LJUBLJANA, MAY 1995
©Slovenian Entomological Society, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at
Vol. 3, No. 1: 73-75
TWO NON-EUROPEAN SPECIES OF DIGGER-WASPS RECORDED ALSO IN SLOVENIA (HYMENOPTERA: SPIIECIDAE)
Abstract - Two non-European species of Sphecinae have been found also in Slovenia. Sceliphron curva turn was introduced from Asia and was discovered first in Austria. Isodontia mexicana was introduced from America; its European occurence is reported from France.
Izvleček-Dve neevropski vrsti os grebač najdeni v Sloveniji (Hyme-noptera: Sphecidae)
Dve neevropski vrsti os grebač sta bili najdeni tudi v Sloveniji. Sceliphron curvatum izvira iz Azije in je bil v Evropi odkrit v Avstriji. Isodontia mexicana izvira iz Amerike in je bila v Evropi doslej znana v Franciji.
Digger-wasps of the subfamily Sphecinae are noted by their size and shape. Two species recently found in Slovenia were introduced into Europe from other continents. Both are well established in Slovenia, becoming a part of the domestic fauna. One of them is a member of the genus Sceliphron, known to build nests of mud and hunt spiders (Araneae) for its offspring. The members of the genus Isodontia to which the other species belongs, hunt orthopterans (Orthoptera).
The species has an Asiatic distribution: Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan, Pakistan, Nepal and India (Dollfuss, 1991). In Europe, in Austria, it was first discovered in 1979 (Van der
Andrej GOGALA Ljubljana
Introduction
Sceliphron curvatum (Smith, 1870)
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©Slovenian Entomological Society, download unter www.biol^jäageJniöfltologica sloveilica, 3 (1), 1995
Vecht, 1984). It is also widely spread in Slovenia, where it has been found in Prekmurje near Hungary and on the Karst near Italy. By its black petiolus, it is easily distinguished from the allied taxa in Slovenia. An identification key can be found in Dollfuss (1991).
Records from Slovenia:
WM96 Prekmurje: Gancani, 9, 12-VIII-1991, S. Gomboc leg. VL59 Lj. Barje: Lukovica, 9, 7-VII-1991 VL07 Kras: Brje pri Komnu, 9, 1I-VIII-1992
Isodontia mexicana (Saussure, 1867) I. harrisi Fernald, 1906;/. api calls auct.
A species from Central America and the eastern United States. It was discovered in Europe about thirty years ago (Kelner-Pillault, 1962), in France, where it became widely spread in the Mediterranean coastland (Hamon et al., 1988, 1991). Pagliano (1984, 1985) does not mention it for the Italian fauna. It is common in the sub-Medi-terranian region of Slovenia, where it became the most common species of the genus. I also found it in the vicinity of Ljubljana, in central Slovenia. It is distinguished from its black congener, 1. paludosa, by totally blackish wings and black hairs on the face. I. splendidula was also found in Slovenia but it has red basal terga. An identification key can be found in Hamon et al. (1991).
Records from Slovenia:
VM60 Ljubljana, Crnuce,9, 23-VI-1993 VL07 Kras: Brje pri Komnu, 9, 5-VIII-1990 VL14 Kraski rob: Hrastovlje, ci, 13-VI-1992
The species feeds on various Apiaceae, for example Ferulago in the Karst region.
References
Dollfuss, H., 1991: Bestimmungsschlùssel der Grabwespen Nord- und Zentraleuropas. Stapfia, 24: 1-247.
Hamon, J., R Delmas, J.-M. Maldcs, M. Tussac, 1988: Quelques observations sur la distribution en France d'lsodontia mexicana (Saussure 1867). L'Entomologiste, 44: 111-117.
Hamon, J., R Fonfria, M. Tussac, 1991: Les Sphecini de France continentale et de Corse (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Espèces présentes et cles d'identification. Bull. Soc. eut. Fr., 96: 125-134.
Kelner-Pillault, S., 1962: Un Sphex américain introduit dans le sud de la France, Sphex (Isodontia) harrisi Fernald. L'Entomologiste, 18: 102-110.
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©Slovenian Entomological Society, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at
A. Gogala: Two non-European species of digger-wasps recorded also in Slovenia (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
Pagliano, G., 1984, 1985: Sphecinae italiani (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae).Boll Mus. reg.
Sei. nat. Torino, 2: 359-370, 3: 5-28. Van der Vecht, J., 1984: Die orientalische Mauerwespe Sceliphron curvatum (Smith 1870) in der Steiermark, Österreich. Entomofaunci, 5: 213-219.
Author's address/Naslov avtorja Andrej GOGALA Prirodoslovni muzej Slovenije Prešernova 20, p.p. 290 SLO-61001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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