Athalia vollenhoveni Gribodo, 1879

Koch, Frank, Pauly, Alain, Hora, Zewdu A. & Boevé, Jean-Luc, 2015, Sawflies of Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Argidae, Tenthredinidae), Zootaxa 4021 (1), pp. 119-155 : 138-141

Athalia vollenhoveni Gribodo, 1879

( Figs 4 A–C, 15A–D, 16A–L)

Athalia vollenhoveni Gribodo, 1879: 346 . Locus typicus: Ethiopia, Scioa, Mahal-Uonz. Lectotype designated by Koch (2006:

314): ♀. Scioa, Mahal-Uonz [= Mahal Wenz, ca 09°34'N 039°54'E], III.1877, leg. Antinori. (MCSN). Athalia schweinfurthi Konow, 1891: 41 . Locus typicus: Yemen, Schibam. Holotype: ♀. Chibam, Arabic, Schweinfth. (SDEI). Athalia schweinfurthi schweinfurthi: Benson, 1962: 379 .

Additional Ethiopian material. Scioa [= Shewa Province] (1 ♀), Coll. Magretti, ex. Coll. Gribodo ( MCSN); Wagira [= Wegera, 13°00'N 037°40'E] (12 ♂, 10 ♀), ( ZSM, USNM); Harrar [09°19'N 042°08'E] (1 ♀); Scioa, Let- Marefia [09°38'N 039°45'E], IX–XI.1879, leg. Antinori (1 ♀), ( UZMT); Dida [ca 07°50'N 039°30'E], Nordwest. Arussi Hochebene, 3000 m, 28.VII.1900 (1 ♀), leg. Neumann (MFN); Dire-Daua [09°36'N 041°52'E], 19.XI.1914 (1 ♀), leg. Kovàcs ( NHNM); Addis Ababa, 8000 ft, 28.VII–15.VIII.1945 (1 ♀); 7500 ft, 07.X.1945 (5 ♂, 9 ♀); 7500 ft, 30.IX.1945 (3 ♀); 23.II.1946 (1 ♀), leg. K. M. Guichard ( BMNH); Alemaya [09°24'N 042°01'E], 16.IV.1960 (1 ♀), leg. W. C. Kurt (MFN); Bale Mt., Goba [07°00'N 039°59'E], 2800 m, 15.XII.1989 (1 ♂), leg. A. Freidberg & F. Kaplan ( USNM); "Arussi Prov.", Mt. Galama [07°39'N 039°22'E], Hagenia Forest , 08.I.1968 (1 ♂), leg. C. &. P. Brinck-Cederholm-Enckell ( MZLU); Ilubabor pr., 2000 m, 15 km SW Bedele [ca 08°21'N 036°13'E], 05.IV.2007 (1 ♀), leg. J. Halada ( OLML); Sebeta, 08°54’N 038°35’E, 2165 m, 03–04.X.2010, P3414 (1 ♂), P3416 & P3417 (1 ♂ & 1 ♀ in copula), leg. J.-L. Boevé ( RBINS); Holeta, Karsa, 03.X.2010, on Brassicaceae crop, P3415a to P3415e (4 ♂, 1 ♀), leg. J.-L. Boevé ( RBINS); Chancho, 09°20'N 038°44'E, 07.X.2010, on Brassicaceae crop, P3422b to P 3422m (12 ♂), leg. J.-L. Boevé ( RBINS); Abay Gorge, 10°01'32"N 38°14'43"E, 2485 m, 13.X.2011, on Brassica sp., P3584 (1 larva at last instar), leg. J.-L. Boevé ( RBINS); Simien Mountains N. P., 13°13'52”N 038°01'23”E, 3250 m, 17.X.2011, with yellow pan traps, P3585 (1 ♂), leg. J.-L. Boevé ( RBINS); Tarmaber Pass (see Ecological observations; Fig. 16 A–D), 09°50'N 039°45'E, 3160 m, 25.X.2011, mainly flying, P3586A_01 to P3586A_22 (among which P3596A_03 & P3596A_04; HBRC), P3586B_01 to P3586B_09, P3586C_01 to P3586C_05, P3586D_01 to P3586D_39, P3586E_01 to P3586E_11, P3586F2, P3586F3 (91 ♂, 20 ♀), 21– 24.XII.2011, mainly flying, P3590_01 to P3590_53 (68 ♂, 34 ♀), 29.IX.2012, on or near Ajuga integrifolia , P3639A to P3639E (40 ♂, 61 ♀), leg. J.-L. Boevé, Z. A. Hora, K. Amberbir, A. Pauly ( RBINS); Ineseno, 08°02’N 038°31’E, 1835 m, 14.IX.2012, on Brassicaceae crop mixed with Caspicum, P3617, P3619 (2 ♂), leg. J.-L. Boevé, A. Pauly ( RBINS); near Senkele N. P., 07°13’N 038°16’E, ≈ 2000 m, 17.IX.2012, on Vernonia auriculifera flowers, P3623 to P3628 (5 ♂, 1 ♀), leg. J.-L. Boevé, K. Amberbir, A. Pauly ( RBINS); Holeta, 09°04’N 038°30’E, 2450 m, with yellow pan traps, 21.IX.2012, P3666_2 (1 ♀), 05.X.2012, P3649_3 (1 ♀), 06.X.2012, P3650 (1 ♀), 09.X.2012, P3652_2, P3652_3 (2 ♀), 11.X.2012, P3653 (1 ♂), 12.X.2012, P3655_2, P3655_3 (1 ♂, 1 ♀), 27.X.2012, P3659 (1 ♀), 06.XI.2012, P3660 (1 ♀), 23.XI.2012 (1 ♂), leg. Z. A. Hora, A. Pauly, J.-L. Boevé ( RBINS); Oromia, Ghedo, 09°01’N 037°27’E, 2400 m, 21.IX.2013, with yellow pan traps, P3809a (1 ♀), leg. Z. A. Hora & A. Pauly ( RBINS).

