Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major (Burmeister, 1839)

Aspoeck, Horst & Aspoeck, Ulrike, 2023, The snakeflies of the Mediterranean islands: review and biogeographical analysis (Neuropterida, Raphidioptera), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 70 (1), pp. 175-218 : 175

Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major (Burmeister, 1839)

Raphidia major Burmeister, 1839 (odescr): H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon).

Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major ( Burmeister 1839): H. Aspöck et al. 1989 (biogeogr, distr); H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon); Devetak 1992b (distr); H. Aspöck and Hölzel 1996 (distr); H. Aspöck et al. 2001 (anncat); Tröger 2002 (rec); U. Aspöck and H. Aspöck 2005a (biogeogr); U. Aspöck and H. Aspöck 2005b (ill: pu); Lange 2010 (rec); H. Aspöck and U. Aspöck 2013 (cat, etymol), 2014 (cat); Sziráki 2014 (rec); Weissmair et al. 2021 (biol, ecol).

Phaeostigma major (Burmeister): H. Aspöck et al. 1991 (mon); Saure and Gerstberger 1991 (ecol, rec); Horstmann 1994 (paras); Röhricht 1996 (rec); Saure 1996 (biogeogr, ecol, rec); Sziráki and Popov 1996 (rec); Achtelig 1997 (ecol, rec); Sziráki 1999 (rec); Röhricht 2000 (rec); Ábrahám 2001 (list, rec); Gruppe et al. 2004 (ecol, rec); Popov 2004 (chorol); Ábrahám 2006 (rec); Gruppe 2006b (ecol, rec); Gruppe and Müller 2007 (ecol, rec); Gruppe 2008 (ecol, rec).

Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) majus (Burmeister): Letardi et al. 2010 (rec).

Phaeostigma majus (Burmeister): Tillier et al. 2022a (rec).

Taxonomy.

H. Aspöck et al. (1991). Ph. (M.) major (Fig. 3e, f ) is the sister taxon of all other species of the major complex (i.e. all species of the subgenus except Ph. (M.) klimeschi (H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck) and can easily be distinguished in both sexes by characters of the genital segments.

Biology and ecology.

Larvae (Fig. 3g ) live under bark of a great variety of deciduous trees, but may sometimes (particularly in the southeast of Europe) be found on conifers. Development two, Subilla three or more years. Last hibernating stage: full-grown larva. Adults: (IV)V-VI(VII). Ph. (M.) major occurs in a great variety of habitats with trees in altitudes from 0 to ca. 1000 m.

Records on Mediterranean islands

(Fig. 9a ). Levkas, Kefalonia. Probably the species can also be found on other Ionian islands. Syntopic species on Levkas: Parvoraphidia microstigma , Ornatoraphidia flavilabris , Subilla artemis , Dichrostigma flavipes .

Continental distribution.

Balkan Peninsula, Central Europe (including eastern France and northern Germany), Eastern Europe.

Biogeography.

Ph. (M.) major is a monocentric Balkanopontomediterranean faunal element with considerable expansivity. Ph. major is the only monocentric Balkanopontomediterranean snakefly which has reached the northern coast of Germany.

Figures

Figure 3. a. Ornatoraphidia flavilabris, larva. Italy, Calabria, Sila Grande. Foto: F. Anderle, now Denner; b. Phaeostigma (Graecoraphidia) d. divina, ♂. Greece, Viotia, Parnassos. Foto: P. Sehnal; c. Phaeostigma (Graecoraphidia) d. divina, ♀. Greece, Viotia, Parnassos. Foto: P. Sehnal; d. Phaeostigma (Crassoraphidia) cyprica, ♂. Cyprus, Troodos Mountain. Foto: H. Aspoeck; e. Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major, ♂. Lower Austria, Duernstein. Foto: H. Bruckner; f. Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major; ♀. Lower Austria, Duernstein. Foto: H. Bruckner; g. Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major, larva. Lower Austria, Eichkogel near Moedling. Foto: H. Bruckner; h. Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) flammi, larva. Greece, Pilion. Foto: H. Bruckner.

Figure 9. a. Records of Ornatoraphidia christianodagmara, Phaeostigma (Magnoraphidia) major, Ph. (M.) flammi, Ph. (Pontoraphidia) setulosa aegea, and of Ph. (Superboraphidia) minois, on Mediterranean islands; b. Records of Phaeostigma (Grecoraphidia) divina retsinata, and of species of Aegeoraphidia, Ph. (Aegeoraphidia) raddai, Ph. (Ae.) prophetica, Ph. (Ae.) karpathana, and of Ph. (Ae.) biroi, on Mediterranean islands.