Ann. Mus. civ. St. nat. Ferrara Vol. 8 2005 [2007] pp. 111-115 ISSN 1127-4476

Neuropterida of the Asinara Island (NW Sardinia, Italy)

Alessandro Molinu 1 , Antonio Sassu 1 & Roberto A. Pantaleoni1, 2

1)lstituto per 10 Studio degli Ecosistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, c/o 2) Sezione di Entomologia a­ graria, Dipartimento di Protezione delle Piante, Universita degli Studi, via Enrico De Nicola, 1-07100 Sassari SS, Italia, e-mail: [email protected]@[email protected]

It had been impossible to conduct any detailed entomological survey on the Island of Asinara (North-West Sardinia, Italy) for a long time. This first became possible when, in 1997, the island was no longer used as a prison and the National Park of the Asinara was founded. After just over a year's research from September 2003 to October 2004, the list of collected Neuroptera, from the previously recorded 3 species, has reached about 20, Chrysopa dorsalis Burmeister,1839 (new to Sardinia), Dichochrysa iberica (Navas,1903), and Hemerobius stigma Stephens, 1836 (quite rare and stenotopic in Sardinia) were recognized on the coastal Juniperus formation of Cala Arena. The finding of a small population of Chr. dorsalis is of particular interest as the adult specimens have similar chromatic habitus to Chrysopa regalis, Navas, 1915, of the Iberian Peninsula.

Key words - Chrysopidae, Hemerobiidae, Coniopterygidae, Myrmeleontidae, Ascalaphidae.

Introduction domestic and feral live-stock. Scrub vege­ tation shows signs of degradation all over. In 1885, the few inhabitants of Asinara, There is only one remaining tiny wooded shepherds and fishermen, were forced to area, a holm-oak grove in the north of the leave their homes and lands and transfer island (Elighe Mannu). Very few areas are to the newly built village of Stintino. The uncontaminated and most of those are on island was turned into a penal colony and the coast. sanitarium. Consequently Asinara, the Asinara's entomological fauna is still largest of the small islands surrounding practically unknown (Pantaleoni et al., Sardinia, was not freely accessible to the 1998). A recent checklist of the insects, public until December 1997, when it be­ built on published data, lists only 558 taxa came a National Park (Gutierrez et a/., (Nuvoli et a/., 2007) of which only 3 belong 1998). to Neuropterida. Even today, it is still complicated to However, as we have been able to go carry out any detailed entomological sur­ to Asinara with some frequency, we have vey on Asinara due to difficulties in mo­ been able to collect a small number of ving round and logistic problems on the is­ Neuropterida specimens belonging to land. Entomological field trips are expen­ twenty species. sive and difficult even for Sardinian re­ searchers. Material and methods On the other hand, Asinara is not ex­ We were able to have access to Asinara ceptionally attractive from a naturalistic (Fig. 1) only on one extraordinary occasion in point of view. The island is paying for its 1995, during a very short excursion in 2001 disastrous environmental management in and with bi-monthly frequency throughout a the past with the unsustainable burden of year from September 2003 to October 2004.

111 Proceedings of the IX International Symposium on Neuropterology

P. dello Scorno

ISOLA ASINARA

C. del Falcone~ I. PlANA ...

r:::-441 ( ~ '( '-Lf, della " '---crocetta'''t:_-,

Fig. 1 - Map of Asinara with indications of its geographical position, collection localities, Cala Arena's aerial and landscape photos.

112 A. Molinu et alii - Neuropterida of the Asinara Island (NW Sardinia, Italy)

Unfortunately each time it was possible to visit 26 IX 2003 3d'ct, 42 g, 1 VII 2004 1 22' ,27 VII only very few localities spending few hours on 20041 Neuropterida collection. Dichochrysa clathrata (Schneider, 1845) All the collected specimens are conserved Gala Arena 19 VII 1995 1 d' in alcohol and preserved in Pantaleoni's collec­ tion. Dichochrysa genei (Rambur, 1842) Species recognised generically on "Asi­ nara" by Navas (1928: 76). List Dichochrysa iberica (Navas, 1903) Gala Arena 19 VII 1995 1 ,f on Juniperus Chrysopidae Dichochrysa sp. pro picteti (McLachlan, 1880) Chrysopa dorsalis Burmeister, 1839 Gala Arena 19 VII 1995 2(;c~ 5:,:",); Gala Oliva 26 IX Gala Arena 1-2 VII 2004 433 6 Q Q on Juniperus 2003 2¥~ The Asinara population includes specimens which have the typical characteristics of the Chrysoperfa palJida species and others whose characteristics are Henry, Brooks, Duelli & Johnson, 2002 like those of Chrysopa regalis Navas, 1915: Chrysoperfa lucasina (Lacroix, 1912) the broad lines on the vertex becoming rather Chrysoperfa agi/is pale and thin and sometimes ending before Henry, Brooks, Duelli & Johnson, 2003 they reach the posterior margin of the head; Gala Arena, Gala dei Ponzesi, Gala Oliva, Cala legs scarcely marked blackish; subcosta black Sant'Andrea frequently in 2003 and 2004, many adults at the base for only a fifth/half of the length of We are not able to discriminate all the col­ the wing; decoloration of the central part of the lected Chrysoperfa specimens with certainty. black stripe that almost covers the dorsal sur­ However, on the basis of the songs observed face of the abdomen. The males tend to be in some male specimens, we can state that at darker than the females (Fig. 2). least the three species listed above are pre­ Chrysopa formosa Brauer, 1850 sent on Asinara. Gala Barche Napoletane 15 V 2004 1 ,Gala Oliva Navas (1928: 76) recognised this species­ group on "Asinara" under the name Chrysopa vulgaris Schneider, 1851.

