On the 18<sup>th</sup> of April 2017, a specimen of <em>Acherontia styx</em&... more On the 18<sup>th</sup> of April 2017, a specimen of <em>Acherontia styx</em> (Westwood, 1848) was observed and photographed in the southern city of Elat. Although the specimen has not been collected, the photographs are clear enough for unmistakable identification of this very well-known hawk moth, which is already known from the neighboring countries. <em>Acherontia styx</em> (Westwood, 1848) is smaller (75–130 mm) in comparison to <em>A. atropos</em> (100–140 mm). The skull-like mark on the thorax in <em>A. styx</em> is more uniform in color and the general habitus of the wings is brighter. It is also differs from <em>A. atropos</em> in having two medial bands on the forewing instead of one, and no bands on the underside of the abdomen (Hampson 1892).<br> <em>Acherontia styx</em> is a highly polyphagous species known to feed on various plant families such as Labiatae, Bignoniaceae, Verbenace...
An updated species list with distribution pattern, phenology and some additional notes on the Mel... more An updated species list with distribution pattern, phenology and some additional notes on the Melolonthini of Israel are given. A note regarding the original name spelling of <em>Anoxia laevimacula</em> Petrovitz, 1973 and a first description of the female are also given. <em>Anoxia (Mesanoxia) cypria</em> Zurcher, 1911 is no longer considered as occurring in Israel and remains an endemic species to Cyprus. <em>Melolontha albida</em> is also no longer considered to occur in Israel.
In this paper we present the analysis of faunal ecofacts retrieved from well-secured features dur... more In this paper we present the analysis of faunal ecofacts retrieved from well-secured features during recent excavation work carried out in 2019 and 2020 by the German-Israeli Tell Iẓṭabba Excavation Project in the Seleucid-founded town of Nysa-Scythopolis. Founded under Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BCE) and destroyed by the Hasmonaeans in the later years of John Hyrcanus (in 107 BCE). The site offers a unique opportunity for observing the dietary habits of its Foreign Hellenistic settlers: the well-secured Seleucid assemblages, together with their varied provenance, offer new information on the Hellenistic southern Levant via a unique case-study employing high-resolution systematic analysis. The faunal assemblage from Tell Iẓṭabba (Nysa) provides a clearer picture of dietary practices in Hellenistic Palestine, focusing on the settlers at the site. By presenting the consumption patterns, based on animal bones and mollusks unearthed from the site&#39;s layer of Hellenistic occupation, we offer a comprehensive overview of the meat sources of food at the site and present a distinct cultural practice which is markable different from regional Levantine dietary customs.
On the 18<sup>th</sup> of April 2017, a specimen of <em>Acherontia styx</em&... more On the 18<sup>th</sup> of April 2017, a specimen of <em>Acherontia styx</em> (Westwood, 1848) was observed and photographed in the southern city of Elat. Although the specimen has not been collected, the photographs are clear enough for unmistakable identification of this very well-known hawk moth, which is already known from the neighboring countries. <em>Acherontia styx</em> (Westwood, 1848) is smaller (75–130 mm) in comparison to <em>A. atropos</em> (100–140 mm). The skull-like mark on the thorax in <em>A. styx</em> is more uniform in color and the general habitus of the wings is brighter. It is also differs from <em>A. atropos</em> in having two medial bands on the forewing instead of one, and no bands on the underside of the abdomen (Hampson 1892).<br> <em>Acherontia styx</em> is a highly polyphagous species known to feed on various plant families such as Labiatae, Bignoniaceae, Verbenace...
An updated species list with distribution pattern, phenology and some additional notes on the Mel... more An updated species list with distribution pattern, phenology and some additional notes on the Melolonthini of Israel are given. A note regarding the original name spelling of <em>Anoxia laevimacula</em> Petrovitz, 1973 and a first description of the female are also given. <em>Anoxia (Mesanoxia) cypria</em> Zurcher, 1911 is no longer considered as occurring in Israel and remains an endemic species to Cyprus. <em>Melolontha albida</em> is also no longer considered to occur in Israel.
In this paper we present the analysis of faunal ecofacts retrieved from well-secured features dur... more In this paper we present the analysis of faunal ecofacts retrieved from well-secured features during recent excavation work carried out in 2019 and 2020 by the German-Israeli Tell Iẓṭabba Excavation Project in the Seleucid-founded town of Nysa-Scythopolis. Founded under Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BCE) and destroyed by the Hasmonaeans in the later years of John Hyrcanus (in 107 BCE). The site offers a unique opportunity for observing the dietary habits of its Foreign Hellenistic settlers: the well-secured Seleucid assemblages, together with their varied provenance, offer new information on the Hellenistic southern Levant via a unique case-study employing high-resolution systematic analysis. The faunal assemblage from Tell Iẓṭabba (Nysa) provides a clearer picture of dietary practices in Hellenistic Palestine, focusing on the settlers at the site. By presenting the consumption patterns, based on animal bones and mollusks unearthed from the site&#39;s layer of Hellenistic occupation, we offer a comprehensive overview of the meat sources of food at the site and present a distinct cultural practice which is markable different from regional Levantine dietary customs.
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