Zelus renardii Kolenati, 1857

Simov, Nikolay, Gradinarov, Denis, ., Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou, .,., . & .,. E., 2017, Three new assassin bug records (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) for the Balkan Peninsula, Ecologica Montenegrina 13, pp. 25-29 : 27-28

Zelus renardii Kolenati, 1857

Material examined: Greece: Pelion Peninsula, Papa Nero Beach, close to Agios Ioanis vill., 39.407239°N, 023.172648°E, 5 m a.s.l., 9 September 2015, 1 female, leg. & det. N. Simov ( SOFM); Attica, Tatoi Royal Estate , 38.157167°N, 023.796075°E, 460 m a.s.l., 27 September 2015, swept from Quercus ilex , together with Nagusta goedelii (Kolenati, 1857) , 1 male, 1 female, leg. & det. L. R . Davranoglou ( DPC); Attica, Helidonous stream, 38.102167°N, 023.797397°E, 209 m a.s.l., 19 June 2015 (1 female)- 27 September 2015 (1 male, 1 female), semi natural xerothermic pasture, swept from Daucus carota , leg. & det. L. R . Davranoglou ( DPC); Attica, Adames , 38.099539°N, 023.793650°E, 230 m a.s.l., 20 July 2015, semi natural pasture, swept from ruderal vegetation, 1 V instar larva, leg. & det. L. R. Davranoglou ( DPC); Attica, Schinias, Karavi beach parking lot, 38.134825°N, 024.011700°E, 3 m a.s.l., 3 July 2017, swept from Pittosporum tobira , 1 V instar larva, leg. & det. L. R. Davranoglou ( DPC); Achaea, Rion, Platani village , 38.295228°N, 021.822575°E, 189 m a.s.l., 20 June 2014, olive grove, swept from ruderal vegetation, including Daucus carota , 1 V instar larva, 1 male, leg. & det. L. R . Davranoglou ( DPC); Aetolia-Acarnania, road from Missolonghi to Astakos , 38.410692°N, 021.397603°E, 7 m a.s.l., 28 July 2015, small clearing next to river, swept from ruderal vegetation, 1 female, leg. & det. L. R . Davranoglou ( DPC) .

Distribution. The native range of the leafhopper assassin bug Zelus renardii includes North and Central America. In the 20th century Z. renardii spread to Hawaii and other tropical areas in the Pacific Region ( Weirauch et al. 2012). Since then, the species has reached Chile (2001), and the Mediterranean ( Greece: 2010; Italy: 2013; Spain: 2011; European Turkey: 2016; Albania: 2016) by human-assisted introductions ( Davranoglou 2011; Weirauch et al. 2012; Dioli 2013; Vivas 2012; Faúndez 2015; Çerçi & Koçak 2016; Heyden 2017). From the Balkan Peninsula, the species has so far been found only in man-made environments in Greece (Attica and Crete) ( Davranoglou 2011; Petrakis & Moulet 2011; Heyden 2015). The locality in Pelion is typical for the coastal maquis and arborescent matorral region ( EUNIS types –F5.1 and F5.2) (see Fig. 2 ). Throughout Greece, the species exhibits high adaptability and has been collected from a range of disturbed and semi natural habitats in Mediterranean forests, olive groves, lagoons and xerothermic pastures. The relatively great invasive potential of Z. renardii due to its high abundance in man-made and disturbed environments, high reproductive success and its predatory behavior may be a problem for the local insect communities in case of establishment of large populations. Indeed, Z.renardii has been frequently found in habitats shared by the native N.goedelii ( LR.Davranoglou, personal observation); it would be interesting to investigate whether competition between the two species takes place. Our specimens represent the first records from natural habitats in Greece and the Balkan Peninsula, respectively.

Figures

Figure 2. The locality of Zelus renardii in Pelion Peninsula in the typical for the region coastal maquis and arborescent matorral.