Polydrusus (Conocetus) festae (F. Solari, 1925)

Figs 1C–D, 7B, 9D, 12

Material examined

GREECE: 1 ♀, [Crete,] Suda Bay, leg. G.C. Champion B.M. 1927-409 (BMNH); 8 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, GR Samos, Koumeika W Pyrgos, 49 m, 37°42′57″ N, 26°42′27″ E, 13 May 2013, leg. Gerd Müller (cCG, cGM, NMBE); 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, GR Samos, Dodekanes, S Agios, Theodori, 37°44′42″ N, 26°44′13″ E, 296 m, 11 May 2013, leg. Gerd Müller (cGM, NMBE); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, GR, Samos, Oros Kerkis Mt, S Kalithea, 37°42′33″ N, 26°36′00″ E, 276 m, 17 May 2013 (cGM); 1 ♂, GR, Samos, Raches, near Marathokambos, 37°44′32″ N, 26°43′18″ E, 371 m, 9 May 2013 (cGM); 1 ♂, GR, Samos, Dodekanes, SW Neochori, 37°42′18″ N, 26°45′33″ E, 129 m, 13 May 2013 (cGM); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, GR, Samos, u hl.silnice Karlovasi-Pythagorio (u odb. Na Koumeiku), 16 Jun. 2007, leg. Ing. K. Schön (cRB); 1 ♂, Samos Isl., W-Agios Paraskevi, Nisi, 37°46′59″ N, 26°58′50″ E, 20 m, vegetation on rocks above sea shore, 4 Apr. 2010, leg. C. Germann (cCG); 1 ♂, Kr. Omalos, leg. S. Lundberg (SDEI); 1 ♀, GR-Samos, Votsalakia env., 11–20 Jun. 2007, leg. Ing. K. Schön (cRB); 1 ♀, Kreta, leg. Paganetti, coll. Jörger (NMB).

LYBIA: 1 ♀, Cirene U.C., Apr. [19]38, leg. G. Frey (NMB).

Type locality

LIBYA: Cyrenaica.

Remarks

Solari (1925) provided the following (type) localities (included in Fig. 12): Derna, Zavia (= Az Zawiyah), Mechili, Tecnis (= Taknis) and Tolmetta. The first records of P. festae outside of Libya were already reported by Germann et al. (2015) as specimens of an unknown Conocetus sp. from Samos Island. It is remarkable that this brachypterous and thus supposedly little-mobile species occurs across the Mediterranean Sea. This can be explained by the recent introduction of this species in Greece (Samos Island and Crete), although the first specimens known from Crete (without collecting date, see above) were collected by Gustav Paganetti-Hummler (1871–1949), hence a very recent introduction can be excluded. Polydrusus festae is therefore recorded here for the first time from Greece.

Variability and similar species

The species was compared with both P. baudii and P. marcidus by Solari (1925), based on the key by Schilsky (1910). The squamulate scutellum, the head shape, pronotum and the oval elytra (Fig. 1C–D) as well as its brachyptery are very characteristic and not shared with other species of the subgenus.

Ecology

Collected from February (Solari 1925) to June, from the sea shore to colline altitudes. Found on flowering Quercus ilex bushes (G & U. Müller and C. Germann; photograph of the habitat in Germann et al. 2015).