Macrophya rufipes (Linné, 1758), Linne, 1758

Macek, Jan, 2012, About Macrophya parvula and larvae of several Central European Macrophya (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), Zootaxa 3487, pp. 65-76 : 70

Macrophya rufipes (Linné, 1758)

( Figs. 4 , 10 , 15 )

Material. examined. Bohemia centr.: Czech karst PLA, Karlštejn NNR (6051): 23.vii.2008, 3 larvae on Rubus caesius , 1 female emerged, 20.v.2009; 15.viii.2009, 5 larvae on Rubus caesius ; 4.ix.2010, 1 larva on Rubus caesius .

Description of the last instar larva. Body length 15–17 mm; head-yellow brown with a black neck spot and a separate transverse large macula above the frons; antenna pale, clypeus with four setae, labrum with six setae; mandibles with two setae, stipes with 1 seta, palpifer with 3 setae. Body yellow-grey, the dorsal part darker than the ventral part, dorsum with dark double dorsal line, surface sculpture granulose with dark granula forming spot pattern; the second annulet above the spiracle with a black round spot, abdominal segments with seven dorsal annulets; annulets 2 and 4 with numerous conical warts with long spiny bristles and with four to five white spiny glandubae; annulet 7 covered only with numerous conical warts with long spiny bristles; the first postspiracular lobe with one spiny glanduba and 6 long stiff bristles; the second postspiracular lobe with one glanduba and ten long stiff bristles; subspiracular lobe with one glanduba and 6–7 six long stiff bristles; surpedal lobe with 11–13 stiff long bristles and one sharp conical glanduba; prolegs bare; legs pale, coxa with black basal spot.

Notes on identification. The larva of M. rufipes is very similar to the larva of M. montana differing by the double dorsal stripes. Moreover, M. rufipes is a xerophilous species confined to open sunny areas (shrubby grasslands and wastelands with Rubus vegetation), whilst M. montana is a silvicolous species preferring the shady habitats in deciduous and mixed forest.

Bionomics. Habitat: dry shrubby grasslands. Univoltine. Flight period from May to beginning of June; larval period from mid June to the beginning of the September. Host plant: Rubus caesius (new record).

Discussion. The host plant Vitis vinifera as noticed by Lorenz & Kraus (1957) is evidently doubtful. Weiffenbach (1985) noted tentatively Agrimonia eupatoria as a food plant, based on the observation of ovipositing female and later frass spurs on the leaves, but he did not prove it by finding the larvae. The frass spurs on Agrimonia should be ascribed to the common larvae of Rhogogaster viridis (Linné, 1758) . Consequently, Rubus caesius is, for the present, the only verified food plant of M. rufipes .

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 6. Macrophya Dahlbom, 1835, larvae: 4 — M. rufipes (Linné, 1758): a—last instar (lateral view); b—last instar (dorsal view). 5 — M. militaris (Klug, 1814): a—last instar (lateral view); b—last instar (dorsal view). 6 — M. montana (Scopoli, 1763): a—last instar (lateral view); b – last instar (dorsal view). Scale: 10 mm.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Macrophya Dahlbom, 1835, head of larvae (frontal view): 7 — M. blanda (Fabricius, 1775); 8 — M. diversipes (Schrank, 1782); 9 — M. annulata (Geoffroy, 1785); 10 — M. rufipes (Linné, 1758); 11 — M. militaris (Klug, 1814); 12 — M. montana (Scopoli, 1763). Scale: 2 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 17. Macrophya Dahlbom, 1835, the cuticular surface sculpture of the third abdominal segment of larvae (lateral view); the white numbers indicate the order of the annulets of the abdominal segments (a—mounted larva from alcohol, b—living larva): 13 — M. blanda (Fabricius, 1775); 14 — M. diversipes (Schrank, 1782); 15 — M. rufipes (Linné, 1758); 16 — M. annulata (Geoffroy, 1785); 17 — M. montana (Scopoli, 1763). Scale: 1.5 mm.