 341. Type species: Ereunetis flavistriata Walsingham 1907: 716, by original designation. [Hawaii]. Lepidobregma Zimmermann, 1978: 264, 351 (Fig. 13); intercalary sclerite well sclerotized; flag- ellomeres with a single annulus of appressed, narrow scales; antennal cilia short in both sexes. Maxillary palpus as long as or usually slightly longer than labial palpus, 5-seg- mented, with length ratio of segments from base: 1.0: 0.5: 1.7-2.75: 5.5-8.7: 2-3.6. Haustellum moderately ...
Context 2
... genitalia (Fig. 22, 23): Eighth sternite weakly sclerotized; ostium opening near anterior margin, with a pair of moderately short setae on either side of ostium. Antrum reduced, triangular; length ~ equal to maximum width. Ductus bursae very slender and elongate; length ~ 1.7× that of posterior apophyses, ductus gradually en- larging to relatively small, ...
Context 4
... behavior of the moths in the field was unusual. They would cling firmly to the bare rock, lichens (Fig. 3), and small plants in exposed situations and were only seen to move when disturbed, and then reluctantly. They would hop a few inches in a very bug-like (Heteroptera) manner and were most easily collected using an aspirator (pooter). Wakeham-Dawson (see paratype data) observed adults running over a lichen covered rock at White Horse ...
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Citations
... The presence of moth species with reduced wings is well known from the subantarctic South Atlantic islands, but they also occur on islands in the tropics. According to Sattler (1991) and other authors (mentioned below) the following brachypterous species have been recorded from the islands in the South Atlantic Ocean: (Davis & Mendel, 2013) Brachypterous Tineidae species appear to be very rare. In September -December 2003 Philip and Myrtle Ashmole undertook field work for invertebrates to assess the influence of the intended construction of an airport on the endemic fauna of St Helena Island in the South Atlantic. ...
Three new species of Opogona Zeller, 1853 from St Helena Island with wing reduction are described; Opogona ashmolei Karisch & Fowler, sp. nov., Opogona squamata Karisch & Stevens, sp. nov. and Opogona exiguata Karisch & Dutton, sp. nov. All these species were found in the semi-desert areas in the Eastern Part of the island, where the larva of O. ashmolei Karisch & Fowler, sp. nov. feeds on Suaeda fruticosa.
... Unfortunately, no early accounts of the fauna of Green Mountain exist and the subsequent invasion of this area by introduced species largely vitiates any attempt to reconstruct the original animal community, which would have been entirely comprised of invertebrates. At least one endemic flightless moth has described from a small area on Green Mountain ("Windy Ridge") and others may have been lost or await discovery (Davis & Mendel, 2013). ...
The human-mediated spread of invasive, non-native species (INNS) is a major driver of biodiversity loss and habitat degradation worldwide, threatening ecosystems, food security and sustainable development goals. The impacts of INNS have been particularly acute on small islands due to a lack of ecosystem resilience, limited management capacity and the previous isolation of native and endemic species from predators, diseases and competitors. Removing INNS from impacted island ecosystems where they threaten native biodiversity is critical for meeting obligations under international environmental agreements, and the number of successful eradications is increasing. However, on some islands this is no longer practical for a variety of reasons ranging from constraints imposed by climate, geography and limited capacity and resources, through to a lack of public and political support. On-going control is both costly and time consuming and thus alternative, novel approaches are increasingly being explored to protect biodiversity and livelihoods. In this chapter we discuss challenges and opportunities surrounding the control of INNS using selected case studies from the UK Overseas Territories, which comprise mostly small, isolated islands with high levels of rare, endemic and/or globally important biodiversity. These include Ascension Island in the South Atlantic where a feral cat eradication programme led to a spectacular recovery in seabirds nesting on the mainland, but where deliberate introductions of non-native plant species have fundamentally and irrevocably altered the natural character of the terrestrial environment. Also, Montserrat in the Caribbean with its active volcano faces challenges from INNS, in particular in Exclusion Zones where their impacts go largely unmanaged. We consider the best approaches for developing strategies and implementing effective management actions in this challenging field using examples of best practice, including the world’s largest successful rodent eradication effort on South Georgia and the implementation of a progressive biosecurity programme on St Helena Island which has established a broad base of support through careful stakeholder engagement.
... The Lepidoptera fauna is poor and insufficiently known. To date about 39 species are reported (Robinson & Kirke 1990;Davis & Mendel 2013). After a few older publications, the first list of moths in the 20th century was published by Duffey (1964). ...
