Taxonus sticticus (Klug, 1817)

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 : 265-266

Taxonus sticticus (Klug, 1817)

( Figs. 16 , 19)

Material examined. CZECH REPUBLIC: BOHEMIA centr.: Český kras PLA: Hlásná Třebáň (6051), 6.vii.2005, 4 larvae on Rosa canina , 1 adult emerged 25.iv.2006. Příbram – Lazec (6349), 9.vii.2006, 1 larva on Rosa canina , breeding failed. MORAVIA mer.: Bílé Karpaty PLA: Machová NR (7171), 25.vi.2005, 6 larvae on Rosa canina ; 1 adult emerged 1.iv.2006; Čertoryje NNR (7170), 29.v.2006, 2 spec., 20.vi.2006 ; Hutě NR (7073), 25.vi.2006 ,

2 spec., U Petrůvky NR (6872), 3.vi.2008, 2 spec., Ploštiny NR (6874), 27.vi.2006, 1 spec. Podyjí NP:Šobes (7161), 12.–30.v.1997, 3 spec.; 30.v.–9.vi.1997, 3 spec. ; all J. Macek lgt. and det. ( NMPC) .

Adult. Notes on identification. The diagnosis was given by MUCHE (1969b) and the taxonomy was discussed by TAEGER (1986). From the similar species Ametastegia equiseti (Fallén, 1808) , T. sticticus differs by a larger size ( T. sticticus : 8 – 10 mm; A. equiseti : 5.5 – 7 mm) and white basal part of pterostigma (whole pterostigma brown in A. equiseti ). Moreover, T. sticticus differs from Taxonus agrorum by the absence of the medial cell on the hind wing in females and the absence of the peripheral vein on the hind wing in males. Habitus as in Fig. 16 .

Larva. Description. Head amber yellow with red-brown vertex; body green with only slightly paler venter. Abdominal segments with six annuli; cuticle very finely granulose; annulus 2 and 4 with short setae and tiny conical bristles, anal segment with very short setae on suranal lobe; subspiracular lobe with fine setae and 2–3 small conical tubercles, surpedal lobe with short setae and one conical tubercle (Fig. 19).

Notes on identification. From the similar Apethymus apicalis (Klug, 1818) , also feeding on roses, T. sticticus differs by the very tiny inconspicuous conical bristles on annulets 2 and 4 (with distinct conical tubercles in A. apicalis ), rather uniform coloration (venter distinctly paler than dorsum in A. apicalis ). The larvae of T. sticticus appear later (June to July) than the larvae of A. apicalis (May to June).

Bionomics. Mesophilous to xerotermophilous species. Univoltine. Flight period from May to June; larval period from June to July. Host plants: Rosa spp. (Rosaceae) .

Distribution. Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey ( TAEGER & BLANK 2008). Very local and rare in the Czech Republic.

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.