Subfamilia: LAMIINAE / Tribus: SAPERDINI
[Photo © David Navrátil & 8K postprocessing Michal Hoskovec]
Mallosia graeca, an species endemic to Greece, was described from Nauplio as Saperda graeca by Jacob Sturm in 1843 [▽]. It is mainly known from Peloponnese peninsula but can also be found in Atica, the Greek mainland. The host plant of this spectacular European longhorn beetle has long been unknown. In 1967 Carl von Demelt [❖] observed a number of specimens of this insect and suggested that the species developed in "Wurzelstock einer niederen Distelart" (in root system of a small thistle species, Asteraceae, transl. and note by authors). This information has then been repeated in later works (e.g. Bense, 1995). The correct host, Eryngium (Apiaceae), has only been discovered by a French group (Renvaze & Renvaze, ✧) in 2004. Also another species of genus Mallosia Mulsant, 1863 are all associated with plants of the family Apiaceae (such as Ferula and Prangos).
Body length: 13 - 30 mm Life cycle: 1 year Adults in: May - June Host plant: Eryngium creticum Distribution: a species endemic to Greece
The mounted specimens were collected on the host plant (Eryngium creticum) in Panagitsa (Παναγίτσα) environs (515 m a.s.l., Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece) on May 24-25, 2009. The living beetles were collected on the host plant (Eryngium creticum) in Daras (Δάρας) village environs (Levidi minicipal unit, Tripoli, Arcadia regional unit, Peloponnese, Greece) on May 26, 2021 and in Panagitsa (Παναγίτσα) environs (Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece) on May 19, 2022, respectively.Collected by David Navrátil and Daniel Rydzi
[▽]
Sturm J.:
Catalog der Käfer-Sammlung von Jacob Sturm.
Nürnberg, 386pp, 1843. [download]
[❖]
von Demelt C.:
Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Cerambycidenfauna Griechenlands (Col.).
Entomologische Zeitschrift 77: 57-66, 1967.[✧]
Renvaze F. and Renvaze J.-P.:
Note sur la biologie de Mallosia graeca (Sturm, 1843) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae).
Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de Mulhouse 601: 4-7, (2004).
Mallosia graeca ♂ [Photo © Daniel Rydzi]
Mallosia graeca ♀ [Photo © Daniel Rydzi]
Mallosia graeca ♀ [Photo © Daniel Rydzi]
| Subfamilia | Lamiinae Latreille, 1825 |
| Tribus | Saperdini Mulsant, 1839 |
| Genus | Mallosia Mulsant, 1863 |
| Subgenus | Mallosia Mulsant, 1863 |
| Species | Mallosia (Mallosia) graeca (Sturm, 1843) |