Fragmenta entomologica

First record of the semiaquatic troglobiont millipede Vascoblaniulus cabidochei in Spain (Diplopoda: Julida: Blaniulidae)

José D. Gilgado, Carlos E. Prieto — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

We present the first record of Vascoblaniulus cabidochei Mauriès, 1967 in Spain, at Illaminako Ateak cave (Navarra). This makes a total of 15 troglobiont millipede species in the Spanish Pyrenees. Vascoblaniulus cabidochei is a highly modified troglobiont millipede species, previously only known from the type material was collected in the 60s of the last century in the Salle de la Verna, Pierre-Saint-Martin cave system, France, and occasional subsequent observations were made in the same cave system. Present records in wet and sprinkled stones in a different Spanish cave, and new observation near the Salle de la Verna, confirm its semi aquatic lifestyle.

Well-preserved arboreal microhabitats in a highly urbanized landscape can support populations of specialized saproxylic hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Umberto Maritano — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

New saproxylic hoverfl y data are reported from a survey in University Campus Park, Grugliasco (North-western Italy) with implications
for the conservation of arboreal microhabitats in highly urbanized landscapes.

Field observation of the predation of an adult of Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768) (Squamata: Lacertidae) by Mantis religiosa religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mantodea: Mantidae)

Gianluca Nardi, Laura Spada — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A case of predation on an adult Podarcis muralis by Mantis religiosa religiosa in Italy, is here recorded. Published records related to predatory activity of this mantis on saurians are summarized, and the possible cause of such an unusual behaviour is discussed.

New records of the tribe Osmiini from Northern Africa (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This short note presents five newly recorded species of the tribe Osmiini from two Northern Africa countries: Egypt and Libya. The present article represents a first contribution of a series of more extensive studies on wild bees of Egypt and Libya, aimed to record further species not yet mentioned for these two countries, as well as to potentially discover even new species to Science.

A new population of Rosalia longicorn, Rosalia alpina, in Calabria (Southern Italy) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Carlo Terranova, Antonio Mazzei — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The Rosalia longicorn is a species of European Community interest, included in Annexes II and IV of the “Habitats” Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) and is included in the “Red List of Italian saproxylic beetles”. In Calabria (Southern Italy), Rosalia alpina was apparently distributed only in the National Parks. We discuss about the discovery of a new population of Rosalia alpina (Linnaeus, 1758) in a mountainous area of Calabria called Catena Costiera, which is located between two National Parks and constitutes an important wildlife exchange corridor.

Rediscovery of the enigmatic Madagascan endemic Belohina inexpectata Paulian, 1958, with notes on its morphology and phylogenetic position (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Belohinidae)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Belohina inexpectata Paulian, 1958, the only known representative of Belohinidae (Coleoptera Scarabaeoidea) and a Madagascan endemic, is re-described based on recently collected material. Some remarks are provided on its unusual morphology and in particular its mouthparts, with recessed mandibles and membranous epipharynx, its antennae with a V-shaped sensory area and its capsule-like aedeagus, with a regular, unrotated position at rest and the presence of “parameroids”. Data on its life history are also provided, including evidence of stridulation. Finally, its phylogenetic position is briefly discussed based on a molecular analysis, which points towards a sister-group relationship with the genus Orubesa (Dynamopodidae) and with both taxa together being sister to Hybosoridae.

The effects of short-term climate change on the range of species: the case of the expanding European dwarf mantis Ameles spallanzania in Italy (Mantodea: Amelidae)

Luca Anselmo, William Di Pietro, Oscar Maioglio, Roberto Battiston — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Climate change is altering the distribution of many species, which shift their range chasing the suitable conditions to survive and reproduce. Within a few years, the European dwarf mantis (Ameles spallanzania) seems to have expanded its range towards northern Italy, settling in the Po Valley and reaching the Alps. Our goal was to investigate the relationship between the climate of the last four decades in Italy and the distribution of this species in the current period and in the past. The results indicate that during the last decades, a rapid and remarkable increase in climatic suitable area for this species in northern Italy has occurred, while in the range of historical presence it has remained rather constant. However, the existence of corridors such as railway embankments and roadsides may have accelerated its dispersal. These results suggest that a short-term climate change and in particular the rise in the average annual temperature, may contribute significantly to the rapid expansion of a thermophilic species, with hitherto unknown consequences on the ecological communities it reaches.

