A5079614689- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Plant and animal studies
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Entomological Studies and Ecology
- Insect Pheromone Research and Control
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- African Botany and Ecology Studies
- Orthoptera Research and Taxonomy
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Scarabaeidae Beetle Taxonomy and Biogeography
- Agricultural pest management studies
- Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Biochemical and biochemical processes
- Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity
Hungarian Natural History Museum
2020-2025
University of Sopron
2016-2025
Hungarian National Museum
2022-2025
Natural Environment Research Council
2018-2022
University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice
2018-2021
Sewanee: The University of the South
2016
Butterflies are a diverse and charismatic insect group that thought to have evolved with plants dispersed throughout the world in response key geological events. However, these hypotheses not been extensively tested because comprehensive phylogenetic framework datasets for butterfly larval hosts global distributions lacking. We sequenced 391 genes from nearly 2,300 species, sampled 90 countries 28 specimen collections, reconstruct new phylogenomic tree of butterflies representing 92% all...
There have been no special studies on plume moths of Liberia until recently. In the World Catalogue Insects (Gielis 2003) only two species are reported from Liberia: Agdistis tamaricis (Zeller, 1847) and Megalorhipida leucodactyla (Fabricius, 1794) despite its well-known richness for other Lepidoptera groups (Fox et al. 1965, Larsen 2005) biogeographic position in centre Upper Guinean biodiversity hotspot (Myers 2000).
The knowledge of the clearwing moth genus Lolibaia Gorbunov & Gurko, 2017, recently described from South Sudan and until now known only a single, damaged specimen, is extended by three new species different parts Africa including as yet unknown female genus. L. jurateae sp. nov. based on single male Kakamega Forest, Kenya; triangularis six males localities in north-western Zambia, polythyris two females Eastern Cape KwaZulu-Natal Provinces, Africa.
A field survey of Mount Cameroon, South-West Province, revealed two butterfly species new to science. Lepidochrysops liberti sp. nov. (Lycaenidae) flies in the extensive mosaic natural clearings sub-montane forest above 1100 m a.s.l., whereas Ceratrichia fako (Hesperiidae) locally inhabits forested narrow gullies same vegetation zone. Observations on habitat and behaviour both are also presented.
During extensive field work in West Africa (Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone), the authors collected two skipper species genus Andronymus (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae), which would not fit descriptions of any existing taxa. Both are described as new, A. magma sp. nov. is known only from Cameroon, while fenestra was found a few localities Liberian sub-region Africa.
Amerila is one of the most studied Afrotropical genera Arctiinae. However, based on a regionally constrained sample specimens from Mount Cameroon, we show how superficial our knowledge these tiger moths is. Among six collected species, A. femina’s female described here for first time, and mulleri roseomarginata had never been recorded before in country. Moreover, novel biological data are presented, including individual species’ elevational ranges. Finally, reproductive organs genus...
The biodiversity of West and Central Africa is understudied, including butterflies moths (Lepidoptera). Cameroon, through its position in between few biogeographic regions diversity habitats, an important hotspot lepidopteran diversity. However, the country also ranks low when it comes to local knowledge. During our long-term ecological projects Cameroonian part Gulf Guinea Highlands, we collected rich material moths, a number interesting faunistic records.In this study, report 31 species...
Abstract Aim Temporal dynamics of biodiversity along tropical elevational gradients are unknown. We studied seasonal changes Lepidoptera the only complete forest gradient in Afrotropics. focused on shifts species richness patterns, turnover communities and species’ ranges, latter often serving as an indicator global change effects mountain ecosystems. Location Mount Cameroon, Cameroon. Taxon Butterflies moths (Lepidoptera). Methods quantitatively sampled nine groups by bait‐trapping (16,800...
A new species of Sesiidae, discovered during a Lepidoptera survey in the Nimba Mountains, Guinea (West Africa) is described as Conopsia puehringeri sp. nov. The compared to its potential sister C. bicolor (Le Cerf, 1917), sense external morphology and genitalia structure. Male specimens both studied are depicted.
Several new butterfly species in the family Lycaenidae were found during recent field surveys Liberia. Amongst these, quite a few collected as singletons or small series, represented by only one of sexes. This paper describes and illustrates previously unknown sexes four those which subsequently found, adding locality records to their known distribution.
