Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) biroi ( Navas , 1915)

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

Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) biroi ( Navas, 1915)

Lesna biroi Navás, 1915a (odescr): H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon).

Raphidia labyrintha H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1964a (odescr): H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon).

Phaeostigma biroi ( Navás): H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon); U. Aspöck and H. Aspöck 1989 (tax); U. Aspöck and H. Aspöck 1990 (distr); Ábrahám and Papp 1994 (com, FD!).

Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) biroi ( Navás): H. Aspöck et al. 1989 (biogeogr, distr); H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon); Popov 1992 (biogeogr); H. Aspöck and Hölzel 1996 (distr); H. Aspöck et al. 2001 (anncat); Tröger 2005a (rec); H. Aspöck 2012 (cat); H. Aspöck and U. Aspöck 2013 (cat, etymol; ill: ♂ imag, pu), 2014 (cat); Sziráki 2014 (rec).

Taxonomy.

H. Aspöck et al. (1991). Ph. (Ae.) biroi (Fig. 4c, d ) is probably the sister taxon of the other species of the Phaeostigma biroi - Phaeostigma ressli complex, from which it can be clearly separated by characters of the male genitalia. Moreover, in most cases even a differentiation on the basis of eidonomic characters is possible: The pterostigma of Ph. (Ae.) biroi is in its distal part paler than proximally, sometimes even yellow. Moreover, Ph. (Ae.) biroi is the only Aegeoraphidia species occurring in Crete.

Biology and ecology.

Larvae (Fig. 4e ) probably corticolous (records from Pinus , Amygdalus , Quercus ) and soil-dwelling. Development two or Subilla three years. Last hibernating stage: full-grown larva. Adults: IV-VI. Many records on Genista , Ilex , Acer , Crataegus , Pinus brutia in various, mainly warm and relatively dry habitats from sea level to 1500 m.

Records on Mediterranean islands

(Fig. 9b ). There are many records from Crete, but none from other islands. Syntopic Raphidioptera : Phaeostigma (Superboraphidia) minois , Raphidia (R.) ariadne , Fibla (Reisserella) pasiphae .

Biogeography.

Monocentric, stationary Cretan faunal element. Endemic to Crete.

Figures

Figure 4. a. Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) wewalkai, ♂. Greece, Korinthia, Oros Onia. Foto: F. Anderle, now Denner; b. Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) wewalkai, ♀. Greece, Korinthia, Oros Onia. Foto: P. Sehnal; c. Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) biroi, ♂. Greece, Crete, Anogia> Axos. Foto: P. Sehnal; d. Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) biroi, ♀. Greece, Crete, Anogia> Axos. Foto: P. Sehnal; e. Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) biroi, larva. Greece, Crete, Anogia> Axos. Foto: H. Bruckner; f. Phaeostigma (Superboraphidia) minois, ♂. Greece, Crete, Levka Ori, W Omalos. Foto: H. Aspoeck; g. Subilla confinis, ♂. Lower Austria, Klosterneuburg. Foto: H. Bruckner; h. Subilla principiae, ♂. Italy, Sardinia, Gennargentu, Fonni. Watercolour by Wilhelm Zelenka (1936 - 2011), Vienna. In the possession of H. & U. Aspoeck.

Figure 9. a. Records of Ornatoraphidia christianodagmara, Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major, Ph. (M.) flammi, Ph. (Pontoraphidia) setulosa aegea, and of Ph. (Superboraphidia) minois, on Mediterranean islands; b. Records of Phaeostigma (Grecoraphidia) divina retsinata, and of species of Aegeoraphidia, Ph. (Aegeoraphidia) raddai, Ph. (Ae.) prophetica, Ph. (Ae.) karpathana, and of Ph. (Ae.) biroi, on Mediterranean islands.