Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) karpathana (U. Aspoeck & H. Aspoeck , 1989)

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 (Aegeoraphidia) karpathana (U. Aspoeck & H. Aspoeck, 1989)

Phaeostigma (Aegeoraphidia) karpathana U. Aspöck & H. Apöck, 1989 (odescr): H. Aspöck and Hölzel 1996 (distr); H. Aspöck et al. 2001 (anncat); H. Aspöck 2012 (cat); H. Aspöck and U. Aspöck 2013 (cat, etymol), 2014 (cat).

Taxonomy.

U. Aspöck and H. Aspöck (1989). In its eidonomic characters the species agrees with Ph. (Ae.) ressli and Ph. (Ae.) prophetica , but it can easily be differentiated by characters of the male and female genitalia.

Biology and ecology.

Larvae soil-dwelling, but exceptionally also corticolous (findings on Pyrus with lichens on the stem). Development two years. Last hibernating stage: full-grown larva. Adults: (IV) V (-VI) in various habitats like pine forests ( Pinus halepensis ), open slopes with Genista and Crataegus in altitudes from 50-750 m. Adults in extraordinarily high numbers on Genista fasselata and also on young pine trees.

Records on Mediterranean islands

(Fig. 9b ). Only from Karpathos. Probably endemic to the island. Syntopic Raphidioptera species: Raphidia (R.) mediterranea . It is possible that Ph. (Ae.) karpathana occurs also on the near island of Kasos, but certainly not on other islands.

Biogeography.

Monocentric, extremely stationary species, endemic to Karpathos. The species can neither be classified as Anatolopontomediterranean nor as a Cretan faunal element. It is assumed that Karpathos has represented a refugial center of its own during the glacial periods.

Figures

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.