LJUBLJANA, DECEMBER 2012 Vol. 20, št. 2: 153-156
FIRST RECORD OF MANTISPIDAE (NEUROPTERA) FROM ALBANIA
Dušan Devetak1,2, Roland Dobosz3, Radomir Jaskula4, Jan Podlesnik1 and
Vesna Klokočovnik1
1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; 2 E-mail: dusan.devetak@guest.arnes.si; 3 Upper Silesian Museum, Department of Natural History, Jana III Sobieskiego 2, 41-902 Bytom, Poland; E-mail: dobosz@muzeum.bytom.pl; 4Department of Invertebrate Zoology & Hydrobiology, University of Lodž, Ul. Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodž, Poland; E-mail: radomir.jaskula@gmail.com
Abstract - Three mantidfly species, Mantispa styriaca (Poda), M. perla Pallas and M. aphavexelte Aspöck & Aspöck (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) are recorded for the first time for Albania. The findings represent the first record of the family Mantispidae for the country.
Key words: Neuroptera, Mantispa, new record, Albania
Izvleček - PRVE NAJDBE DRUŽINE ZAPONČIC (NEUROPTERA: MANTISPIDAE) V ALBANIJI
Prvič so zabeležene najdbe treh vrst zapončic v Albaniji, Mantispa styriaca (Poda), M. perla Pallas in M. aphavexelte Aspöck & Aspöck (Neuroptera: Mantispidae). To je prva objava pojavljanja družine Mantispidae v državi.
Ključne besede: Neuroptera, Mantispa, nova najdba, Albanija
Introduction
Mantidflies (Mantispidae) are lacewings resembling mantids in having a prolonged prothorax and front legs enlarged and adapted for grasping prey (Fig. 1). With approximately 400 described species it is a large neuropteran family (Ohl, 2004) with an unusual life cycle. The larvae of some species (such as Climaciella and Mantispa)
Fig. 1: Mantispa aphavexelte Aspöck & Aspöck. Photo Radomir Ja-skula.
feed on spider eggs, whereas those of other species (such as Plega) feed on the larvae of bees and wasps. Mantispidae undergo hypermetamorphosis: the first instar larvae are active and campodeiform, and the subsequent larval stages are scarabaeiform.
The lacewing fauna of Albania was insufficiently investigated up to now. Old records of lacewings occurring in the country are scattered (Pongracz, 1923; Navas, 1932; Capra, 1945). In 1961 German Entomological Institute (Berlin-Friedrichshagen) organized entomological expedition to Albania and Zeleny (1964) reported on Neu-roptera collected on the trip. Later, Aspöck et al. (1977) and Jones & Devetak (2009) reported on the presence of Nevrorthidae in Albania. Finally, at the beginning of this century Popov (2004) reviewed the occurrence of owlflies of this country.
In July 2012 zoologists from the University of Maribor (Slovenia) collected lacewings in south Albania. Additionally, data on one species (Mantispa aphavexelte) come from the Balkan expedition organized in 2006 by the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz (Poland).
Mantidflies were collected using a sweep net, except a single individual of Mantispa aphavexelte collected using light trap. Specimens of M. styriaca and M. perla are preserved in alcohol and deposited in the first author's collection. A female of M. aphavexelte was photographed using Nikon Coolpix 5400 camera and is actually deposited in the entomological collection in the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom (Poland).
Mantispidae Leach in Brewster, 1815 Mantispa styriaca (Poda, 1761)
Material examined: National park Parku Kombetar Bredhi i Hotoves-Dangelli, 1270 m, peak, N 40° 21,81' E 20° 23,10', 21.VII.2012, in Acer; 1$, Klokocovnik, Podles-nik, Janžekovic & Devetak leg.
Material and methods
Results
Mantispa perla (Pallas, 1772)
Material examined: National park Parku Kombetar Bredhi i Hotoves-Dangelli, 1270 m, peak, N 40° 21,81' E 20° 23,10', 21.VII.2012, in Acer; 1 $, Klokočovnik, Podlesnik, Janžekovič & Devetak leg.;
Parku Kombetar Bredhi i Hotoves-Dangelli, Frasheri, 1090m, N 40°22,03' E 20°25,20', 21.VII.2012, in Pinus, 1 $, V. Klokočovnik, J. Podlesnik, F. Janžekovič & D. Devetak leg.
Mantispa aphavexelte U. Aspöck & H. Aspöck, 1994
Material examined: Butrint village, distr. Sarande, olive grove, ad lucem, N 39o59.181' E 19o55.072', 07.IX.2006, 1 $, R. Jaskula leg.
The occurrence of the family Mantispide in Albania is reported for the first time. All three species recorded from this country are common in some other Mediterranean countries bordering with Albania (Aspöck et al., 2001).
It is interesting to note that individuals of two species (a male of Mantispa styri-aca and a female of M. perla), collected in the Bredhi i Hotoves National Park were captured in the same maple tree (Fig. 2).
The present study shows that the lacewing fauna of Albania is still poorly known and further faunistic investigations should be carried out to improve our understanding of the biodiversity and distribution of Neuroptera in this country.
D. Devetak is grateful to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water of the Republic of Albania for permission to collect the insects and we thank Mr. Ferdinand Bego and Ms. Elvana Ramaj for help in issuing the authorization. D.D. thanks Ms. Alma Spathara, Mr. Kliton Bozgo and Mr. Miran Podlesnik for all the efforts made to arrange our accommodation in Berat. R. Jaskula would like to thank to Michal Grabowski, Karolina B^cela-Spychalska, Janusz Hejduk, and Piotr Spychalski for nice
Discussion
Acknowledgements
Fig. 2: Habitat of M. styriaca and M. perla in the National park Parku Bredhi i Hotoves, July 2012. Photo Dušan De-vetak.
Fig. 3: Habitat of M. aphavexelte near Butrint village, September 2006. Photo Radomir Jaskula.
company during the Balkan expedition. This research was partly supported to D.D. by
the Slovenian Research Agency within the Biodiversity Research Programme (Grant
No. P1-0078).
References
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Received / Prejeto: 9. 10. 2012