Stevenia deceptoria (Loew)

Mulieri, Pablo Ricardo, Patitucci, Luciano Damián, Mariluis, Juan Carlos & Pape, Thomas, 2010, Long-distance introduction: first New World record of Stevenia deceptoria (Loew) and a key to the genera of New World Rhinophoridae (Diptera), Zootaxa 2524, pp. 66-68 : 66-67

Stevenia deceptoria (Loew)

( Fig. 1 )

Rhinophora deceptoria Loew, 1847: 266 . Type locality: Italy, Sicily, Syracuse (= Siracusa) [“Sicilien, bei Syrakus”].

Neotropical distribution: Argentina, Buenos Aires ( Fig. 1 ).

Palaearctic distribution: Andorra, Croatia, France (mainland, Corsica), Italy (mainland, Sardinia, Sicily), Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain (mainland, Balearic Is), Switzerland. Herewith recorded from Morocco for the first time.

Material studied. Argentina, Buenos Aires province: 1 ♂ Magdalena, Estancia San Isidro, 28.XII.1998, Basilio leg. ( FAUBA); 1 ♂ Magdalena, Estancia El Carretero, 20.X.1999, Basilio leg. ( FAUBA); 3 ♂ same data except 03.XI.1999; 1 ♂ same data except 05.I.2000; 2 ♂ same data except 23.III.2000; 2 ♂ Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, S34º32'47'' W58º26'24'', XII.2002, Mulieri leg. ( ANLIS ); 1 ♂, 1 Ψ Instituto Malbrán, Buenos Aires, S34º38'35'' W58º23'28'', XII.2002, Mulieri leg. ( ANLIS ); 1 ♂, 1 Ψ Burzaco, S34º50'15'' W58º23'53'', IX.2001, Mulieri leg. ( ANLIS ); 2 ♂ same data except X.2001; 1 ♂, 1 Ψ same data except III.2002; 2 Ψ same data except III.2003; 1 ♂, 1 Ψ Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, Buenos Aires, S34º37' W58º21', III.2003, Mulieri leg. ( ANLIS ); 1 ♂, 1 Ψ Magdalena, X.2005, Torretta leg. ( ANLIS ); 1 ♂ Chascomús, Laguna La Tablilla, 1.I.2007, Torretta leg ( ANLIS ); 4 ♂, 1 Ψ Campana, Reserva Natural Estricta Otamendi, S34º14'03'' W58º53'10'', 26.XI.2009, on flowers of Sapium haematospermum, Patitucci & Mulieri leg. ( ANLIS ); 1 ♂, 1 Ψ Necochea, Quequén, S38º31'60'' W58º42'00'', I.2010, Patitucci leg. ( ANLIS ); 24 ♂, 4 Ψ Facultad de Agronomía, Buenos Aires, X.2009 and XI.2009 on flowers of Coriandrum sativum, D. Ganly & J.P. Torretta leg. ( FAUBA). Numerous males and females in the collections of ZMUC, mostly from Italy, Malta and Spain, but also the following: Morocco, Rabat, Forêt de Mamora, 1 ♂, 2 Ψ 25–26.IV.1989, Zool. Mus. Copenh. Exp. [new country record].

Stevenia deceptoria appears to be relatively common in gardens, even in densely populated urban areas (such as Buenos Aires City), as well as in both rural and relatively undisturbed areas (such as Otamendi Reserve).

Several species of terrestrial isopods have become widespread by human activities. In the New World, nearly 40 Palaearctic or synanthropically cosmopolitan woodlice species have been recorded ( Leistikow & Wägele 1999; Schmalfuss 2003). The presence in Argentina of several potential woodlice hosts of Palaearctic origin ( Halophiloscia couchii (Kinahan) , Halophilosciidae ; Porcellio scaber Latreille , P. lamellatus Budde-Lund and Porcellionides pruinosus (Brandt) , Porcellionidae ; Leistikow & Wägele 1999) has probably been instrumental for the establishment of Stevenia deceptoria . The introduction itself may be hypothesised to have taken place with infected woodlice, although no host records are so far known for Stevenia deceptoria ( Herting 1961) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of Stevenia deceptoria (Loew) in the Neotropical Region and habitus of male. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.