A Contribution to the Knowledge of the Sesiidae of Turkey (Lepidoptera).

On the basis of the material collected and the observations made in the summer of 2003 in Turkey -mainly in eastern Anatolia- and some samples in the collection of Atatürk University, Entomology Museum, Erzurum, Turkey (EMET), an overview is given of the observed clearwing moths (Sesiidae) in Turkey from faunistic, distributional, and agro-economical points of view. Thirty-six species and subspecies in 11 genera have been recorded, of which Sesia pimplaeformis Oberthtür, Paranthrene diaphana Dalla Torre & Strand, Synanthedon andrenaeformis tenuicingulata Špatenka and Pyropteron cirgisa (Bartel, 1912) are classified as endangered species and should be added to the red list. Bembecia syzcjovi kappadocica Špatenka, Dipchasphecia sertavula Bartsch & Špatenka, D. kopicaGorbunov & Špatenka, and Chamaesphecia ruficoronataKallies, Petersen & Riefenstahl are endemic to Turkey. The species having an agro-economical importance as a pest in cultivated plants and as biocontrol agents on weeds are also indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]