Ann. Mus. civ. St. nat. Ferrara Vol. 8 2005 [2007] pp.95-106 ISSN 1127-4476 The Raphidioptera of the Apennines Peninsula: a biogeographical analysis* Horst Aspock 1 & Ulrike Aspock2 1) Department of Medical Parasitology, Clinical Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical Uni­ versity of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1095 Vienna, Austria, e-mail: [email protected]; 2) Department of Entomology, Museum of Natural History, Burgring 7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria, e-mail: [email protected] So far, 24 species of Raphidioptera - 21 of Raphidiidae/3 of Inocelliidae - have been found in Italy, 22 (20/2) of these on the mainland only. Five species (4/1) have been detected only in the northernmost parts (Southern Alps), 17 species (16/1) have been recorded from various parts of the Apennines Peninsula (AP). By far most of these are monocentric Adriatomediterranean faunal ele­ ments (8/1), 3 species of Raphidiidae are polycentric Adriatomediterranean-Balkanopontomediter­ ranean faunal elements. Four species of Raphidiidae are endemic to the AP. Three of these spe­ cies, each representing a systematically isolated monotypic genus confined to the south of the AP, are most probably ancient inhabitants of the AP and of Iberian origin: Ita/oraphidia so/ariana, Ca/a­ broraphidia renate and Tjederiraphidia santuzza. The fourth endemic species, Phaeostigma (Pon­ toraphidia) grandii, although more recent, is possibly a remainder of the old fauna of the Apulian platform. Of the remaining monocentric Adriatomediterranean elements only Subilla confinis shows an expansivity which has led to a (mainly postglacial) colonisation of larger parts of Central, west­ ern and eastern Europe. The others have hardly extended their distributions beyond the AP (Ra­ phidia ligurica, Parainocellia bic%r) or they have colonised only small parts of the south of Central Europe, southern France, and northern Spain (Phaeostigma ita/ogallica, Xanthostigma a/oysiana, X. corsica). Regarding the polycentric species, two (Ornatoraphidia flavilabris, Venustoraphidia ni­ gricollis) also inhabit many extramediterranean parts of Europe, but these colonisations occurred from the Balkan Peninsula (BP) and not from the AP. The remaining species (Dichrostigma flavipes, Turcoraphidia amara, Raphidia mediterranea, Puncha ratzeburgi) are recent invaders (du­ ring the Pleistocene) from the east and/or from the north. The Raphidioptera species presently in­ habiting the AP exhibit extensive differences in age and origin reflecting the complex geomor­ phological history of the peninsula. Keywords - Raphidioptera, Raphidiidae, Inocelliidae, Apennines Peninsula, Italy, biogeography, endemisms. Introduction nean parts of Europe have been inten­ sively studied throughout the past deca­ The Raphidioptera of the Mediterra- des, in particular, also those of the Apen­ nines Peninsula (AP). Since the latest ac­ counts and biogeographical analyses (H. * Gratefully, cordially, and respectfully dedicated to Professor Maria Matilde Principi on the occasion of Aspock et al., 1991, 2001; [Bernardi] lori her 90th birthday (May 4th, 2005). With her papers et al., 1995), besides new records of seve­ on Raphidioptera published during the 1950s and ral species, two surprising discoveries 1960s she has initiated a new era in Raphidioptera have been made on the mainland of Italy, research. Her studies, descriptions, conclusions, and considerations, and, in particular, also her outstan­ one of them leading to the description of a ding drawings have been of utmost influence for our new species belonging to a new genus further neuropterological work. (Rausch et al., 2004; Fig. 1), the other 95 Proceedings of the IX International Symposium on Neuropterology Fig. 1 - Calabroraphidia renate Rausch & H. Aspock & U. Aspock, 2004, c\. Italia, Calabria, Cosenza, Sila Grande, near Vivaio, 39° 23' 38" N 1160 36' 24" E, 1300 m, 18 June 2005, H. & R. Rausch leg. (Photograph by Hubert Rausch). representing a species and a genus so far highest number of species (about 110), only known from Pontomediterranean re­ however, most of them are restricted to gions (Letardi, 2004), and, in addition, a small areas in mountain ranges of the spectacular new species has been de­ peninsulas of Southern Europe, northwest tected in Sardinia (Pantaleoni et al., Africa, Anatolia, and a few other parts of 2005). Moreover, research on the palaeo­ the Near East respectively. No snake-fly geography and palaeoclimatology of the species exists with a distribution compri­ Mediterranean has made considerable sing all three south European peninsulas, progress so that the time has come to re­ and very few species occur in the AP as consider the genesis of the Raphidioptera well as the