Chrysolina (Stichoptera) latecincta norica (Holdhaus, 1914)

Germann, Christoph, Geiser, Michael & Borer, Matthias, 2023, A review of the Chrysolina species - subgenus Stichoptera Motschulsky, 1860 - in Switzerland, with notes on distribution, conservation and preimaginal stages (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Alpine Entomology 7, pp. 69-82 : 69

Chrysolina (Stichoptera) latecincta norica (Holdhaus, 1914)

Note.

Kippenberg (2020) lists this subspecies from the Alps of Austria and Switzerland.

Material.

1 ♀: Fusio // Campolungo Fusio 21.7.[19]10 // COF06499 coll. Fontana (MCSN) . 2 ♂: Fusio // Campolungo Fusio II.7.[19]12 // Chrysomela sanguinolenta // COF06497 coll. Fontana (MCSN) . 3 ♂, 4 ♀: Fusio , Ticino, G. C. C. // G. C. Champion Coll. M.B. 1927-409 (BMNH) . 1 ♂: Fusio // VII.7.[19]36 // COF06498 coll. Fontana (MCSN) . 1 ♂: Parsenn , 11.9.[19]38, leg. Dr. J. P. Wolf (MHNG) . 2 ♂: Avers-Cresta , VII-VIII. [19]39, coll. V. Allenspach (NMBA) . 1 ♀: Valetta [Piz Vallatscha?], 13.7.(19)45, 2900 m, Schuel [or Schuls, hardly legible], E. Handschin (NMCH) . 2 ♂: Albula [pass], 24.VII.[19]49, Dr. J.P. Wolf (MHNG) . 2 ex. GR, Avers , Juppa, Bergalga, 25.7.1989, 2007 m, leg. E. Kobel (NMBE) . 9 ex.: GL, Claridenfirn , oberhalb Claridenhütte, 2400-2500 m, 22.8.2012 (cAS) . 5 ex.: dito 15.8.2013, leg. Schnetzler and Tanaka (cAS). 7 ex. GR, Albula [pass], 783624/ 162365, 2532 m, 15.VIII. 2014, leg. Y. Chittaro (cYC) .

Remarks.

One of us (MG) revisited the area around Bergalga (Avers) on two occasions, in September 2012 and August 2017. Despite two days of intensive searching, no Ch. latecincta were found. Further literature records are adopted from Kippenberg (2020), and Szallies and Brenneisen (2015): Pizol, Albulapass.

A remarkable locality of Ch. latecincta norica is Passo Campolungo near Fusio (Ticino), separated from the nearest known populations by some 70 km and several mountain ranges. A single female specimen from this locality was discussed in Franz (1949) and Kippenberg (2020). Seven specimens, including males, collected before 1927 and labelled simply " Fusio, Ticino " were collected by G.C. Champion (BMNH). The Fontana collection (MCSN) contains four specimens from Passo Campolungo dating from 1912 to 1936. These specimens do not show any relevant differences to the other Swiss specimens of ssp. Chrysolina latecincta norica examined here. A targeted field trip undertaken 1st and 2nd September 2021 by MB and CG did not yield any specimens. The occurrence of the host plants Linaria alpina in the area was confirmed (Fig. 8 ), however, the small, scattered plants might not have provided enough food to sustain a population of the Chrysolina . Further exploration of the area, particularly on the Fusio side of the pass, is planned. Unfortunately, it is possible that this interesting, isolated population has already gone extinct in the 87 years since its last sighting.

Figures

Figure 8. Investigated area around the Passo Campolungo with confirmed occurrences of the host plant (Linaria alpina), but without any recent records of Chrysolina latecincta (Background map: map. geo. admin. ch).