Dimorphopterus blissoides ( Baerensprung, 1859 )

Kment, Petr, Cunev, Jozef, Hemala, Vladimír, Rădac, Ioan Alexandru & Kondorosy, Előd, 2023, Dimorphopterus blissoides (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Blissidae): recent spreading of a neonative species in the Pannonian Basin, Zootaxa 5382 (1), pp. 108-119 : 109-114

Dimorphopterus blissoides ( Baerensprung, 1859)

( Figs. 1–4 , 6–7 , 12–15 )

Microporus blissoides Baerensprung, 1859: 333

= Microporus signoreti Kuschakevitsch, 1861: 69 (synonymised by Reuter 1885: 211).

= Ischnodemus stapsylinus [sic!] Jakovlev, 1874: 244 (synonymised by Reuter 1885: 211).

= Ischnodemus obsoletus Jakovlev, 1879: 71 (synonymised by Josifov & Kerzhner 1978: 146).

Material examined. BULGARIA: Arkutino, 10.–28.vii.1974, 2 ♀ (submacropterous), no collector, P. Kment det. ( NMPC); Varna, vi.1934, 1 ♀ (micropterous), Dr. Táb.[orský &] Proch[ázka] lgt., P. Kment det. ( NMPC).— CROATIA: Pelješac Peninsula, Duba Pelješka, ‘Most’ bay (43°01′22.6″N 17°09′39.8″E), Phragmites and other tall grasses at margin of the beach, 26.x.2021, 3 ♂ 1 ♀ (all micropterous) ( Fig. 1 ), P. Kment lgt. & det. ( NMPC).— GREECE: Thessalia, 2 km N of Sourpi (Magnissia distr.), salt marshes, 0–1 m a.s.l., (Gr7/98), 10.ix.1998, 1 ♀ (micropterous), P. Lauterer lgt., P. Kment det. ( MMBC); Corfu Island: E of Acharavi, 26.iv.1994, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (both micropterous), M. Koponen lgt., P. Kment det. ( MZHF).— HUNGARY: Ócsa (47°17′34.7″N 19°12′53.6″E), 14.iii.2017, 1 ♀ (micropterous), Á. Mészáros, D. Horváth & B. Károlyi lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (B. Károlyi, izeltlabuak.hu); Szászvár (46°16′26.3″N 18°22′38.9″E), 9.v.2020, 1 ♀ (micropterous), Z. Nagy lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (Z. Nagy, izeltlabuak.hu); Budapest, Farkas-erdő (47°35′28.3″N 19°06′33.2″E), 1.vi.2020, 1 ♂ (micropterous), Z. Körmendy lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (Z. Körmendy, izeltlabuak.hu); Fülöpháza, sand dunes (46°32–53′N 19°24– 25′E), 29.iv.2018, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (all submacropterous), E. Kondorosy lgt. & det ( EKKH); Nádudvar (47°28′09.4″N 21°11′42.7″E), 26.iv.2019, 1 ♀ (submacropterous), S. Cseh lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (S. Cseh, izeltlabuak.hu); Dunakeszi, Alag (47°37′26.1″N 19°09′56.5″E), 18.v.2017, 1 ♀ (submacropterous), Cs. Karl lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (Cs. Karl, izeltlabuak.hu); Budapest, Botanical Garden of Soroksár (47°24′10.8″N 19°09′18.6″E), 2.vi.2017, 2 ♂ (both micropterous) 1 ♀ (submacropterous), M. Kárpáti lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (M. Kárpáti, izeltlabuak.hu); Büssü (46°26′46.6″N 17°58′12.6″E), 12.v.2022, 1 ♀ (submacropterous), P. Schmidt lgt., E. Kondorosy det. ( EKKH); Alsószentmárton (45°46′46.4″N 18°17′40.7″E), 27.v.2022, 1 ♀ (submacropterous), B. Szabó lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (B. Szabó, izeltlabuak.hu); Csopak (46°59′04.9″N 17°54′48.0″E), 27.v.2022, 1 ♀ (submacropterous), B. Balogh lgt., E. Kondorosy det. (B. Balogh, izeltlabuak.hu); Téglás (47°43′22.2″N 21°42′32.7″E), 24.v.2023, 1 ♀ (submacropterous), N. Tóth lgt., Z. Nagy det. (N. Tóth, izeltlabuak.hu).— IRAN: Golestan: ‘ Khorasan, Golestan forest 50km NE Minudasht, 700 m [a.s.l.]’, 20.vi.2000, 1 ♀ (micropterous) ( Fig. 2 ), S. Kadlec lgt., P. Kment det. ( NMPC).