Zekelita canariensis (Pinker, 1962)

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives on Lotus. In La Gomera, I found many larvae on the endemic Lotus emeroides. Whether the caterpillar uses other Fabaceae, is currently unknown.

Habitat:
In La Gomera Zekelita canariensis inhabits rocky, dry slopes with open soil spots and loose Juniper. Here occurs Lotus emeroides in small pads with low-lying stems. Zekelita canariensis is recorded also in the other Canaries in dry habitats in the so-called succulent belt. Here, other species of the genus Lotus should be the host plants.

Life cycle:
In La Gomera, I found the previously unknown caterpillar in all instars in December 2009 and December 2011. The caterpillars hide during the day deeper in the lotus pads and nestle on shoots. Pupation takes place in a cocoon in the litter layer.

Zekelita canariensis probably has several generations in the winter months. Whether Zekelita canariensis has developed a dormancy strategy in the dry summer, is not well known, but probable. Many species spend the summer in the Canary Islands in the pupal stage (e.g. Mniotype usurpatrix) or as mature caterpillar in aesivation (Agrotis lanzarotensis). In Rhynchina also the adults could aestivate, but this has yet to be investigated.

Endangerment factors:
In the preferred lower altitudes Zekelita canariensis is endangered in many islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria) by overbuilding due to mass tourism and other interventions.

Remarks:
Zekelita canariensis is endemic to the Canary Islands and had been known from Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. It also occurs in La Gomera (Valle Hermosa), as my own research shows. Perhaps it is also found on El Hierro and La Palma yet.