Hemerobiidae Hemerobius stigma Stephens, 1836 Gala Arena 19 VII 1995 1 c) on Juniperus

Coniopterygidae Conwentzia psociformis (Curtis, 1834) Cal a dei Ponzesi 26 IX 2003 3,~',<:, 28 VII 2004 on Pi­ stacia lentiscus 4d'3 72 Q, idem from cocoons 233' Semidalis aleyrodiformis (Stephens, 1836) Gala dei Ponzesi 26 IX 2003 1(\, 28 VII 2004 on Pi­ stacia lentiscus 10 1 ¥ Semidalis pseudouncinata Meinander, 1963 Gala Arena 26 IX 2003 4 ..3 5'( ¥, 1-2 VII 2004 6,:,\=(' 6 C,) on Juniperus

Myrmeleontidae Sync/isis baetica (Rambur, 1842) Gala Arena, Cala dei Ponzesi, Gala Sant'Andrea fre­ Fig. 2 - Head and prothorax of Chrysopa dorsalis quently in 2003 and 2004, many larvae from Asinara: darker (left) and paler (right) specimen; above males and below females. (Original draws by Myrmefeon gerlindae Holzel, 1974 M. Mattei). La Reale 26 V 2001 1 larva (emerg. 10' VII 2002)

113 Proceedings of the IX International Symposium on Neuropterology

Myrme/eon inconspicuus Rambur, 1842 D. iberica was recorded only in the Gala Arena, Gala dei Ponzesi, Gala Sant'Andrea fre­ classical locality of Sorso, on the southern quently in 2003 and 2004, many larvae edge of the Gulf of Asinara (Grandi, 1957; Macronemurus appendicu/atus (Latreille, 1807) Pantaleoni & Letardi, 1998), and for ano­ Gala Arena 1-2 VII 20041 'f! ther unnamed locality on the oriental Sar­ Disto/eon tetragrammicus (Fabricius, 1798) dinian coast (As pock et al., 1980: 11,324). Gala Arena 1-2 VII 2004 1 'f! Very few further localities still remain un­ Greo/eon corsicus (Hagen, 1860) published (Pantaleoni, unpublished data). Cala Arena 1-2 VII 2004 2c\'3 In Sardinia this species appears strictly confined to coastal Juniperus formation. Ascalaphidae H. stigma was recognized in only two Libel/oides corsicus (Rambur, 1842) localities of northern Sardinia (Aspock et Gala Arena 1-2 VII 200422\')' 5Cjl¥; Gala dei Ponzesi al., 1980: II, 297). Chr. dorsalis appears 28 VII 2004 1 'f! absolutely new to Sardinia, in fact the pre­ Species recognised by A. Costa (1883: 17, vious doubtful records are discussed and 54-55) from the "collina che domina Cala rejected by Pantaleoni (1999). d'Olivo" [hills over Cala d'Olivo]. Both species are strictly allied to Pinus trees, particularly the Ghrisopid, and their Discussion and conclusions occurrence on Juniperus, if not surprising, is rather unusual. Except three (to which we will refer In the case of Chr. dorsalis, not only later) all the species recognized from Asi­ the habitat is anomalous, but also the pre­ nara are common and widespread vious described adult habitus. throughout Sardinia (Pantaleoni, unpubli­ To the best of our knowledge (with few shed data). Also M. gerlindae, of which we specimens of Chr. regalis examined by have only generic records in two lists (Pan­ us) it is surely risky to advance any hy­ taleoni, 1994; [Bernardi] lori et al., 1995), potheses. Nevertheless, in our opinion we is in fact largely widespread on the main have found a deeply isolated population of island (Pantaleoni, unpublished data). Chr. dorsalis that has been able to evolve On the other hand the absence of Myr­ its own peculiar ecological and chromatic meleon hyalinus Olivier, 1811, from all of traits. Also taking into consideration the the beaches we have been able to study, rather unclear species rank of Chr. regalis is interesting. This species has been re­ (Aspock et al., 2001: 83), any relation with placed by M. inconspicuus even in the mi­ this taxon does not seem to be justifiable cro-environments where it usually occurs on a biogeographical basis. in Sardinia: under bushes and trees on, or Inevitably the list of the Neuropterida beyond, sand dunes (Pantaleoni, unpubli­ from Asinara will grow longer in the near shed data). future, after it has become easier to ac­ One of the most interesting environ­ cess and move around the island. ments on Asinara is without doubt Gala The finding of three species on Asinara Arena with its uncontaminated beach which are rare or absent from Sardinia is crowned by a well-preserved system of due to the naturalistic value of the Cala dunes surrounded by Juniperus forma­ Arena environment. We hope that this ab­ tions of great importance (Fig. 1). solutely remarkable state of conservation On the junipers we have found some will be taken into account in the manage­ Neuroptera normally linked to conifers. As ment of the National Park. well as the common S. pseudouncinata we have collected three species that are Acknowledgements quite rare and stenotopic in Sardinia: Ghr. dorsalis, o. iberica and H. stigma. The authors are indebted to their col-