— ROMANIA: Cefa (46°54′41.72″N 21°40′19.97″E), 91 m a.s.l., sweeping reed stand on the margin of a pond, 29.viii.2022, 3 ♂ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Cenad (46°8′41.41″N 20°34′11.64″E), in the loose leaf sheaths at the base of the stem of Phragmites australis , 82 m a.s.l., 15.i.2023, 1 ♀ (submacropterous) 2 ♂ 1 ♀ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Făget (45°50′51.73″N 22°10′25.18″E), 150 m a.s.l., sweeping Phragmites australis from a roadside ditch, 18.viii.2022, 1 ♂ (submacropterous) 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (micropterous) 4 larvae, I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Globu Craiovei (44°59′9.59″N 22°16′48.98″E), 273 m a.s.l., sweeping in a wet meadow with Phragmites australis , 15.viii.2022, 1 ♂ (submacropterous) 2 ♀ (micropterous) 10 larvae, I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Jimbolia (45°47′52.25″N 20°44′50.45″E), collected together with Melanocoryphus tristrami in the loose leaf sheaths at the base of the stem of Phragmites australis , 78 m a.s.l., 15.i.2023, 3 ♂ 1 ♀ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Livezile (45°22′14.40″N 21° 3′13.90″E), 74 m a.s.l., sweeping Phragmites australis from a roadside ditch, 7.ix.2022, 3 ♂ 1 ♀ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Murani (45°55′57.00″N 21°20′4.65″E), 116 m a.s.l., in the loose outer leaf sheaths of the galls of Lipara sp. , 8.i.2023, 1 ♂ 2 ♀ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Nadab (46°28′39.29″N 21°29′48.68″E), 92 m a.s.l., sweeping Phragmites australis from a roadside ditch, 29.viii.2022, 6 ♂ 3 ♀ (micropterous) 2 ♀ (submacropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Satchinez (45°57′35.12″N 21° 2′37.18″E), 91 m a.s.l., sweeping reed stand near the swamp, 4.iv.2012, 1 ♂ (barchypterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); same locality, in pitfall traps, 8.viii.2012, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); same locality, sweeping reed stand near the swamp, 7.x.2012, 1 ♀ (micropterous); I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); TimiȘoara (45°43′52.04″N 21°9′46.19″E), sweeping reed stand on the margin of Bega river, 84 m a.s.l., 17.viii.2022, 2 ♀ (submacropterous) 6 ♂ 2 ♀ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART); Valcani (45°59′26.66″N 20°25′17.51″E), collected with Oulema sp. ( Chrysomelidae ) in the loose leaf sheaths at the base of the stem of Phragmites australis , 74 m a.s.l., 15.i.2023, 5 ♂ 2 ♀ (micropterous), I.A. Rădac lgt. & det. ( IART).— SLOVAKIA: Ivanka pri Dunaji (48°10′35.48″N 17°15′38.54″E; 7869), reed stand on W margin of Štrkovisko Langarica reservoir (called by the local name ‘Štrkovka’ or ‘Šutrofka’), 128 m a.s.l., in broken stem of Phragmites australis , 5.ix.2022, 1 ♀ (micropterous), V. Hemala lgt. & det. ( VHJS); Cerová vrchovina Protected Landscape Area: Janice, reed stand on SE margin of the Janice water reservoir (48°15′57.39″N 20°12′3.77″E; 7787), collected in Lipara lucens galls on Phragmites australis , 30.viii.2022, 4 ♂ 1 ♀ (micropterous) 8 L 5 larvae, V. Hemala lgt. & det. (1 ♂ 1 ♀ 3 L NMPC, 3 ♂ 5 L VHJS); Tachty (7885), 285 m a.s.l., sweeping of reed stand, 27.v.2016, 1 ♀ (submacropterous) ( Fig. 3 ), J. Cunev lgt. & det., P. Kment revid. ( JCNS); reed stand on S margin of Tachty water reservoir (48°9′6.89″N 19°55′41.34″E; 7885), collected in Lipara lucens galls on Phragmites australis , 28.viii.2022, 1 ♀ (submacropterous) 7 ♂ 4 ♀ (micropterous) 2 L5, P. Kment & V. Hemala lgt. & det. ( NMPC, VHJS).

Identification. The identification keys were provided for example by Putshkov (1969), Josifov & Kerzhner (1978) and Péricart (1999). Dimorphopterus blissoides resembles D. spinolae (Signoret, 1857) , and both species share an elongated narrow body, 3.0–3.5 times as long as wide, and profemora provided with a transverse crest. In D. blissoides coxal plates of the pleura are duller, yellowish ( Fig. 4 ); protibiae less short, almost as long as head width across eyes; legs yellow brown; and they are larger (4.5–5.0 mm). Dimorphopterus spinolae has coxal plates more shiny, darker ( Fig. 5 ); protibiae shorter, 0.80–0.85 times as long as head width across eyes; legs dark brown to black brown; and it is smaller (3.1–4.3 mm). Genital capsules and parameres of both species are depicted in Figs 6–7 ( D. blissoides ) and 8–9 ( D. spinolae ).

