Szekessy Vilmos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 59. (Budapest 1967)
Vojnits, A.: The distribution and forms of the Gnophos-group (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) in Hungary. I.
ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALES HUNGARICI Tomus 59. PARS ZOOLOGICA 1967. The Distribution and Forms of the Gnophos-Group (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) in Hungary. I. By A. VOJNITS, Budapest Our earlier home literature presents a rather imperfect picture on the occurrence in Hungary of the species belonging to the genus Gnophos. From the years preceding World War I, literature data are available of no more than four species (O. dumetata Tr., 67. jurvata SCHIFF., obscurata SCHIFF., and variegata Dur-.), and they are mentioned from a few localities only. Those who were interested in these species had primarily searched for them in the Carpathians, mainly in the High Tatras and the Retyezat Range. It can be ascribed to these aspirations that we knew more about the Gnophos species living there than about those occurring within our present boundaries. Even so, a Gnophos species, as yet unobserved, had been found within our borders in the 'tens of the present century, namely G. intermedia. However, it was at that time regarded as G. glaucinaria HBN., and thus escaped closer attention. It was only after WEHELI separated intermedia from glaucinaria that nearer inspection revealed the specific alliance of also our limestone form to the new species. The discovery of further Gnophos species in Hungary happened only in the last one and a half decades. One of them concerned G. pullata SCHIFF., found for the first time in the Mts. Bükk, the other G. ambiguata DUP., detected at the foothills of the Alps, in Szentgotthárd, Western Hungary. The appearance of the two latter species had focused the attention of collectors on the mountainous ranges near our western and northern borders. In the past ten years — despite intensive explorations —no further Gnophos species had been discovered, merely some new localities of those already known. It were thus justified to submit a detailed account of the data concerning the distribution and forms of the group in Hungary, partly to inform those interested and partly to offer points of vantage for future investigations. The present paper proposes to discuss three species (Odontognophos dumetata TR., Gnophos pullata SCHIFF., and G. ambiguata DUP.). The basic material of investigation was that of the Hungarian Natural Histoiy Museum. Beyond that, the materials of most of the largest private collections had also been made available (mainly those of I. BALOGH, L. KOVÁCS, M. NATTÁN, L. RÉZBÁNYAI, and Z. VARGA), with all their Gnophos data, in addition to my own collection and notes. The light trap network, now operating for more than 15 years, submitted a wealth of data, especially with respect to the distribution of the species. I have also drawn upon the collecting notes and other lepidopterological observations, running to several decades, of L. KOVÁCS, as well as the files and registers of the light traps extending to the entire Macrolepidoptera. Grateful thanks are due to all who had helped my work by putting materials and data at my disposal. Odontognophos dumetata TR. A Submediterranan species (VARGA, 1964), ranging from Spain (Catalonia and Aragónia) and NW Africa to Armenia, Daghestan, and the Southwestern Soviet Union. It was collected in a few localities only in Central Europe : Switzerland (WEHRLI, 1953), Slovakia (HRUBY, 1954), Southern Bavaria and North Tirol (WEHRLI, 1953), etc. It was found also in Transylvania (POPESCU — GORJ, 1964); its northernmost occurrence is in