114 A. Malinu et alii - Neuropterida of the Asinara Island (NW Sardinia, Italy) leagues Michel Canard and Victor Monserrat 1882. Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze who kindly provided them with some speci­ Fisiche e Matematiche di Napoli, Serie 2a [1888], mens of Chrysopa rega/is. Logistic support Vol. I [fase. 2], 109 pp. from Corpo Forestale e di Vigilanza Ambien­ Grandi G., 1957 - Campagna di ricerche dell'lstituto di Entomologia dell'Universita di Bologna nella tale of Sardinia and financial support from the Sardegna settentrionale. Annali Accademia /taJia­ Parco Nazionale dell'Asinara are gratefully ac­ na di Scienze Forestali, 6: 151-164. knowledged. Gutierrez M., Mattone A. & Valsecchi F., 1998 - L'lsola dell'Asinara: i'ambiente, la storia, it parco. Ed. Poliedro, Nuoro, 295 pp. Bibliography Navas L., 1928 - I nsetti europei del Museo Civico di Genova. Bol/ettino della Societe Entomologica ita­ Aspock H, Aspock U. & Holzel H., 1980 - Die Neu­ liana, 60: 75-83. ropteren Europas. Eine zusammenfassende Dar­ Nuvoli M. T., Loru L. & Pantaleoni R. A., 2007 - E­ stellung der Systematik, Okologie und Chorologie lenco preliminare degli Insetti dell'lsola dell'Asinara der Neuropteroidea (Megaloptera, Raphidioptera, (Sardegna NW). Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Planipennia) Europas. Goecke & Evers, Krefeld, Naturale Giacomo Doria, in press. Vol. 1,495 pp., Vol. 11,335 pp. Pantaleoni R. A., 1994 - Neurotteri di Sardegna Atti Aspock H., Holzel H. & Aspock U., 2001 - Kommen­ XVII Congresso Nazionale Italiano di Entomologia, tierter Katalog der Neuropterida (Insecta: Raphi­ Udine, 1994: 207-210. dioptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera) der West­ Pantaleoni R. A., 1999. - Neuropterida described by palaarktis. Denisia, 2: 1-606. A. Costa with type designation. Mitteilungen aus [Bernardi] lori A., Kathirithamby J., Letardi A., Pan­ dem Museum fUr Naturkunde in Berlin, Deutsche taleoni R. A. & Principi M. M., 1995 - 62. Neuro­ Entomologische Zeitschrift, 46 (2): 249-261. pteroidea (Megaloptera, Raphidioptera, Planipen­ Pantaleoni R. A. & Letardi A., 1998 - I Neuropterida del­ nia), Mecoptera, Siphonaptera, Strepsiptera. In: Ia collezione dell"lstituto di Entomologia "Guido Gran­ Minelli A., Ruffo S. & La Posta S, (eds.). - Checklist di" di Bologna. Bollettino defl'/stituto di Entomalogia delle specie della fauna italiana. Calderini, Bolo­ «G. Grandi» della Universite di Bologna, 52: 15-45. gna, 20 pp. Pantaleoni R. A., Luciano P. & Manca I., 1998 - L'en­ Costa A., 1883 - Notizie ed osservazioni sulla Geo­ tomofauna dell'Asinara. In: Gutierrez M., Mattone A. Fauna sarda Memoria Seconda Risultamento di & Valsecchi F. - L'lsofa dell'Asinara: i'ambiente, la ricerche fatte in Sardegna nella primavera del storia, it parco. Ed. Poliedro, Nuoro: 159-163.

115 Bibliography of the Neuropterida

Bibliography of the Neuropterida Reference number (r#): 11960

Reference Citation: Molinu, A.; Sassu, A.; Pantaleoni, R. A. 2005 [2007.??.??]. Neuropterida of the Asinara Island (NW Sardinia, Italy). in Pantaleoni, R. A.; Letardi, A.; Corazza, C. (eds.). Proceedings of the Ninth International Symposium on Neuropterology (20-23 June 2005, Ferrara, Italy). Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Ferrara 8:111-115.

Copyrights: Any/all applicable copyrights reside with, and are reserved by, the publisher(s), the author(s) and/or other entities as allowed by law. No copyrights belong to the Bibliography of the Neuropterida.

Notes:

File: File produced for the Bibliography of the Neuropterida (BotN) component of the Lacewing Digital Library (LDL) Project, 2012.