Distribution. Eritrea, Ethiopia ( Fig. 8 D), Yemen.

Host plant. Brassica oleracea L. ( Brassicaceae ) ( Benson 1962: 378) and other Brassicaceae (see Ecological observations).

Remarks. Athalia vollenhoveni ( Fig. 15 ) and A. excisa are distinguished from all other species of the A. vollenhoveni species group by the uniformly flavescent-hyaline wings and the entirely black tergum 1. Athalia excisa is separated from A. vollenhoveni by the deeply excised hypopygium ( Figs 3 A, 4A), and in males the genitalia ( Figs 3 B–C, 4B–C) are also conspicuously different. Some adults from Tarmaber Pass could be reared during a couple of generations ( Fig. 16 E–H). The larva from Abay Gorge was collected (13.X.2011; Fig. 16 I–J) on a young, isolated plant. It molted into a prepupal stage during night (15–16.X.2011; Fig. 16 K), built a cocoon after one day ( Fig. 16 L), and a female emerged on 11.XI.2011. In a cage, this adult laid eggs on seedlings of Sinapis alba , on which subsequent larvae fed, and two adult males emerged on 10–11.II.2012.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Athalia excisa. A, hypopygium (posterior margin). B, parapenis and harpe (right, ventral view). C, cuspis and digitus (left, dorsal view).

FIGURE 4. Athalia vollenhoveni. A, hypopygium (posterior margin). B, parapenis and harpe (right, ventral view). C, cuspis and digitus (left, dorsal view).

FIGURE 8. Distribution maps of six sawfly species. A, Arge massajae. B, Athalia aethiopica. C, Athalia obsoleta. D, Athalia vollenhoveni. E, Xenapates nigritus. F, Distega montium.

FIGURE 15. Athalia vollenhoveni. A & C, dorsal views. B & D, lateral views. A-B, male (P 3586 A _ 08), body length: 7.0 mm. C-D, female (P 3586 A _ 10), body length: 7.5 mm.

FIGURE 16. Life history of Athalia vollenhoveni. A, biotope at Tarmaber Pass, 29. IX. 2012. B, biotope at Tarmaber Pass; picture showing a plant spot of Ajuga integrifolia, 29. IX. 2012. C, adult on A. integrifolia, 29. IX. 2012. D, two adults on A. integrifolia, 29. IX. 2012. E, copulation, observed in rearing conditions, 01. X. 2012. F, egg laying, observed in rearing conditions, 03. X. 2012. G, two larvae (above) and a prepupa (below), reared on Chinese cabbage, 31. X. 2012; picture showing the variability of body colouration. H, prepupae, entering in offered soil layer, 02. XI. 2012. I, Brassicaceae plant on which one larva was collected, at Abay Gorge, 13. X. 2011. J, full-grown larva, 15. X. 2011 (individual relating to previous picture). K, prepupa, 16. X. 2011 (same individual as shown in previous picture). L, cocoon, 20. X. 2011 (formed by individual shown in previous picture).