Corresponding author: Matteo Montagna (
Academic editor: A. Konstantinov
The genus
More than 350 species of
In the summer of 2010, during study of a
All the specimens were collected on the host plants by net sweep. Specimen manipulation, dissection, measure, and photographs were completed with the auxiliary use of the stereo microscope Leica MS5 with an ocular micrometer. SEM micrographs of the aedeagus were made using Jeol JSM-5610LV scanning electron microscope. Spermatheca and kotpresse drawings were made using stereomicroscope Leica MS5 with an ocular grid (size 20 × 20 squares 1 cm²). Specimens are deposited at the Civic Museum of Natural History, Milan (MSNM), Matteo Montagna private collection, Anzano del Parco, Como, Italy (MMPC), and Davide Sassi private collection, Castelmarte, Como, Italy (DSPC).
Due to a complexity of the genus (
1 | Mesoepimeron black, sometimes with blurred indistinct yellow shadow | 2 |
– | Mesoepimeron yellow | 4 |
2 | Last abdominal tergite entirely black, without yellow spots. Mid and hind femora fulvous with lighter spot. Length: 3–3.5 mm. Distribution: Central Europe, Spain, France and Italy | |
– | Last abdominal tergite with yellow spots | 3 |
3 | Last abdominal sternite black, without spots. Black spot on pronotum with lateral yellowish dots. Length 3.5–4 mm. Distribution: South Central Europe, from Spain to the Caspian Sea | |
– | Last abdominal sternite with two yellow spots. Black spot on pronotum without lateral yellowish dots. Length: 3.5–4 mm. Distribution: Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro | |
4 | Elytron without convex yellow spots or stripes elevated over the background | 5 |
– | Elytron with convex yellow spots or stripes elevated over the background. Mesoepimeron with yellow sometimes indistinct spot. Last abdominal tergite and sternite completely black. Length 2.8–3.4 mm. Distribution: Giglio island (Italy) | |
5 | Last abdominal sternite without two yellow spots. Length: 3.1–4.2 mm. Distribution: Europe and West Siberia | |
– | Last abdominal sternite with two yellow spots. Length: 2.8–3 mm. Distribution: Sicily |
Italy, Tuscany: Grosseto, Giglio island, Giglio Campese.
Type-specimens:Holotype male, pinned, with genitalia on a separate card board. Original label: “Italy, Grosseto, Isola del Giglio, Giglio Campese,
The new species belongs to the subgenus
Male and female measurements are reported in
Body relatively robust, dorsally black with yellow raised spots (
Pronotum with maximum width slightly posterior to middle. Longitudinal edge curved in middle, anteriorly not completely visible from above. Posterior edge sinuous in middle, slightly rimmed and bordered by line of punctures. Punctation evanescent on central disc close to median yellow spot, gradually coarser on sides and towards posterior margin, absent on tiny yellow raised ridge surrounding pronotum. Posterior margin of pronotum with single row of punctures. At bottom, two transverse impressions separated from edge by slightly raised area, less evident than in
The species is dedicated to Dr. Davide Sassi, a friend and well-known specialist in
Male and female measurements of
Specimens | TotL | ProL | ElyW | ProW | Ratio L/W |
Male | 3.12 ± 0.15 (0.19) | 0.98 ± 0.04 (0.05) | 1.55 ± 0.06 (0.07) | 1.42 ± 0.05 (0.07) | 1.94–2.12 |
n = 6 | [2.76–3.27] | [0.87–1.02] | [1.42–1.64] | [1.29–1.49] | |
Female | 3.20 ± 0.10 (0.11) | 0.92 ± 0.03 (0.04) | 1.63 ± 0.05 (0.05) | 1.46 ± 0.03 (0.04) | 1.91–1.98 |
n = 5 | [3.05–3.38] | [0.87–0.98] | [1.56–1.71] | [1.45–1.53] | [1.45–1.53] |
Habitus, dorsal view:
Median lobe of aedeagus; magnification 120×, scale bar = 100 µm
Median lobe of aedeagus:
Morphological characters of the aedeagus highlight the affinity between
During the present study, the author discovered that the holotype of
The author aknowledges Dr. Michele Zilioli, Dr. Fabrizio Rigato, and Dr. Carlo Leonardi of Natural History Museum of Milan for the image support and the scientific suggestions. A special thanks to Dr. Federica Castiglioni who participated in sample collection and supported my research. I also would like to thank my friend Dr. Davide Sassi for his critical input and scientific support.
Finally the author would like to thank three referees for their constructive comments, which have resulted in an improved manuscript.