Iberian Peninsula (IP) or the fauna of the AP and to summarise our Balkan Peninsula (BP). knowledge on snake-flies of this part of Snake-flies in general are characteri­ Europe in light of biogeography. sed by an extremely low expansivity. The The Raphidioptera (snake-flies) with majority of species from both families on about 215 valid (and possibly 250 exi­ all continents inhabit small areas, in many sting) species is the smallest and more cases just a few mountain ranges. Several ancestral order of the Holometabola. Du­ species exist which have been recorded ring the Mesozoic snake-flies occurred in from a single mountain only (stationary a significantly greater diversity than today, species). Rarely do species occupy large and they also inhabited tropical regions distribution areas. Examples are, on one (H. Aspock, 1998, 2004; U. Aspock & H. hand, a few Euro-Siberian elements with Aspock, 2003, 2004, 2005a). Nowadays distributions covering large parts of Euro­ they are designated as living fossils, while pe and northern Asia (they are particularly their present distribution is restricted to associated with the belt of the coniferous arboreal parts of the Northern hemi­ forests), and on the other hand, several sphere. Nearctic species occurring along the The western Palaearctic harbours the Rocky Mountains from the north of Mexico 96 H. Aspock & U. Aspock - The Raphidioptera of the Apennines Peninsula: a biogeographical analysis to the south of western Canada. So far it Aspock et at. (1991); additional records in is unknown why so many Raphidioptera Italy: Pantaleoni (1990a, 1990b); Letardi species are markedly stationary although (1991, 1993, 1994, 2004); Pantaleoni et it seems that identical or, at least suitable al. (1994); Hellrigl & Holzel (1996); Letardi ecological conditions exist in adjacent re­ & Pantaleoni (1996); Pantaleoni & Letardi gions. (1998); GOsten (1998a, b, c); Letardi & The Raphidioptera of Italy also contain Maltzeff (2001); Nicoli Aldini & Baviera several extremely stationary species (l. (2001); Rausch et al. (2004); Pantaleoni so/ariana, C. renate, T. santuzza) as well (2005). as a number of species with very low (e.g. Phaeostigma (Phaeostigma) nolala Ph. grandii) or modest expansivity (e.g. (Fabricius, 1781) Parainocellia bicolor), but only one really Widely distributed in extra mediterranean expansive species (Subilla confinis). parts of Europe. Recorded in Italy only in the The biogeographical terminology used in northernmost parts, i.e. in the Southern Alps. this article follows that in the Biogeography Phaeostigma (Phaeostigma) ita/ogallica Glossary in H. Asp6ck et al. (1991). (H. Aspock & U. Aspock, 1976) Known only from the south of Italy and from Annotated list of the Raphidioptera southern France. of Italy Phaeostigma gal/oitalica (H. Aspock & U. Aspock, 1976) At present, the following species have Recorded from the AP, southern France been found in continental parts of Italy; the and Dalmatia. list is made complete by the addition of Phaeostigma (Pontoraphidia) grandii comments on the snake-flies of the Italian (Principi, 1960) islands. For distribution maps see H. Recorded only from the southern half of the Fig. 2 - Documented distribution of Phaeostigma (Pontoraphidia) grandii, of the subgenus Pontoraphidia, and of the genus Phaeostigma. 97 Proceedings of the IX International Symposium on Neuropter%gy AP (Fig. 2). Ornatoraphidia flavilabris (Costa, 1855) Dichrostigma flavipes (Stein, 1863) Widely distributed in the BP, in the AP, in Widely distributed in the BP and (mainly) the south of France, and in southern parts of eastern extramediterranean parts of Europe. Central Europe. Recorded in Italy only in the north and south to Xanthostigma xanthostigma (Schummel, 1832) Tuscany and Marche (Bernardi lori et al., Widely distributed in extra mediterranean 1995). parts of Europe and in palaearctic parts of Asia Tjederiraphidia santuzza as far as Sachalin. The only record for Italy is (H. Aspock & U. Aspock & Rausch, 1980) from Southern Tyrol (Alto Adige). Known only from the Aspromonte (Fig. 3). Xanthostigma corsica (Hagen, 1867) Turcoraphidia amara In scattered populations widely distributed (H. Aspock & U. Aspock, 1964). in the AP, Elba, Giglio, Sicily, Sardinia, Cor­ In scattered populations in high altitudes, sica, the south of France and the IP. widely distributed in the BP, the Crimean pen­ Xanthostigma aloysiana (Costa, 1855) insula and western Anatolia. Recently detected In scattered populations widely distributed for Italy in the Majella Nat. Park (Abruzzo) (Le­ in the AP, the south of Central Europe and of tardi, 2004) (Fig. 3). France, and the north of Spain. Subilla confinis (Stephens, 1836) Raphidia (Raphidia) ophiopsis Linnaeus, 1758 Widely distributed in extra mediterranean Widely