Phyllocolpa ischnocera (THOMSON, 1863)

Liston, A. D., Knight, G. T., Heibo, E., Bland, K. P., Barstad, Trond Elling, Blank, S. M., Boeve, J. - L., Fiedler, K., Grearson, K. J., Halstead, A., Jacobs, H. - J., Jansen, E., Lonnve, O., Prous, M., Robinson, J. & Taeger, A., 2012, On Scottish sawflies, with results of the 14 International Sawfly Workshop, in the southern Highlands, 2010 (Hymenoptera, Symphyta), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 62, pp. 1-68 : 44-45

Phyllocolpa ischnocera (THOMSON, 1863)

Fealar Gorge, Perths., NO0079 (89), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 26.ix.1997, leg. Bland.

Caenlochan Crags , Angus, NO 1776 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia 8.ix.1997 [6680], leg. Bland.

N.of Srón na Gaoithe, Aberdeens., NO1580 (92), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 26.viii.1992, leg. Bland.

Allt a'Gharbh-choire, Glen Clunie, Aberdeens., NO1580 (92), vacated leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 9.x.1994, leg. Bland.

NE of Loch Kander, Callater, Aberdeens., NO 1981 (92), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 26.viii.1992 [5043a], leg. Bland.

Craig Maud, Doll , Angus, N02376 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 5.viii.1992, leg. Bland.

Corrie Fee, Clova N02474 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 2.viii.1992 [4966c] (reared), leg. Bland.

Craig Rennet, Doll , Angus, N02475 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 5.viii.1992, 25.viii.1994 [5554] (reared), leg. Bland.

West Corrie, Clova , Angus, N02578 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 7.viii.1992, leg. Bland.

Craig Mellon, Doll , Angus, N02676 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 19.viii.1996 [629/1] (reared), leg. Bland.

W. of The Strone, Clova , Angus, N02678 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 4.viii.1992, leg. Bland.

The Scorrie, Clova , Angus, N02775 (90), leaf-fold galls on Salix myrsinifolia , 3.viii.1992, 21.viii.1996 [6304] (reared), leg. Bland.

According to Kopelke (2007a) P. ischnocera is the only Phyllocolpa species attached to Salix myrsinifolia in Europe. Care should be taken however to distinguish ‘leaf shelters’ made by a Brachycoluma species ( Amauronematus viduatus sensu lato), that have also been reared by Bland from this willow species in Scotland. No records of P. ischnocera have been made in Scotland since the description of Nematus leucostigmus Cameron, 1876 (synonymy by Kopelke 2007a) from “Rannoch, in June” ( Cameron, 1876). As remarked on by Bland (1993) under “ Phyllocolpa sp. [on Salix myrsinifolia ]”, and supported by the above records, P. ischnocera is evidently a widespread and rather abundant species in the southern Highlands. Kopelke (2007a) lists records from a number of Fennoscandian and Alpine regions.

† Phyllocolpa plicalapponum KOPELKE, 2007

Very similar to P. plicaphylicifolia collected at the same site (see below). Determination as P. plicalapponum is based, following Kopelke (2007a), on the more extensively pale lower face, more extensively pale upper posterior of pronotum (both sexes) and the straighter upper and lower edges of the female sawsheath in lateral views. Neither lancets nor penisvalves of Scottish specimens of P. plicalapponum and P. plicaphylicifolia show clear differences. Kopelke (2007a) records P. plicalapponum only from Norway.

† Phyllocolpa plicaphylicifolia KOPELKE, 2007

We are unable to state from which species of Salix these were collected.

The identification as Phyllocolpa plicaphylicifolia is based particularly on the profile of the sawsheath in lateral view and the morphology of the lamnium of the saw ( Kopelke 2007a). Dr Kopelke examined two of the above females and concluded that they are indeed P. plicaphylicifolia (Kopelke pers. comm.). He remarked that they agreed largely with his own reared material, but the colour of the tegulae was different. Both P. prussica (Zaddach, 1883) and P. polita (Zaddach, 1883) are morphologically similar to this species ( Kopelke 2007a), but in the former two species the posterior dorsal angles of the pronotum are clearly pale marked (in P. prussica mainly pale), whilst in Ph. plicaphylicifolia these are completely black or very finely white margined (less than 0.1 mm). P. prussica is considered to be monophagous on Salix cinerea and is recorded below for the first time in the British Isles. P. polita is monophagous on Salix purpurea ( Kopelke 2007a) and was recorded by Brischke (1884) from Scotland, but this requires substantiation. P. plicaphylicifolia is stated by Kopelke (2007a) to be monophagous on S. phylicifolia and to occur in Norway and Finland. Salix phylicifolia is widespread in Highland Scotland, although in the Ben Lawers area it may not occur in a pure form, but only as a hybrid with S. myrsinifolia ( MacKenzie 2000) . Other more or less similar species of Phyllocolpa treated by Kopelke (2007a, b), most of which key to Pontania leucapsis in Benson (1958), may await detection in the British Isles.

† Phyllocolpa prussica (ZADDACH, 1883)

This taxon was recently raised from synonymy and redescribed by Kopelke (2007a), who presented records from predominantly low-altitude sites in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and Lithuania. On the continent P. prussica is monophagous on Salix cinerea . It therefore seems possible that the host in the British Isles may be Salix cinerea ssp. oleifolia (= S. atrocinerea ). The Scottish specimen runs without problems to P. prussica in the key by Kopelke (2007a).