The authors report the rediscovery of a Scopula species on Ascension Island. After comprehensive comparison work, it was found to be a species new for science. It is described here as Scopula ascensionis spec. nov. Information on the habitat, larva and pupa are given.
... The most species-diverse (and taxonomically problematic) is Erechthias Meyrick, with various trophic adaptations of larvae, including those of saproxylic species. This feeding habit has been so far reported for E. minuscula Walsingham and E. diaphora Meyrick from Australia and E. simulans Butler, known from many Pacific Islands, Australia, and East Africa, whose larvae develop in rotting wood and under the bark of various trees (Clarke 1986;Robinson 2009;Davis and Mendel 2013). Virtually nothing is known about the biology of other Erechthiinae species. ...
Larvae of surprisingly many Lepidoptera species depend on dead wood and wood-decay fungi and are thus considered saproxylic insects. This interesting group has been scientifically neglected for many years, and few studies have been conducted concerning its biology, taxonomy, distribution, and ecology. Merely several dozen species of saproxylic Lepidoptera are known from North European countries; however, the highest species diversity is observed in tropical forests, where only some studies on this group have been so far conducted. This chapter provides an overview of knowledge about the diversity of saproxylic Lepidoptera, based on the world subject literature published over the last century. The greatest species richness of saproxylic Lepidoptera has been identified within two families: Tineidae and Oecophoridae, but a number of other lineages of Lepidoptera also include saproxylic taxa. All Lepidoptera families known to contain saproxylic species are described here in systematic order. Examples of saproxylic species and genera are presented, and some aspects of their biology and ecology are discussed. Major threats to these insects, related to forest management, are briefly outlined. The needs and directions for further research on saproxylic Lepidoptera are highlighted.
... During faunistic studies carried out by Howard Mendel while visiting Ascension Isl. in November 2012 (see : Davis & Mendel 2013), two males representing the burrower bug genus Amnestus were sampled in the cloud zone of Green Mountain (Fig. 1A-B), the highest point on the island (859 m a.s.l.). ...
... The fauna of Ascension Isl., including the Heteroptera, is a mixture in a biogeographical sense (Duffey 1964;Ashmole & Ashmole 1997, 2000Davis & Mendel 2013). Most of the natural colonisation has been from Africa, with many introductions from the United Kingdom and other European countries during the past 500 years (Duffey 1964;Ashmole & Ashmole 2000;Davis & Mendel 2013). ...
... The fauna of Ascension Isl., including the Heteroptera, is a mixture in a biogeographical sense (Duffey 1964;Ashmole & Ashmole 1997, 2000Davis & Mendel 2013). Most of the natural colonisation has been from Africa, with many introductions from the United Kingdom and other European countries during the past 500 years (Duffey 1964;Ashmole & Ashmole 2000;Davis & Mendel 2013). The Heteroptera includes, among others, Mecidea longula Stål (Pentatomidae) (Ashmole & Ashmole 1997, 2000, a Caribbean species also established in south Florida, the British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, St. Martin, and the Turks and Caicos Islands (Eger & Dobbs 2010), and several cosmopolitan species known as long distance migrants, e.g., Nabis (Tropiconabis) capsiformis Germ. ...
A new species of the genus Amnestus Dallas, 1851, Amnestus mendeli, is described from the cloud zone of Green Mountain, Ascension Island, and compared with its closest relatives, the Brazilian Amnestus lenkoi Froeschner, 1975 and Amnestus pequinus Froeschner, 1975. It is the first representative of the family Cydnidae recorded on the island thus far. The species is presumed to be an introduction from the Americas, but the hypothesis that it might be endemic to Ascension Island is also not excluded.
... The fact that C. micronotella and other species with reduced mouth parts live in halophilous or desert biotopes, and that the larva of C. micronotella is a borer (a strategy to avoid ingesting too much salt and/or to secure enough water, perhaps) lend support to this hypothesis. We believe that this phenomenon is akin to the loss of functional wings in some Lepidoptera species living on small, wind-swept islands (e.g., Davis & Mendel 2013) or the loss of functional eyes in cave-dwelling animals. ...
The reduced mouth parts of Coleophora micronotella Toll (Coleophoridae) are described and illustrated. The proboscis is lacking, but rudimentary maxillary and labial palpi are present. The mouth parts of C. micronotella are compared with those of other species of Coleophora, including some others with reduced mouth parts, and their possible adaptive value is discussed. Ramidomia Falkovitsh, 2005 and Ramidiomia Falkovitsh, 2005, a misspelling, are synonymized with Coleophora Hübner, 1822.