Ancylogastra Bassi Poltavsky gen. n. is described to accommodate Cypholomia amphiaula Meyrick, 1934 (as A. amphiaula, comb. n.) and seven new species, all illustrated, as: boireaui Sfi sp. n., burundiana coronata endroedyi gangraensis Bassi, Sfi, Mller †Kravchenko ghanensis magnifica 1933 briefly discussed C. crypsibela transferred Prionotalis Hampson, 1919 as crypsibela,
Abstract Butterflies and moths are conspicuous flower visitors but their role in plant-pollinator interactions has rarely been quantified, especially tropical rainforests. Moreover, we have virtually no knowledge of environmental factors affecting the lepidopterans pollination networks. We videorecorded flower-visiting butterflies hawkmoths on 212 plant species (> 26,000 recorded hrs) along complete elevational gradient rainforests Mount Cameroon dry wet seasons. Altogether, 734 visits by...
Abstract Although seasonality in the tropics is often less pronounced than temperate areas, tropical ecosystems show seasonal dynamics as well. Nevertheless, individual insects’ phenological patterns are still poorly understood, especially Afrotropics. To fill this gap, we investigated biodiversity of Lepidoptera communities at three rainforest localities foothills Mount Cameroon, West Africa, one wettest places world. Our multitaxa approach covered six lepidopteran groups (fruit‐feeding...
Abstract The conversion of tropical forests into agriculture reduces biodiversity dramatically. However, species might differ in their responses, depending on habitat specialisation and geographic origin. In this study, we assess how butterfly assemblages between old‐growth forests, forest fragments, forest‐derived vanilla agroforests, fallow‐derived woody fallows, herbaceous rice paddies Madagascar. We recorded 88 species, which 65 are endemic to Land‐use types with vegetation sustained...
In this study, two new species of African Sesiidae are described from coastal Kenya. Melittia mida sp. nov. (Melittiini) a series eight males Mida village at the edge Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, and Homogyna fenestra (Osminiini) ten collected across Kenyan coast between Dakatcha Woodland in north Diani beach south. Adults male genitalia both illustrated. is well characterized by predominantly olive-brown body colour large transparent areas forewings. differs similar congeners area distal to...
Moth diversity on Mount Cameroon, a critical biodiversity hotspot in the Afrotropics, remains understudied despite region's rich and unique ecosystems. In this study, 34 species of plume moths (Pterophoridae) were recorded from Cameroon region, including four new to science: Titanoptilusbigoti Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Titanoptilusmurkwe Hellinsiaekonjo Hellinsiamapanja nov. Images adult type specimen male genitalia for Titanoptilusmelanodonta Hampson, 1905 are published first...
ABSTRACT Aim Grass‐yellow butterflies ( Eurema ) are a group of pantropical Pieridae distributed throughout Asia, Australasia, Africa and the New World. However, little is known about their diversification, including biogeographic mechanism(s) explaining circumglobal distribution. We present first densely sampled, time‐calibrated phylogeny reconstruction grass‐yellows to confirm monophyly genera, re‐evaluate taxonomy infer events contributing worldwide Location Global tropics subtropics....
Compared to other regions, the drivers of diversification in Africa are poorly understood. We studied a radiation insects with over 100 species occurring wide range habitats across Afrotropics investigate fundamental evolutionary processes and geological events that generate maintain patterns richness on continent. By investigating history Bicyclus butterflies within phylogenetic framework, we inferred group's origin at Oligo-Miocene boundary from ancestors Congolian rainforests central...
Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) was found as new to Hungary during moth trapping in the Botanical Garden of University West Hungary, Sopron. The species is a well known pest Asia on Buxus and might become invasive Central Europe.
Fifteen species of many-plumed moths are recorded from the Mount Cameroon area, SW Cameroon, West Africa. Nine species: Alucitalongipenis Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. n. , A.lidiya A.ludmila A.escobari A.mischenini A.fokami A.janeceki A.besongi and A.olga described as new for science. Four Cameroon: A.acalyptra A.chloracta A.coffeina A.spicifera . By these records, area has become richest known Afrotropical locality Alucitidae, highlighting its tremendous value biodiversity conservation.