Moths and conservation values in East Africa: Noctuidae of the Taita Hills, Kenya

Abstract

In Kenya, viewing and studying sub-Saharan tropical fauna and flora has been possible for decades, and much of the vast amount of knowledge gathered in that way is now available in field guides. A policy of protection of natural sites has been instigated, but many vulnerable and biologically unique sites are still in need of better protection. The Taita Hills (south-east Kenya) exemplify well the needs to document and conserve key sites for native biodiversity in the region. During a project to assess endemism and zoogeographical affinities of the Taita Hills biota, 55 moth samples were taken during two surveys in summer and two in spring. The most species-rich group represented in the samples was the family Noctuidae. A list is given of the 82 identified species. At least a further 14 species could not be named, and these are considered endemics. The former were grouped according to their distribution with data from collections and literature. The Noctuidae of the Taita Hills have strong affinity with those of South Africa, but also include many with a narrow Eastern African distribution.