Ábrahám Levente (szerk.): Válogatott tanulmányok IX. - Natura Somogyiensis 24. (Kaposvár, 2014)
Fazekas I.: Ecpyrrhorrhoe diffusalis (Guenée, 1854) is a relict species in Hungary (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
174 Natura Somogyiensis 2012, Osthelder & Pfeiffer 1940, Popescu-Gorj 1964, Rebel 1899, Rebel & Zerny 1931, Slamka 2010, 2013, Szabóky 1980, 2000, Szent-Ivány & Uhrik-Mészáros 1942. Diagnosis: Variable species. Wingspan: 19-22mm. Forewings colouration brownish- ochreous or reddish; with more distinct ante- and postmedial lines. Antemedian line brownish white and wide, especially in middle. Postmedial line in middle part less bulging and continues on the hind wings where paler. Medial area darker with c-shaped distal spot. External area of wings slightly darker. Distribution-. According to Nuss et al. (2012), it’s distribution in Europe is restricted to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Is, Croatia, France, Greek, Hungary, Italia, Macedonia, Romania, Spain, and Switzerland. Known outside of Europe: Morocco, Turkey, Syria, Transcaucasia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and India (Slamka 2013). One old record for Western Ukraine (Lvov) is not confirmed by recent data, probably it is erroneous or misidentified (see Slamka 2010). E. diffusalis is apparently a very rare and local species in central and Mediterranean Europe. It is not present on Mediterranean islands. Biology: No detailed information is available on habitat preference. Adults attracted to light or flying in the daytime between plants in Hungary. Szabóky (2000) wrote “Differentially from the related Crambidae species, it flies only in daytime. So far, it has been collected by light only”. This is a misstatement. In the last years (2000-2012), I intensively surveyed the moth’s habitats and found thought the light-trap and light attracts the moth but it flies daytime as well. It is probably bivoltine, flies from May to mid-September. According to the literature the larva oligophagous on Lavatera and Marrubium species. Investigation in Hungary Szent-Ivány and Uhrik-Mészáros (1942) published it from several localities outside the present Hungary: „Herkulesfürdö“ (in Romania: Bade Herculeane) and Zengg (in Croatia: Senj). Szabóky (1980) recorded firstly from Hungary: South Hungary, Villány Hills, Nagyharsány, near Croatian border. The localities of E. diffusalis are situated in 190 m altitude and the habitats are typically calcareous open rock grasslands with numerous endemic and relict plant species (e.g. Trigonella gladita, Colchicum hungaricum, Medicago orbicularis, Orobanche nana, Sempervivum tectorum). The characteristic association is Sedo sopianae-Festuce- tum dalmaticae on Triassic and Jurassic limestone Simon 1964. The following other rare micro-moth species were also captured here: Hepialus amasinus, Ecpyrrhorrhoe diffusalis and Jordanita fazekasi. The isolated, relict and xerothermophilous Ecpyrrhorrhoe diffusalis population in southern Hungary lives dominantly in this protected area (Natura 2000 site). Collected data from Hungary: 2 males, “Villányi hg., Szársomlyó, 1979.VI.24. leg. Szabóky Cs., in coll. HNHM Budapest and Szabóky Cs.; 3 ex, Szársomlyó, szoborpark, 2003.VII.22. leg. Szabóky Cs. et Takács A., in coll. Buschmann F., Jászberény.
