Chrysolina (Stichoptera) kuesteri (Helliesen, 1912)

Germann, Christoph, Geiser, Michael & Borer, Matthias, 2023, A review of the Chrysolina species - subgenus Stichoptera Motschulsky, 1860 - in Switzerland, with notes on distribution, conservation and preimaginal stages (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Alpine Entomology 7, pp. 69-82 : 69

Chrysolina (Stichoptera) kuesteri (Helliesen, 1912)

Note.

This species is widespread in Europe. Kippenberg (2010) cites the nominotypical subspecies from Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Latvia, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Hungary, while the subspecies Ch. kuesteri friderici (Wagner, 1927) occurs in Portugal and Spain. Rheinheimer and Hassler (2018) listed it as thermophilous, localised and rare in SW Germany. Blanc et al. (2012) only recently confirmed the occurrence in Switzerland, but likely based on the specimen in the coll. Charles Maerky at MHNG (see comments under Ch. gypsophilae above).

Historical data.

1 ♂, 2 ♀: St. Gallen, ex coll. Täschler [without date] (NMSG). 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Basel coll. Burghold [without date] (NMBE). 1 ♀: Wallis, coll. Burghold [without date] (NMBE). 1 ex.: Genève, La Praille, 7-V. coll. Maerky (MHNG). 1 ♀: «Schweiz» coll. Stähelin-Bischoff [without date], det. J.C. Bourdonné 2005 (NMB). 3 ex. «Basel» (NMB). 3 ex. E. Handschin «Liestal» [without date], coll. E. Handschin (NMB). 1 ♀: Chur [yellow label, without date] coll. Killias, coll. J. B. Jörger (NMB). 4 ex. Basel, coll. [E.] Liniger [1880ies] (NMB). 1 ♂: coll. Chevrier, Nyon, Oct. [18]80 (MHNG). 1 ex. Sion [VS] 22.VI.[18]92 (MHNG). 1 ♀: Rheinau, 6.99 [1899], coll. J.B. Jörger (NMB). 1 ♂: Praz de F [Praz-de-Fort, Orsières, VS] 5.VI.1911 (MHNG). 1 ♀: Rheinau 19.11.[19]12, coll. J. B. Jörger (NMB). 1 ♀ Bex [VD] 14.X.[19]22 (MHNG). 1 ♀: Lägern, Kt. Aarg., Helv. 5.6.1933, coll. V. Allenspach (NMB). 1 ex. VS, Leuk, oberhalb, 30.5.1966, leg. P. Scherler (NMBE). 1 ex. Zeneggen [VS] 4.8.[19]72 (MHNG).

