North-Western Journal of Zoology Vol. 6, No. 2, 2010, pp.218-224 P-ISSN: 1584-9074, E-ISSN: 1843-5629 Article No.: 061121 Occurrence of Saga pedo (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) in the Czech Republic: review of faunistic data Jaroslav HOLUŠA1,*, Petr KOČÁREK2 and Robert VLK3 1. Department of Forest Protection and Game Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 1176, CZ-165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic 2. Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, CZ-710 00 Ostrava 2, Czech Republic 3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Poříčí 7, CZ-603 00 Brno, Czech Republic * Corresponding Author, J. Holuša, E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. Predatory Katydid Saga pedo was recorded in the Czech Republic for the first time in 1900. Since then, it has been found in five areas: on Kamenný vrch (hill) at Kurdějov, in Pouzdřanská step- Kolby (national nature reserve), on Pavlovské vrchy (hills), near the Bulhary village, and in the environs of Znojmo (town). During the first half of the twentieth century, only eight specimens of S. pedo were observed or collected in the Czech Republic, and these were in three areas in the southeastern part of the country: Pavlovské vrchy hills, Pouzdřanská step-Kolby NNR, and environs of Znojmo. From 1950-1990, one locality (Kamenný vrch hill at Kurdějov) was added, but only eight individuals were observed during the same period for the entire country. From 1988-2009, 32 individuals were reported by incidental observers. In intensive surveys conducted during 2006-2009, 477 nymphs and 75 adults were found in the area of Pavlovské vrchy (hills). In the area of Pavlovské vrchy, S. pedo was detected in nine localities, i.e., the insect was widespread across the entire area of the hills, from Dívčí hrad ruin in the north to Turold hill in the south. During the surveys of 2006- 2009, however, S. pedo was not detected in any new locality, and in spite of intensive surveying, S. pedo was not found in two localities where it had previously been reported. Key words: Saga pedo, faunistics, distribution, Czech Republic. Introduction 1980, 1988, 1995, Labler 1933, Povolný 1994, Redtenbacher 1900). Currently, S. pedo is consi- Predatory Katydid Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) is a dered a critically endangered species (Holuša parthenogenetic pentaploid (Dutrillaux et al. & Kočárek 2005). Between 2006 and 2009, the 2009) species distributed from the Pyrenees first systematic surveys for S. pedo in the Czech throughout the whole of southeastern Europe Republic were conducted and the methods and to western Siberia and the Caucasus (Kenyeres results are reported in this publication. et al. 2002). This is a threatened species and is This study summarizes all known findings listed in Appendix II of the Bern Convention of S. pedo in the Czech Republic, from the first and Annex IV of the Habitats Directive of published finding in 1900 up to the year 2009. Natura 2000. There are two subspecies, but only the nominotypical S. pedo pedo (Pallas, 1771) occurs in the Czech Republic (Kočárek et Material and methods al. 2005). Predatory Katydid Saga pedo inhabits All literature data concerning S. pedo were summarized only the warmest parts of southern Moravia, and all important national or provincial museum where it has been recorded at only few locali- collections were reviewed. The latter included collections ties (Ginter 1924a, 1924b, 1925, 1971, Chládek at Moravské zemské museum (Brno), Slezské zemské ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2010 North-West J Zool, 6, 2010 www.herp-or.uv.ro/nwjz Oradea, Romania Occurrence of Saga pedo in the Czech Republic: review of faunistic data 219 muzeum (Opava), Národní muzeum (Praha), Muzeum Koutný, 20.v.1923, 1n, leg. Stejskal, coll. jihovýchodní Moravy (Zlín), Ostravské Muzeum Museum of south-eastern Moravia in Zlín, (Ostrava), and Východočeské muzeum (Hradec Králové). revid. J. Holuša (Ginter 1924a, 1924b, Ginter Data were also obtained by appeals to the scientific community (Holuša et al. 2007, Holuša, Kočárek 2007, 1925); Pausram (=Pouzdřany), 1A, 1936, leg. Kočárek, Holuša 2008). Finally, the Internet was searched Plitschk, coll. Moravian provincial museum thoroughly for references to S. pedo (photographs, re- (Brno), det. I. Malenovský; 15.vii.1946, 2n, leg. marks about accidental findings, etc.). B. Dobšík (Chládek 1988); 5.vi.2008, 1n (Dvořák During the period of 2006-2009, intensive surveys were carried out at all localities where