Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 49B(1-2) 2006

Issue:

VOL 49B(1-2) 2006

Keywords:

Lepidoptera, checklist, South Africa, biodiversity, Lesotho

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Lepidoptera fauna of Lesotho

• KOPIJ G.

Abstract:

By the end of the year 2004, 393 species belonging to 225 genera and 24 familie of Lepidoptera have been recorded from Lesotho, amongst which 115 butterfly and 278 moth species, i.e. 13.03% and 3.65%of the southern African butterfly and moth fauna respectively. The most species rich families included Noctuidae, Lycaenidae and Geometridae. Many species are probably endemic or near-endemic to the Maloti/Drakensberg region. A total of 39 species (9.9 %) are known from the type locality alone. Five Lesotho species: Torynesis pringlei (vulnerable, endemic to Lesotho), Lepidochrysops loewensteini (rare), L. oosthuizeni (rare), Metisella syrinx (rare, dependent on rare plant – Thamnocalamnus tesselattus) and Aloeides dentatis maseruna (insufficiently known) are listed in the South African Red Data Book (HENNING & HENNING 1989). In the present paper, 66 species new for Lesotho are listed. For each listed species all records of occurrence in Lesotho are listed, with details on locality and source of information, as well as the globar distribution of this species.