Recent data

(2000 onwards). 1 ♀: VS, Kalpetran, 3.6.2000, ex. coll. G. Carron (cYC). 1♀: Helv, VS, Leuk, 615/129, PR2, 26.V.2001, leg. C. Monnerat, det. M. Borer, 2017 (cCM). 1 ex. VS, Sierre, Route Sion 46, 606.247, 126.219, 23.10.2012 (cYC), 1 ♀: VS, St. Léonard, 599, 122, 13.5.2013, leg. R. Graf (cRG). 2 ex.: Hell 662 m, CH-VS-Salgesch, 610787, 129327, 9.xi.[20]14, leg. and det. L. Lischer (cCG). 1 ex.: Marjunne, 709 m, CH, VS, Varen, 613582, 129671, 9.vi.[20]14, leg. and det. L. Lischer (cCG). 1 ♂: Helv, VS, Visperterminen, 634730/122500, 1098 m, 11.V.2017, leg. Y. Chittaro, det. M. Borer 2019 (cYC). 1 ♀: Helv, VS, Varen, 612270-129590, 791 m, 28.V.2017, leg. C. Monnerat, det. M. Borer, 2019 (cCM). 1 ♀: Helv, GE, La Touvière, 488042/114263, 348 m, 24.V.2018, leg. Y. Chittaro, det. M. Borer 2019 (cYC). 1 ♀: Helv, VS, Flanthey, 601540/125155, 952 m, 14.V.2019, leg. Y. Chittaro det. M. Borer 2020 (cYC). 1 ♀: Helv, VS, Brentjong, 616030/129985, 962 m, 31.V.2019, leg. Y. Chittaro, det. M. Borer 2020 (cYC). 1 ♀: Sion, Bisse de Clavau, cours d’eau, vigne [46.25000 / 7.39000], 30.05.2019, leg. S. Breitenmoser (cSB). 1 ♀: Sion, Bisse de Clavau, vigne bosquet [46.25000 / 7.39000], 30.05.2019, leg. S. Breitenmoser (cSB). 1 ex. VS, Conthey, près du Torrent 47, 510 m, 2.II.2020, leg. M. C. Chittaro (cYC). 1 ex. VS, Conthey, près du Torrent 47, 510 m, 27.10.2020, leg. M. C. Chittaro (cYC). 13 ex. VS, Pt. de la Morge, Route de Vuisse, 523 m, 22.4.2020, coll. A. Schmidt (cYC). 1 ♀: Helv, VS, Mayentset, 589812/125364, 1510 m, 22.V.2020, leg. Y. Chittaro, det. M. Borer 2021 (cYC). 1 ♂: CH, VS, Leuk, Erschmatt (Bl), 619.250, 129.925, 1210 m, 13.10.2020, leg. H. Blöchlinger (cHB). 1 ♂: CH, VS, Fully, Les Follatères, 30.9.2020, leg. C. Germann. 1 ♂, 1♀: Sion, Mont d’Orge, 660 m, 592380, 120130 (46°13'58"N, 7°20'24"E), 9.x.2020, leg. A. Geiser-Barkhausen and U. Lemmenmeier (BMNH). 4 ex. 359_20.2 CH, VS, Sion, Montorge, Umgb., 592'590, 120'067, 589 m, 17.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 3 ex. 359_20.3. CH, VS, Sion, Montorge, Umgb., 592'490, 120'047, 611 m, 17.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 2 ex.: 359_20.4. CH, VS, Sion, Montorge, Umgb., 592'394, 120'144, 660 m, 17.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 2 ex.: 359_20.5. CH, VS, Sion, Montorge, Umgb., 591'900, 119'866, 785 m, 17.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 1 ex.: 360_20.1 CH, VS, Leuk, Ringacker, 615'119, 129'245, 678 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 1 ex.: 360_20.2 CH, VS, Leuk, Ringacker, 615'079, 129'260, 675 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 1 ♂, 1 ex.: 360_20.3 CH, VS, Leuk, ob Ringacker, 615'100, 129'352, 696 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 3 ex.: 360_20.4 CH, VS, Leuk, Dorf, altes Bahntrassee, 614'965, 129'462, 713 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 1 ♂: 360_20.5 CH, VS, Leuk, Dorf, 614'840, 129'595, 704 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 3 ex.: 360_20.6 CH, VS, Leuk, 614'558, 129'576, 672 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 1♂, 1 ex.: 360_20.7 CH, VS, Leuk, 614'487, 129'538, 22.10.2020, 657 m, leg. C. Germann (cCG, NMB). 1 ♀: 360_20.8 CH, VS, Leuk, 614'274, 129'486, 636 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (NMB). 1 ♀: 360_20.9 CH, VS, Leuk, 615'571, 129'138, 632 m, 22.10.2020, leg. C. Germann (cCG). 2 ex. (Larve und Ei) CH, VS, Sion, Montorge, Umgb., 592'748, 120'105, 560 m, 22.3.2021, vid. C. Germann. 1 ex. CH, VS, Sion, Montorge, 592'600, 120'065, 580 m, 3.6.2021, leg. C. Germann (NMB).

Remarks.

Based on our own investigations in Valais, plus the data provided to us by colleagues, Ch. kuesteri is locally common around Sion and Leuk. Several previously unknown localised populations were found between in late 2020 and 2021. For a precise map see Fig. 4 . All of the older Swiss records we found in museum collections were previously misidentified, mostly standing under Ch. sanguinolenta , obscuring the real distribution of this species. Recently " citizen science " observations have become available thanks to iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/, accessed 1th February 2023), but unfortunately, they leave no possibility of examining characters such as the genitalia more close up. Observations from Sion (8th October 2020), Zeneggen (17th October 2021) and Varen (17th February 2022), all Valais, can be tentatively assigned to Ch. kuesteri , but users of this website often seem to confuse this species with Ch. sanguinolenta or Ch. rossia .

Figures

Figure 4. Detailed maps of local Ch. kuesteri populations around Mont d'Orge (Sion, Valais) and Leuk (Valais) showing records made in 2020 and 2021 (Background map: map. geo. admin. ch).