Taxonus alboscutellatus Niezabitowski, 1899

Macek, Jan, 2010, Taxonomy, distribution and biology of selected European Dinax, Strongylogaster and Taxonus species (Hymenoptera: Symphyta), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (1), pp. 253-271 : 266-268

Taxonus alboscutellatus Niezabitowski, 1899

( Figs. 17 , 20)

Material examined. CZECH REPUBLIC: BOHEMIA or.: Orlické hory PLA: Bukačka NR (6456), 12.ix.2005, 1 larva on Filipendula ulmaria , adult emerged 28.iii.2006 ; 26.vii.2004, 1 larva on Rubus idaeus , breeding failed; all larvae J. Macek lgt.; Bukačka NR (6456), 18.vii.–5.viii.1994,1 spec. ( MT) ; 28.vi.–18.vii.1994, 5 spec. ( MT), all J. Hájek lgt. BOHEMIA bor.: Jizerské hory PLA: Jizerka, Bukovec (5159), 31.v.2003, 7 spec., J. Preisler lgt .; Jizerka, Pralouka (5159), 7.vi.2004, 3 spec., P. Vonička & J. Preisler lgt., 27.vi.2004, 2 spec., P. Vonička & J. Preisler lgt. ( MT). MORAVIA bor.: Jeseníky PLA: Velký Kotel Mt. (5969), 14.vii.–29.vii.1994, 2 spec. J. Ježek lgt. ( MT) ; all J. Macek det. ( NMPC).

Adult. Notes on identification. The diagnosis was given by TAEGER (1986). From the similar Ametastegia perla (Klug, 1818) , T. alboscutellatus differs by a larger size ( T. alboscutellatus : 7–8 mm; A. perla : 6–7 mm) and three radial sector cells in the fore wing (two in A. perla ). Habitus as in Fig. 17 .

Larva. Description. Head pale brown, dorsum grey green with more or less distinct mottling in contrast to uniformly greyish venter, annulet 1 with two more or less distinct white spots. Abdominal segments with six annuli; cuticle very finely granulose; annulus 2 and 4 with short inconspicuous setae and tiny conical bristles combined (Fig. 20).

Notes on identification. The larva of T. alboscutellatus differs from the similar larva of Pachyprotasis antennata (Klug, 1817) by the presence of six annulets on each abdominal segment (seven in P. antennata ) and one white spot on annulet 1 (white spots on the three annulets of each abdominal segment in P. antennata ).

Bionomics. Hygrophilous and silvicolous species. Univoltine. Flight period from May to July; larval period from July to September. Host plants: Rubus idaeus and Filipendula ulmaria (Rosaceae) ( MACEK 2008).

Distribution. Known so far only from mountains in central Europe (Sudeten, Carpathians); recorded from Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine ( TAEGER & BLANK 2008) and the Czech Republic ( MACEK 2008). In the Czech Republic very local and rare, recorded so far from the Jizerské hory Mts., Orlické hory Mts. and Jeseníky Mts.

Figures

Figs.15–17. Taxonus Hartig, 1837, adults: 15 – T. agrorum Fallén, 1808; 16 – T. sticticus (Klug, 1817); 17 – T. alboscutellatus Niezabitowski, 1899. Scale: 10 mm.