First record of Lipotriches (Rhopalomelissa) burmica (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Nomiinae) from India along with a checklist of species from India

Jyoti Falswal, Debjani Dey, Sarita Kumar — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Lipotriches (Rhopalomelissa) burmica (Cockerell 1920) is recorded for the first time from India. Both male and female of the species have been redescribed with color illustrations. An annotated checklist of the species of this genus from India is also provided.

A new species of Zorochros from Iran, with additional records and an updated checklist of Iranian species of this genus (Coleoptera: Elateridae, Negastriinae)

Hiva Nasserzadeh, Giuseppe Platia, Sayeh Serri — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A new species from western provinces of Iran, Zorochros parvus Nasserzadeh & Platia, sp. nov., is described, and a new Iranian record of Z. murinus (Reitter, 1895) is presented, with figures and distributional maps of both species at regional level. An updated checklist of Iranian species of Zorochros Thomson, 1859, with their provincial distribution, is finally included.

New taxa of Leucocelis Burmeister, 1842 from Namibia, and revision of L. (L.) adspersa s.l. (Fabricius, 1801) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae)

Renzo Perissinotto — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

One new species, with two distinct subspecies, of Leucocelis Burmeister, 1842 is recognized and described from central and northern mountain regions of Namibia, the Erongoberge between Usakos and Omaruru and the Otaviberge above the omonimous town. The nominal subspecies, L. (L.) claveaui claveaui sp. et subsp. nov. has previously been confused with dark navy-blue specimens of the closely related L. (L.) franki Janson, 1888, which is endemic to western Namibia and the South African part of the Gariep Desert. Leucocelis (L.) c. claveaui can easily be separated from the latter species on the basis of background colour and maculation of it dorsal and pygidial habitus, as well as elytral sculpture and aedeagal parameres. The second subspecies, L. (L.) claveaui otavi sp. et subsp. nov., is currently known from a single male specimen collected on the summit of the Otaviberge, at an altitude of about 1900 m. It differs from the nominal subspecies by having a much more extensive white dorsal maculation, a black pygidium and light bluish-green elytral background colour. In the process of analysing the taxonomic relationships of this new species with its closest southern African relatives, it has also emerged that the intraspecific variability of L. (L.) adspersa s.l. (Fabricius, 1801) is actually more complex than previously recognized. As a result, two new subspecies are now included within this taxon, L. (L.) a. orientalis subsp. nov. and L. (L.) a. giannatellii Antoine, 2002 stat. nov., in addition to the two already established, namely L. (L.) a. adspersa and L. (L.) a. umtalina Péringuey, 1907. Further research is needed on the Leucocelis and other Cetoniinae of Namibia, as the country is still badly under-sampled and there are indications that other new or important taxa may be recognised or rediscovered using appropriate field surveys and identification methods.

Diptera communities from Ria de Aveiro saltmarshes, with new records for Portugal

Catarina Prado e Castro, Miguel Carles-Tolrá, Vasco Santos, Olga M.C.C. Ameixa — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Ria de Aveiro costal lagoon is a socio-ecological system comprising a rich landscape mosaic of beaches, dunes, sandflats, mudflats, seagrasses, and small water channels. The lagoon is one of the largest saltmarsh areas in Portugal and Europe, supporting coastal food webs and serving as a nursery area for several species. For these features Ria de Aveiro is a Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research platform (LTSER) site and integrates the Natura 2000 network. Despite this, only recently research has been conducted regarding its entomofauna. In this study, field collections were carried in seven locations along Ria de Aveiro saltmarshes areas by sweep-netting the dominating halophyte vegetation in September 2020. A total of 222 Diptera specimens from 13 families (Asteiidae, Canacidae, Chamaemyiidae, Chyromyidae, Hybotidae, Lauxaniidae, Milichiidae, Scathophagidae, Sciomyzidae, Sepsidae, Sphaeroceridae, Therevidae and Ulidiidae), belonging to 19 genera and 23 species, are presented in this paper. From these, 1 genus and 4 species are new records for Portuguese territory. Sphaeroceridae was the most species-rich family, with Rachispoda fuscipennis being the most abundant species recorded. This study provides a snapshot into coastal insect communities in Portuguese coastal lagoons and highlights the need to continue to access insect biodiversity in these coastal areas threaten mostly by sea-level rise, coastal squeeze, and salinity.

