First records of Sphingidae, Saturniidae, and Arctiinae (Lepidoptera) in the forests of Polylepis sericea in the Huascarán National Park, Ancash, Peru

Abstract

Polylepis forests are home to endemic species and are of great ecological importance. The degradation of these forests, a remarkable and unique biome in the Andean region, might cause severe consequences for the yet poorly studied high-altitude biota. In the context of Global Climate Change and other anthropogenic impacts, such as habitat loss and species invasion, the threat in this region is alarming. Therefore, studies informing about fauna and flora in this area are essential for conservation efforts and political decisions. In this study, we performed an inventory of three nocturnal Lepidoptera taxa (Sphingidae, Saturniidae, and Arctiinae) in Polylepis forests of the Huascarán National Park. The Huascarán National Park is a reserve in the Ancash region in the Andean zone of Peru. The specimens were collected using mixed light traps, from 18:00 to 24:00 hours in November (2015), February (2016), May (2016), and August (2016). We recorded seven species and 155 individuals, corresponding to two species of Sphingidae, one of Saturniidae, and four of Arctiinae. All the species presented are new records for the Huascarán National Park, three are new records for the department of Ancash and one new record for Peru.