Biology. The host plant is common reed ( Phragmites australis ) ( Putshkov 1960a, 1969; Josifov 1964; Péricart 1999, all as Ph. communis ). In southern Italy, adults and larvae were also collected on Arundo donax ( Tamanini 1981, Péricart 1999). Adults hibernate and also the last larval stage may overwinter (though less effectively); the bugs hide in the dry leaf sheaths and the interior of broken hollow stems, at the foot of plants. In spring the overwintering specimens climb on the young shoots of Phragmites , and are found in small groups under the sheaths of small leaves or on half-opened leaves, where the oviposition and larval development takes place. Adults of the new generation appear in the second half of August and at the beginning of September ( Putshkov 1969, Péricart 1999).

During our sampling effort, both adults and larvae of D. blissoides were found to prefer loose outer leaves of the galls of Lipara spp. ( Diptera : Chloropidae ) during late summer and autumn ( Figs 11–15 ), in which period the leaf sheaths were tightly adpressed to the stem, leaving no space for the specimens (V. Hemala, P. Kment, I.A. Rădac, pers. observ.). Overwintering specimens were found in leaf sheaths of the Lipara galls, but also under loose leaf sheaths at the base of the stems or in stems having holes done by other insects or by birds searching for insects, up to 1.5 m above the ground (I.A. Rădac, pers. observ.).

Distribution. Bulgaria ( Josifov 1964, Péricart 1999); Croatia ( Novak & Wagner 1951, Protić 2001); Greece ( Baerensprung 1859, Linnavuori 1954, Péricart 1999); Hungary ( Geiger et al. 2016); Italy ( Dioli 1979, Tamanini 1981; Péricart 1999); Moldova ( Derjanschi 1995, Derzhansky 1997); North Macedonia ( Kormilev 1943, Göllner-Scheiding 1978, Protić 2001); Romania ( Montandon 1886, RoȘca & Popov 1982, Péricart 1999); Russia: South European Territory ( Kuschakewitsch 1861, as Micropus signoreti ; Jakovlev 1874, as Ischnodemus stapsylinus [sic!]; 1879, as Ischnodemus obsoletus ; Putshkov 1969, Péricart 1999); Serbia ( Protić 2001, Šeat & Nadaždin 2021); Slovakia (new record), Slovenia ( Gogala & Gogala 1986, Péricart 1999, Protić 2001, Gogala 2007); Ukraine (incl. Crimea) ( Putshkov 1960a,b, 1969); Armenia ( Péricart 1999); Azerbaijan ( Putshkov 1969, Péricart 1999); Iran: Golestan (new record; cf. Ghahari & Moulet 2012); Iraq ( Linnavuori 1995, Péricart 1999); Israel ( Linnavuori 1954, Péricart 1999); Turkey: Asian part ( Linnavuori 1954, Péricart 1999). For distribution in Pannonian Basin see Fig. 16 .

The record from the high mountain region of the Czech Republic ‘ Moravie: Haut-Jesenik (Kippenberg leg. → coll. Heiss!)’ in Péricart (1999) is certainly based on a mislabelled specimen as it is situated far from its distribution area and does not fit ecologically. The record from Eastern Beskydy Mts. in Poland ( Taszakowski & Gorczyca 2018) was a misidentification of D. spinolae (A. Taszakowski, pers. comm.). It was also listed from Bosnia and Herzegovina by Péricart (2001), but there is no exact record given by either Péricart (1999), Protić (2001) or Protić & Stanković (2015).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Distribution map of Dimorphopterus blissoides (Baerensprung, 1859) in the Pannonian Basin.

FIGURES 1–5. 1–3—habitus photo of Dimorphopterus blissoides (Baerensprung, 1859): 1—micropterous female from Croatia: Duba Pelješka (5.30 mm); 2—micropterous female from Iran: Golestan Forest (5.00 mm); 3—submacropterous female from Slovakia (5.29 mm): Tachty. 4–5—detail of pleural region (coxal plates indicated by arrows): 4—D. blissoides, Iran: Golestan Forest; 5—D. spinolae (Signoret, 1857), Czech Republic: Poštorná. Photos: A. Taszakowski (1) and P. Kment (2–5).

FIGURES 6–9. Male genitalia of Dimorphopterus blissoides (Baerensprung, 1859), Croatia: Duba Pelješka (6–7) and D. spinolae (Signoret, 1857), Czech Republic, Bzenec (8–9): 6, 8—genital capsule (magnification 120×), 7, 9—paramere (200×). Micrographs: P. Kment.

FIGURES 10–15. 10—habitat of Dimorphopterus blissoides (Baerensprung, 1859) at Tachty, Slovakia. 11–15—galls of Lipara lucens Meigen, 1830 on Phragmites australis with living specimens of Dimorphopterus blissoides (Baerensprung, 1859) (12–15). Slovakia: Tachty, 28.viii.2022. Photos: J. Cunev (10), V. Hemala (11–15).