Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli, 1775)

Mondaca, José, Rebolledo, Guido & Vitali, Francesco, 2023, Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli, 1775) (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae: Lepturini), a new alien longhorn beetle introduced in Chile, Insecta Mundi 2023 (979), pp. 1-5 : 2-3

Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli, 1775)

( Fig. 1–2 )

Material examined. 2♂, 2♀: CHILE, Maule Region, Talca, Ranquimilí, Las Rastras (35°26′01″S, 71°32′43″W), December 2020 (1♂) ; November 19 and 25, 2022 (1♂, 1♀), December 13, 2022 (1♀), col. G. Rebolledo. All specimens collected floating in the water of a pool.

Diagnosis. Body length: 13.8–19.6 mm (n = 4). Species distinctive and readily identified among the Chilean cerambycid fauna. Forebody, legs and antennae black, elytra red with a median heart-shaped or wedge-shaped black spot which is prolonged posteriorly along the suture to fuse with an extensive transverse apical black spot ( Fig. 1–2 ). Head with large emarginate eyes, scape basally expanded and truncate apically; antennae reaching the apical third of the elytra in male ( Fig. 1 ) or at most the apical half in female ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotum trapezoidal in both sexes, rounded laterally and with a strong sub-basal constriction and projecting posterior angles, evenly convex and transversely impressed in front of the base and often with a shallow longitudinal impression, surface densely punctured and with abundant black pubescence. Elytra narrow from humeri to the obliquely-truncate apical margin; apex with a sharp tooth at the sutural angle; surface without striae, densely punctate and with fine pale pubescence darker on dark areas. Legs long and slender, usually black; protibiae generally lighter. Females can be distinguished from males by their much broader and less strongly narrowed elytra.

Ecology. Larvae are polyphagous and develop in rotten wood of deciduous trees ( Sama 2002). Adults are anthophilous and occur during indicate the seasonality in Europe (November–December in Chile); they are diurnal and fly readily to a range of flowers, especially Apiaceae , Cistus sp. (Cistaceae) , Origanum sp. (Lamiaceae) and Allium cepa (L.) ( Amaryllidaceae ), where they feed on pollen and nectar ( Jenis 2001; Dauber 2004; Ambrus et al. 2014). On the iNaturalist platform (www.inaturalist.org) there are numerous records of this species visiting a wide variety of flowers, including Ligustrum sp. (Oleaceae) , Scabiosa sp. (Caprifoliaceae) , Cynara cardunculus L. ( Asteraceae ), Rubus sp. (Rosaceae) ( EOL 2022). In Europe, mating pairs are common on flowers throughout their short season and soon after females oviposit on a range of broadleaf trees such as oak and beech ( Quercus sp. , Fagus sp. , Fagaceae ), sweet chestnut ( Castanea sativa Mill. , Fagaceae ), Pistacia spp. (Anacardiaceae) and Betula sp. ( Sama 2002) . The species has also been reported on Prunus sp. (Rosaceae) , Eucalyptus sp. (Myrtaceae) , and Pinus sp. (Pinaceae) ( Sama et al. 2005, 2010). Larvae develop over two or three years and pupate in a subcortical cell. Adults emerge from late spring in the Old Word.

Distribution. Originally a Euro-Turanian species that is widespread from the Iberian Peninsula and Baleares to northern Iran, through southern France, Italy, the Balkans, Crimea and Caucasus ( Sama 2002). In the Middle East, it reaches Israel, through Turkey, Lebanon and Syria ( Sama et al. 2010).

In Central Europe, it is associated with thermophilic localities. This association is sometimes questioned by some authors ( Hoskovec et al. 2021), but records in Germany and Switzerland available on iNaturalist confirm its presence. However, old records from Belgium ( Everts 1903; Bondroit 1909) and recently, southeastern England ( Richardson 2014) and Libya ( Sama et al. 2005), completely disconnected from the area of this species, should be considered as introductions.

In South America, Chile, Maule Region ( Fig. 3 ) (New country record).

Figures

Figure 3. Collection site (Maule Region) of Stictoleptura cordigera in central Chile.

Figures 1–2. Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli) from Maule Region, Chile. 1) Male, dorsal habitus. 2) Female, dorsal habitus. Scale bar: 1 mm. Illustrations by Paula Fuenzalida.