THERE IS A NEW EXOTIC MOTH IN PORTUGAL
In a paper recently published by the scientific journal Nota Lepidopterologica, an international research team, which includes CIBIO-InBIO collaborator Martin Corley and researcher Sónia Ferreira within the project EnvMetaGen project was able to confirm that Borkhausenia crimnodes Meyrick, 1912 is now residing in Beira Litoral, Portugal, thus providing the first record of its presence in Europe. By analyzing the moth’s DNA, the team showed that the Portuguese specimen analysed has 100% similarity with specimens collected in South Africa.
The insect was spotted for the first time in 2012 in Portugal, and although the origin of the Portuguese moth remains a mystery, it is evident that the species is resident in central Portugal. Possible explanations for its accidental introduction may involve a connection with timber importation for the paper industry.
Despite the moth has never before been recorded in Europe, the possibility of it being established also elsewhere in Europe cannot be discarded.
To know more about this topic, please follow the links below:
“Portugal tem uma nova borboleta” | SOL | January 25, 2017 (Information available in Portuguese)
“Nova borboleta nocturna para a Europa encontrada em Portugal” | Wilder | January 25, 2017(Information available in Portuguese)
"Portugal tem uma nova borboleta" | Jornal i | January 25, 2017(Information available in Portuguese)
"Nova espécie de borboleta detetada em Portugal" | PT Jornal | January 25, 2017(Information available in Portuguese)
"Una especie de polilla del hemisferio sur ahora reside en Portugal" | El dia | January 25, 2017(Information available in Spanish)
"Una especie de polilla del hemisferio sur ahora reside en Portugal"| cienciaplus - europress | January 25, 2017(Information available in Spanish)
"New moth in Europe: A southern hemisphere species now resident in Portugal" | Phys.org | January 25, 2017
"New moth in Europe: A southern hemisphere species now resident in Portugal" | Scienmag | January 25, 2017
"Descoberta nova espécie de borboleta em Portugal que ‘terá dado entrada’ pelo porto da Figueira da Foz!" | O Palhetas na Foz! - Jornal online | January 26, 2017 (Information available in Portuguese)
"Investigadores do CIBIO-InBIO descobrem nova espécie de borboleta em Portugal"| Notícias UP | January 27, 2017 (Information available in Portuguese)
"More Moth News! Foreign Moths Invade EU!" | Trebuchet Magazine | January 27, 2017
"Voa uma nova espécie de borboleta em Portugal" | Público | February 2, 2017(Information available in Portuguese)
"Nova espécie de borboleta descoberta no Louriçal" | Diário de Leiria |February 8, 2017 (Information available in Portuguese)
"Borboleta descoberta há 22 anos em Portugal só agora tem nome" | Diário de Notícias | April 2, 2017 (Information available in Portuguese)
To access the original article, please click here.
To read the press release, please click here.