Fragmenta Entomologica

Issue summary of Vol. 53 (2021), n. 1

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Larval morphology and life history of Ascalaphus dicax Walker, 1853 (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae, Ascalaphinae)

Ankita Gupta, Davide Badano — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The larvae of Ascalaphus dicax are redescribed based on specimens reared under laboratory conditions. The third instar larva of this species resembles in overall morphology the congener A. festivus, though differing in body pattern and arrangement of thoracic and abdominal setiferous processes.

A revision of distribution, ecology and conservation issues of the threatened comb-claw beetle Gerandryus aetnensis (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae, Alleculinae)

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Gerandryus aetnensis (Rottenberg, 1871) is a rare and localized beetle, previously known only for Maritime Alps and Sicily. In this paper we provide a revision of geonemy, ecology and status of conservation, including a proposal for a new assessment of its extinction risk in the framework of the European saproxylic beetles, based upon several new records from western Alps, northern, central, southern Apen- nine, and Sicily. Thus, the species is a W-Alpino-Apenninic subendemic saproxylic species, associated to tree hollows in both coniferous and deciduous forests. We also propose to assess G. aetnensis as Vulnerable at global and Italian level.

The Odonate fauna of Val Grande National Park (Insecta: Odonata)

Lucia Pompilio, Andrea Mosini — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The results of a survey aimed at describing the Odonate fauna of Val Grande National Park are presented, which was carried out in the framework of the project “Animal Biodiversity Monitoring in Alpine Habitat”. Relevant literature was examined and data collected in- tensively in summer 2016 and extensively in the period 2014-2019. Prior to this research specific knowledge on dragonfly and damselfly presence and distribution accounted for 6 species for the study area, which were recorded near the northern border but outside the park. The first Odonate checklist here provided is based on 188 records (1173 individuals), of which 137 are recent and unpublished. Compre- hensively 25 species were recorded (14 breeding), which represent 26% of the Italian fauna, 36% of Piedmont and 58% of the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola, whereas three species were not confirmed; 10 species were found inside the park (4 breeding). Odonate diversity was remarkable, thanks to Val Grande geographical position between the Alps and the Insubric region and to high rainfall coupled with a complex orography. The study area hosts populations of the boreo-alpine species Somatochlora alpestris and Sympetrum danae, which are scattered and isolated in Italian Alps, and of the endemic European Cordulegaster bidentata; it hosts lotic taxa which are concentrat- ed in SW Europe where they are under pressure because of droughts and exploitation of freshwater. Conservation and status issues of observed dragonflies and damselflies are discussed in the light of the growing interest gained by odonates as ecological indicators. The study proposes to use this knowledge to guide the future expansions of the protected area.

Comparative analysis of the population structure of Crematogaster subdentata and Lasius neglectus in the primary and secondary ranges (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The population structure of Crematogaster subdentata Mayr, 1877 in the primary (native) (Uzbekistan) and secondary ranges (Crimea, Rostov-on-Don) is analyzed. The data obtained indicate an uncommon behavior for invasive ants – the formation of supercolonies in the primary range (the size of the foraging area is about 600 m2) in the urban territory. Nesting in houses and in trunks of old trees occurs both in the zone of invasion and in the primary range. The data of the distribution of the second invasive species in the same regions – Lasius neglectus Van Loon et al., 1990 are provided. Comparison of the population structure (ratio of the mono- and polycalic colonies, presence of the supercolonies and their sizes), parameters of the colonies (average number of the nests and forage trees per colony) showed the ad- vantage of Crematogaster subdentata over Lasius neglectus, which is gradually crowded out by the first species in the places of contact.

The egg endoparasitoids of Macrolenes dentipes (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), with description of a new species of Aprostocetus Westwood and notes on its host (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Gennaro Viggiani, Francesco Filella, Umberto Bernardo — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

A new species of Aprostocetus (Chrysotetrastichus) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), A. macrolenei Viggiani sp. nov., has been obtained from the eggs of Macrolenes dentipes (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Clytrinae) and described. It is confirmed that Bloodiella andalusica Nowicki is also an egg parasitoid of the mentioned host. Biological notes on both parasitoids are given. Phenological data on the chrysomelid host and diagnostic characters of its undescribed first-instar larva are provided.

Calliptamus italicus at 3050 m: a first evidence of dispersal across the Alps? (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Davide Giuliano — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Calliptamus italicus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a polyphagous grasshopper widely distributed from Europe to central Asia, known to perform long-range migrations during its gregarious phase, especially in the eastern part of its range. In the Alps, this species mostly occurs in dry grassland habitats in valley floors or on well-exposed slopes, usually establishing resident populations below 2000 m, but information on its dispersal patterns in this geographical area are still lacking. This short note reports an unusual observation of C. italicus at high eleva- tion (3050 m) in the Cottian Alps, with a description of the associated local habitat features and short-term weather conditions. Although based on a single record, hypotheses on the possible underlying dispersal processes are provided, discussing whether this observation may represent or not a first evidence of a migration behaviour by Italian locusts across the Alpine ridge. The performance of either a local movement or a long-range migration is firstly hypothesized, due to the apparent suitability of the short-term weather conditions (i.e. no rain, increase in temperatures and wind intensity). However, since the specimen was missing the left hind leg, thus potentially compro- mising its dispersal capacity, a third hypothesis of an animal- or human-mediated transport is also considered. Given that the available data are not sufficient to definitely ascertain whether C. italicus is able to disperse in autonomy across the Alps or not, further records are needed in future to verify the hypotheses presented here and to enhance the detail of the environmental variables possibly involved.

