Entomologist's Monthly Magazine - Vol. 159, No. 4, 2023
Published: 10/27/2023
Article Details for this issue
Larval polymorphism in Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Danainae) and the reappearance of its mimic Hypolimnas misippus (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalinae) in Cyprus
By: EDDIE JOHN, EREN AKSOYLU, HASAN BAGLAR & RICHARD FFRENCH-CONSTANT
Page: 217–230
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
We describe several unusual aspects of the Cyprus population of Danaus chrysippus
(Linnaeus, 1758). We discuss larval colour polymorphism in this species that appears frequent in
the Mediterranean basin. In contrast, the green larval morph appears rare in Africa despite much
larger population sizes. This green larval morph was discovered in Cyprus in 2023, following an
unusually large northerly spring migration across the island. The colour and pattern of this morph
is not affected by rearing conditions and is thus likely a stable genetic variant, rather than a
polyphenism, which varies with rearing temperature. We also describe a previously unreported
aspect of behaviour in which adult butterflies probe with their proboscis at larvae of conspecifics.
Finally, we report the reappearance of the mimic Hypolimnas misippus (Linnaeus, 1764) that was
last reported from the island in 1936.
A subgeneric system for the cuckoo bee genus Triepeolus Robertson (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
By: MICHAEL S. ENGEL
Page: 231–238
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
A system of subgenera is newly proposed for the diverse cuckoo bee genus Triepeolus
Robertson (Epeolini: Thalestriina). Eurepeolus subgen. n. is proposed for Triepeolus tristis
(Smith) and T. ventralis (Meade-Waldo), together spanning the Palaearctic, while Mesepeolus
subgen. n. is established for T. epeolurus Rightmyer for a distinctive Epeolus-like group found in
Mesoamerica.
Palaearctic distributions of Anthrenus pimpinellae (Fabricius) and Anthrenus isabellinus Küster (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)
By: GRAHAM J. HOLLOWAY, CALUM J. MACLURE & CHRISTOPHER W. FOSTER
Page: 239–244
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Distributions of Anthrenus pimpinellae (Fabricius, 1775) and A. isabellinus Küster, 1848, are
presented using data from verifiable online images, posted by citizen scientists. Anthrenus
pimpinellae is distributed from north-western Europe into eastern and south-eastern Europe, and
just into eastern Asia. Anthrenus isabellinus in Europe (and north Africa) is largely distributed
across regions around the Mediterranean Sea. The species distributions overlap in south-eastern
Europe, but do not overlap in western Europe and northern Africa. Until recently, the taxonomy
of these two species was confused – consequently our knowledge of their distributions poor.
Anthrenus pimpinellae is still considered by some authorities to be cosmopolitan; the current
study shows that this is probably not the case.
Dacnusa angelicina Griffiths (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) added to the British checklist
By: H. CHARLES J. GODFRAY & KEITH P. BLAND
Page: 245–248
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Dacnusa angelicina Griffiths, 1967 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae: Dacnusini) is
added to the British list from material reared from Phytomyza angelicae Kaltenbach (Diptera:
Agromyzidae) in Scotland.
Reared specimens of western Palaearctic Ophion Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae) in the National Museums of Scotland
By: MARK R. SHAW & GAVIN R. BROAD
Page: 249–263
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Following recent changes to the taxonomy of north-western European Ophion Fabricius, 1798,
species, host records are updated and new records presented for these nocturnal, koinobiont
endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera larvae. Rearing data are presented for 22 species with two species
re-described. Five species are recorded as new to Britain and Ireland.
On the subgeneric placements of Ceratina foveifera Strand and C. labrosa Friese from Africa (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
By: MICHAEL S. ENGEL
Page: 264–268
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Two new subgenera are established for enigmatic species of African small carpenter bees,
genus Ceratina Latreille (Xylocopinae: Ceratinini). Ceratina foveifera Strand is most similar to
Copoceratina Terzo & Pauly but differs in integumental coloration and sculpturing and absence
of supraclypeal ridges, and is here classified in Xestoceratina subgen. n. Ceratina labrosa Friese
is similar to Ceratina s. str. and Euceratina Hirashima, Moure, & Daly but differs by the structure
of the metasomal terga and male genitalia, and is placed in Alloceratina subgen. n.
Chorebus rostratae Griffiths (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae), new to Britain, with notes on other parasitoids of Phytomyza rostrata Hering (Diptera: Agromyzidae)
By: H. CHARLES J. GODFRAY & BARRY P. WARRINGTON
Page: 269–274
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
Chorebus rostratae Griffiths, 1984, (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae: Dacnusini) is
added to the British and Irish list from material reared from Phytomyza rostrata Hering (Diptera:
Agromyzidae). Epiclerus temenus (Walker, 1839) (Hymenoptera: Tetracampidae) and an undeter -
mined species of Homoporus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were reared from the same host.
A review of Dermestes Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) species on the British list
By: GRAHAM J. HOLLOWAY
Page: 275–285
Type: Paper
Synopsis:
The evidence for inclusion of ten species of Dermestes currently on the British
list is examined. Insufficient evidence is found for the inclusion of four of these
species on the list; only six of the species were considered to have self-sustaining
populations in the UK either in or out of doors. A further Dermestes species has been
claimed to exist in the UK, but no evidence to support this claim could be found.
SHORT NOTE: Scythris albostriata Hannemann (Lepidoptera: Scythrididae), a further larval foodplant, Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke, found in Croatia
By: R. J. HECKFORD & S. D. BEAVAN
Page: 286–287
Type: Short Notes
NEW NAMES PUBLISHED IN VOLUME 159 (2023)
Page: 288
Type: Editorial