S. pedo had been et al. 2008); 2.vi.2009, 1n, observ. J. Holuša. reported and also at some other localities potentially (iii) Area of the Pavlovské vrchy hills (7165) suitable for S. pedo occurrence. Surveys were done by Pavlovské vrchy hills/Pavlovské kopce groups of 2-4 people and between 10 and 16 o’clock on clear, sunny days. Localities were systematically hills/Pálava hills (not specified), 28.vii.1932, surveyed, and the vegetation was pushed aside with help 1n, 1A, leg. Hoffer (Labler 1933), 1n, coll. of 1-m-long sticks. Many localities were surveyed more National museum Prague, but leg. Kempný than once, and the dates of the surveys and locations indicated on the locality label, revid. M. surveyed are listed in Table 1. A survey of a particular Fikáček; 19.vii.1957, 1A, leg. Hoberlandt, coll. location on a particular date required 1 to 2 hours. One plot (10000-50000 m2) was surveyed for most localities National museum Prague, revid. M. Fikáček; but two to four plots were surveyed for larger localities. 30.ix.1977, 1A, leg. B. Dobšík, det. et coll. P. Surveys were not done in the environs of the town of Kočárek. Znojmo because the locality in Redtenbacher (1900) is Děvín hill, 2.vii.1952, 1n, 1A, unknown unclear and because the area had already been surveyed for orthopteran insects in another study (Holuša 2003). collector, coll. National museum Prague, revid. Names of localities were taken from recent maps M. Fikáček (Kempný 1953: 3n found Mařan (Anonymous 2005, www.mapy.cz), and names of hills, and Hoffer in 1952); without indicating a rocks, and ruins were used: Děvín hill (549m asl), Obora concrete finding (Chládek 1995); under posts of hill (483m asl), Pálava hill (461m asl), Stolová hora hill the power line, 27.v.1998, 3 n, obsev. J. Hájek; (458m asl), Turold hill (385m asl), Martinka rock, Trůn rock, Dívčí hrad ruin, and Kaple ruin of chapel. Several S. 30m SW from broadcaster on Děvín hill, pedo were not precisely localized because different 14.ix.2002, 1ex; c. 150m from broadcaster on collectors used different names for the same general area; the edge of the slope, 11.x.2003, 1ex, 6.x. 2004, these names were Pavlovské kopce (hills), Pavlovské 1ex, M. Škorpík observ. (M. Škorpík pers. vrchy (hills), and Pálava hills. comm.); 28.v.2002, 1n, 4.-10.vii.2003, 5ex Abbreviations: n = nymph; A = adult (female); ex = (Chytil 2003); hill-top part above steep slope in specimen without specification of stage; NNR = National its SE part, August 1999-2008, altogether 8 ex, Nature Reserve; NR = Nature Reserve; (7066) = code of observ. Kavka (Kavka in litt.); 6.viii.2008, 1A, standard grid square (11 x 12 km) of faunistic grid mapping in the Czech Republic. photo Z. Souček, det. J. Holuša, P. Kočárek (http://zdeneksoucek.blog.cz/0808/za-kudlan kou-a-sagou-na-palavu); under posts of the Results and Discussion power line, 1998-2002, 2ex, obsev. J. Matuška (Matuška pers. comm); 26.viii.2005, Holuša List of records of Saga pedo from the observ.; by the view-point at Soutěska, 3n, Czech Republic 29.iv.2007, foto J. Korba, det. J. Holuša, P. (i) NR Kamenný vrch at Kurdějov (7066) Kočárek (http://www.equi-shop.cz/rubriky/ Kamenný vrch (hill) at Kurdějov, 9.vi.1979, mdiskuse/show.php?tema=180397&r=2&m=9 1n (Chládek 1980). 97&page=14); SE slopes of the Děvín hill, 8.vi.2008, 2n, photo A. Poledníček, det. J. (ii) NNR Pouzdřanská step-Kolby (7065) Holuša (Poledníček in litt., http://www.biolib. Pouzdřanská step-Kolby, 8.ix.1922, 1A, leg. cz/cz/taxon/id150/). North-West J Zool, 6, 2010 220 Holuša, J. et al. Table 1. Names and locations of plots, and dates on which the plots were surveyed. Latitude Longitude Locality (plot number) 2006 2007 2008 2009 ( N ) ( E ) Anenský vrch NM 48°49'33.7" 16°37'5.6" - 7.VIII. - - Bavory 48°49‘32.5" 16°37‘45.5" - 7.VIII. - - Čejkovické Špidláky NR 48°54'58.3" 16°57'49.6" 6.IX. - - - Dívčí hrad ruin - plot 1 48°52'19.4" 16°39'21.5" - 10.VI.; 7.VIII. 2.V.; 6.VIII. 10.V. Dívčí hrad ruin - plot 2 48°52'28.4" 16°39'39.9" - - 2.V.; 6.VIII. 10.V. Dívčí hrad ruin - plot 3 48°52'14.9" 16°39'30.1" - - 1.V.;7.VIII. 10.V. Dívčí hrad ruin - plot 4 48°52'9.4" 16°39'23.2" - - 1.V.;6.VIII. - Děvín hill - plot 1 48°52'8.3" 16°38'56.1" 17.,24.IX. 10.VI.; 7.VIII. 2.V.;6.VIII. 13.VI. Děvín hill - plot 2 48°52'8.3" 16°38'59.7" 17.,24.IX. 10.VI.; 7.VIII. 2.V.;6.VIII. 13.VI. Děvín hill - plot 3 48°52'13.3" 16°39'10.5" 17.,24.IX. 7.VIII. 2.V.;6.VIII. 13.VI. Děvín hill - plot 4 48°51'54.0" 16°38'36.1" 2.,5.VII.; 4.V.;10.VI.; 1.V.;6.VIII. 13.VI. 8.,9.VIII. 6.VIII. Dunajovické kopce NR 48°50'48.6" 16°33'19.3" - - - 8.V.