Subject Editor: Alberto Zilli
Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany, one of the African biodiversity hotspots, is defined by a high diversity of its fauna and flora. Despite numerous studies published about the
Biodiversity hotspots are defined as highly threatened biogeographic regions with the occurrence of endemic species of animals and plants (
Map of the studied area, modified from
The moth subfamily
The purpose of this study was to provide an up-to-date overview and fill the gaps in the poor knowledge in the diversity of tussock moths of Afrotropical biodiversity hotspots. Verified distribution data also recovers potential endemic species and thus plays a significant role in the global conservation effort. In addition, we provide a first faunistic summary of the tussock moths of Mozambique, recording seven genera new to the country.
For the compilation of the list of
The presence, or absence of tussock moth species of the wider Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany. New genus records are marked with symbol (*) and endemic species highlighted with bold.
Species | Mozambique | Lesotho | South Africa | Eswatini |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
We compared the faunal diversity of the regions using number of species, and similarity or uniqueness of the species composition expressed as a nestedness of the species and species turnover expressed as binary presence/absence data. We calculated the data in R v. 4.0.3. (
We reported altogether 168 species of tussock moths belonging to 43 genera currently occurring in the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspot. We are listing 158 species from South Africa, 62 species from Mozambique, 48 species from Eswatini and 10 species from Lesotho. The faunal comparison analysis also revealed 44 potentially endemic species from South Africa and six potentially endemic species from Mozambique (Table
The following genera are recorded for the first time from Mozambique:
Seven representatives of newly recorded genera of tussock moths in Mozambique.
Mozambique • 1♂; Zambezia Province, Mt. Namuli, SW slopes near Mucunha village (forest remnant);
Angola (
Mozambique • 1♂; Manica Province, Chimanimani National Reserve, Moribane Forest, Ndzou Camp (Moist Forest);
Kenya (
Mozambique • 1♂; Maputo Special Reserve, West Gate (Sand Forest);
Cameroon (
Mozambique • 1♂; Maputo Special Reserve, West Gate (Sand Forest);
Kenya (
Mozambique • 1♂; Maputo Special Reserve, Mangrove Camp (Mangrove-Woodland Mosaic);
DR Congo (Afromoths, N. Voaden), South Africa (
Mozambique • 1♂; Maputo Special Reserve, Ponta Milibangalala (Dune Grassland – Dune-Forest Ecotone);
Botswana (
Mozambique • 1♂; Zambezia Province, Mt. Namuli, SW slopes near Mucunha village (forest remnant);
Kenya (
The highest species richness of tussock moths was recognised in the Republic of South Africa (N = 157) representing 93% of all recorded species (Table
Evaluation of tussock moth richness patterns in the wider Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany.
species | nestedness | turnover | |
---|---|---|---|
|
62 | 0.315 | 0.295 |
|
10 | 0.265 | 0.379 |
|
157 | 0.532 | 0.103 |
|
12 | 0.380 | 0.238 |
The neighbouring countries Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini yielded approximately the same values (60%) of species exchange between each other (Table
Faunal exchange (turnover) among studied countries of the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany.
Mozambique | Lesotho | South Africa | Eswatini | |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
0.000 | 0.667 | 0.229 | 0.648 |
|
0.667 | 0.000 | 0.182 | 0.667 |
|
0.229 | 0.182 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
|
0.648 | 0.667 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Faunal nestedness among the countries of the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany.
Mozambique | Lesotho | South Africa | Eswatini | |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
0.000 | 0.259 | 0.446 | 0.058 |
|
0.259 | 0.000 | 0.762 | 0.239 |
|
0.446 | 0.762 | 0.000 | 0.696 |
|
0.058 | 0.239 | 0.696 | 0.000 |
Our study has reviewed the tussock moth fauna hitherto recorded from the wider Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany and analysed the faunal diversity between those four southern African countries abutting the area of the hotspot. We also have presented a first summary of the tussock moths occurring in Mozambique along with seven genera newly recorded in the country. All these were expected to occur in Mozambique because of their presence in neighbouring countries and these records connect their disjunctive distribution ranges with South Africa. The only exception is the genus
The diversity of the tussock moths in Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany displayed several peculiar distributional trends. In spite of the large amount of faunistic studies published about the South African fauna and flora, only very few of them discussed their distributional or biogeographic patterns with regards to the studied countries. We found that the fauna of Lesotho is deeply nested in the South African fauna, but otherwise it has a high turnover among all other countries. This result outlined the potential origin scenario. Lesotho is a country with the high average altitude and the occurrence of specific alti-montane ecoregions (e.g., Drakensberg grasslands and woodlands) with difficult accessibility and hard conditions. Therefore, it was colonized by tussock moth species from neighbouring countries (
In conclusion, we reviewed and extended the current knowledge of the diversity and distribution patterns of tussock moths in southern Africa. What is more, we also provided a pilot snapshot of species endemicity of
We are greatly indebted to Gyula M. László (The African Natural History Research Trust, United Kingdom) for his help with photographing of specimens and draft reading. We would also like to thank Richard Smith (The African Natural History Research Trust, United Kingdom), Alberto Zilli, Geoff Martin (Natural History Museum London, United Kingdom), Thomas Witt (†) (Museum Witt/Witt Foundation, Germany), Axel Hausmann (Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Germany) and Rob de Vos (Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, Netherlands) for providing us access to the collections under their care. Work of MR was supported by grant GA JU 038/2019/P provided by the University of South Bohemia.