Chorthippus (Glyptobothrus) cialancensis Nadig, 1986 Ch

Giuliano, Davide, 2022, Orthopteran diversity and distribution in the Monviso Natural Park (Western Italian Alps) (Orthoptera), Fragmenta entomologica 54 (1), pp. 45-64 : 56

6.25 Chorthippus (Glyptobothrus) cialancensis Nadig, 1986 Ch : ALSW; ERL: NT; P; %C: 2.88; ER: 2020-2580 m; Ph: VIII-X

C. cialancensis is an endemic grasshopper with a distribution restricted to high elevations in the northern Cottian Alps ( Sindaco et al. 2012; Sardet et al. 2015). The MNP includes the southernmost portions of its range, with only some localised populations occurring in the upper Po Valley. This species proved to prefer alpine grassland habitats, especially in the proximity of screes or other rocky areas on south-east-facing slopes. According to the available data, the specimen observed at 2020 m (Pian del Re, Crissolo; 14/10/2019; DG; Bellmann 1993) represents a low-elevation record in the whole C. cialancensis range, while the individual collected at 2580 m (Vallone delle Traversette, Crissolo; 10/08/2019; DG) updates the known upper altitudinal extreme for this species in Italy. This taxon should represent a conservation priority in the MNP, since the observed localised populations are apparently composed by a low number of individuals, making them particularly vulnerable to detrimental human pressures (e.g. intensive grazing, collecting, etc.) or other stochastic events. In addition, C. cialancensis is considered among the species which may suffer of ongoing climatic alterations in alpine ecosystems, thus justifying its inclusion in the Near-threatened category by Hochkirch et al. (2016).