The leaf-mining flies of the family Agromyzidae of the Maltese Islands are revisited and updated with new data and records (Diptera: Brachycera, Acalyptrata)

Martin John Ebejer — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Agromyzidae of Malta is reviewed and all 81 species are listed with additional data. Three genera are reported for the first time: Japanagromyza Sasakawa, Aulagromyza Enderlein and Phytoliriomyza Hendel. Two species in the genus Aulagromyza Enderlein and one in Phytomyza Fallén cannot be named at present. The commonest species on the islands, the pest species and 37 new records are indicated. The phenology of the species belonging to this family as applies to the Maltese Islands is tabulated and discussed.

On Two rare Italian Palliduphantes species (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

Alessio Trotta, Robert Bosmans — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Male and female sexes of Palliduphantes petruzzielloi are described from the Grotta Strazzatrippa in Campania, Italy. A new southernmost Italian locality of P. istrianus is given from Campania.

A new species for the Italian fauna: Aphaenogaster strioloides, not A. crocea, inhabits Pantelleria Island (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Enrico Schifani, Simone Costa, Maurizio Mei, Antonio Alicata — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Species of the recently recognized Aphaenogaster crocea group, which spreads across Canary Islands, Maghreb region and Southern Italy, have frequently been confused with one another and even with species belonging to other groups. We revised the identity of the population previously attributed to A. crocea from the island of Pantelleria (Sicilian Channel) by comparing voucher specimens of the older records as well as newly collected specimens with type specimens and descriptions of the other members of the group. As a result, we re-identify the population from Pantelleria as A. strioloides, a species so far known to occur exclusively in Algeria and Tunisia. Fi- nally, we discuss the key diagnostic features of this species.

First record of Tettigonia viridissima Linnaeus, 1758 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) as host of the ormiine Therobia leonidei Mesnil, 1964 (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Maurizio Mei, Gianluca Nardi, Pierfilippo Cerreti — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The first record of the bush-cricket Tettigonia viridissima Linnaeus, 1758 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) as host of the tachinid Therobia leonidei Mesnil, 1964 (Diptera: Tachinidae) is reported, and the unusual case of the parasitization of a female host is briefly discussed.

First record of Pison koreense (Radoszkowski, 1887) from Italy (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Crabronidae)

Maurizio Mei, Andree Cappellari — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Pison koreense (Radoszkowski), an alien crabronid native of East Asia but introduced in North America and in Germany, was collected for the first time in Italy (Veneto).

New records of the exotic black little ant Monomorium carbonarium in the Iberian Peninsula and discovery of the ergatoid queen (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Javier Arcos González — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The exotic ant Monomorium carbonarium (Smith, 1858) is recorded for two new cities in the Iberian Peninsula. A hundred workers of this black little ant were recovered from a pitfall trap in a small urban park in the city of Alacant (SE Iberia). A visual inspection revealed a large colony with numerous nest entrances, but confined in space. Its absence in other colliding parks and green areas of the city sug- gests an early stage of invasion. It is also first detected in three parks in the city of Barcelona (NE Iberia). Two queen phenotypes are imaged, winged and ergatoid, the second one previously unknown. The invasive potential of the species is discussed.

First records of the Oak bush-cricket Meconema thalassinum on three German North Sea islands (Orthoptera: Ensifera, Tettigoniidae)

Harald Ahnelt, Sara Pleitner, Björn Schulz — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We provide the first records of the Oak bush-cricket Meconema thalassinum on the three German North Sea geest islands Amrum, Föhr and Sylt, based on monitoring and citizen science. The presence of the Oak bush-cricket on these German islands is probably due to unintentional introduction.

First records of Lethocerus cfr. patruelis (Stål, 1854) from Calabria (southern Italy) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, Belostomatidae)

Elvira Castiglione, Elia Lo Parrino, Francesco Manti, Filippo Tomasi — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Lethocerus patruelis (Stål, 1854) is the only European member of the Belostomatidae family. During the last decades Lethocerus patruelis records have become frequent in south-eastern Italy, probably due to multiple accidental introductions or a natural westward spread of its range. The first records of Lethocerus cfr. patruelis for the Calabria region are here reported. The first individual was observed alive and photographed in Villapiana (Cosenza province), while the second one was found and collected in Prunella (Melito di Porto Salvo municipality, Reggio Calabria province). The status of Lethocerus patruelis in this region and in Italy as introduced or naturally spreading species is yet to be assessed.

The alien species Phenolia (Lasiodites) picta (Macleay, 1825) in Sardinia (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)

Roberto Rattu, Giampaolo Ruzzante, Paolo Audisio, Alessandro B Biscaccianti — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Oriental and Eastern Palaearctic species Phenolia picta, recently introduced into some countries of the Mediterranean Basin, including S France and S Italy (Sicily), is here reported for the first time from Sardinia.