Steps towards a revision of the Perla bipunctata Pictet, 1833 species complex (Plecoptera: Perlidae)

Jean-Paul G. Reding — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The traditional view of the species Perla bipunctata Pictet, 1833 and Perla grandis Rambur, 1842 as widely distributed taxa in the West Palaearctic does not stand up to a more thoroughgoing taxonomical examination. In the present study, we demonstrate that these taxa belong to unresolved species complexes, whose members are disjunctly distributed over different, often isolated, geographical areas and mountain ranges. In the first part of this study, based upon the review of specimens labelled Perla bipunctata, Perla grandis and (obsolete) Perla maxima (Scopoli, 1763), collected by the Italian plecopterologists Elisabetta Ravizza Dematteis and Carlalberto Ravizza, between 1970 and 1994 in rivers Nure, Staffora, Stura di Demonte, Stura di Ala, Soana and Tanaro, we show, by a morphological analysis of the penial armature and the sclerotized aedeagus of adult males, that these taxa fall into three distinct groups : a taxon found in the upper course of these rivers, then a second one present in their middle section and finally a third one living only in the very low reaches. The taxonomical problems related to the identification of these three alpine taxa are discussed, and a new species, named Perla ravizzaorum, is described. This same tripartite species cluster within the Perla grandis / bipunctata species group is then shown to be replicated also in other alpine and perialpine regions, and only in these. Putative specimens of Perla bipunctata or Perla grandis collected in extra-alpine regions, such as the British-Irish Isles, the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Cordillera, the Baetic System, and North Africa, are established as taxa belonging to different species, which are in need to be re-described and renamed. Two new species, Perla andalusiaca, from Andalusia, and Perla pyrenaica, from the Pyrenees, are described from adults and nymphs. The species name Perla carlukiana Klapálek, 1907, 1923 is re-instated for specimens from the British-Irish Isles.

Revisions to the Andrena fauna of Italy, with the description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Italy lies at the centre of the Mediterranean basin, and has a large bee fauna due to its mixture of Mediterranean and temperate habitats, and influences from all cardinal directions. This is true also for the genus Andrena; however, studies to date have been fragmentary, and there has been no focused critical revision of the entire fauna. Here the Italian Andrena fauna is critically revised, taking into account, recent taxonomic advances, literature records, and newly and historically collected material. Andrena (Cordandrena) cordialis Morawitz, 1877, A. (Notandrena) bellidis Pérez, 1895, A. (Notandrena) foeniculae Wood, 2020, and A. (Notandrena) fulvicornis Schenck, 1853 are newly reported from Italy. A lectotype is designated for A. (Pallandrena) braunsiana Friese, 1887 which is both confirmed as present in Italy and as the senior synonym of A. (Pallandrena) oblita Warncke, 1967 syn. nov. A lectotype is designated for A. (Orandrena) sisymbrii Friese, 1887 which is a junior synonym of A. (Orandrena) oralis Morawitz, 1876; this species is confirmed as present in southern Italy. A lectotype is designated for A. schlettereri Friese, 1896; this species is excluded from the Italian fauna. Andrena (Micrandrena) puella Alfken, 1938 stat. rev. is recognised as a distinct species endemic to Sardinia and Corsica. Some 27 Andrena taxa suggested as occurring in Italy are excluded or have their synonymic status clarified. One new species is described, A. (Euandrena) sesmae Wood, Cornalba & Praz, sp. nov. from northern and central Italy. A final faunal richness of 218 species is produced, confirming that Italy supports one of the largest Andrena faunas globally.