Raphidia (Raphidia) ambigua H. Aspoeck & U. Aspoeck , 1964b

Aspoeck, Horst & Aspoeck, Ulrike, 2023, The snakeflies of the Mediterranean islands: review and biogeographical analysis (Neuropterida, Raphidioptera), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 70 (1), pp. 175-218 : 175

Raphidia (Raphidia) ambigua H. Aspoeck & U. Aspoeck, 1964b

Raphidia ambigua H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1964b (odescr): H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon); H. Aspöck et al. 1989 (biogeogr, distr).

Raphidia (Raphidia) ambigua H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck: H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon); H. Aspöck and Hölzel 1996 (distr); H. Aspöck et al. 2001 (anncat); Canbulat and Özsarac 2004 (distr, rec); Canbulat and Kiyak 2006 (distr, rec; ill: map); Dobosz 2007 (distr, rec); H. Aspöck 2012 (cat); H. Aspöck and U. Aspöck 2013 (cat, etymol), 2014 (cat).

Taxonomy.

H. Aspöck et al. (1991). The species is closely related to the other species of this group within the subgenus Raphidia Raphidia s. str., but can easily be identified by characters of the male genitalia. There is no island on which a second Raphidia species besides R. ambigua occurs, therefore, it cannot be confused with other species of Raphidia .

Biology and ecology.

Larvae corticolous on conifers and deciduous trees as well as soil-dwelling. Developmentone year. Last hibernating stage: full-grown larva. Adults: (IV)V-VI(VII). Euryoecious! In various habitats: light (mixed) pine forests, oak forests, bush-forests, fruit-gardens, in maquis of various structure, usually in high population densities, in altitudes of 200 to 1600 m.

Records on Mediterranean islands

(Fig. 11a ). Samos, Rhodes. Syntopic Raphidioptera on islands: Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) raddai (Samos), Ph. (Ae.) prophetica (Rhodes), Subilla colossea (Rhodes), Parainocellia ressli (Samos).

Continental distribution.

Most parts of Anatolia, from the Mediterranean coast until the east.

Biogeography.

Monocentric Anatolopontomediterranean faunal element with high expansivity.

Figures

Figure 11. a. Records of species of the genus Raphidia, R. (R.) mediterranea, R. (R.) beieri, R. (R.) peterressli, R. (R.) mysia, R. (R.) ambigua, and R. (R.) ariadne, on Mediterranean islands; b. Records of species of the family Inocelliidae, Fibla (F.) maclachlani, Fibla (Reisserella) pasiphae, and Parainocellia ressli, on Mediterranean islands.