Entomol.Croat., (1997) 1998.Vol. 3. Num. 1-2.:45-48.ISSN 1330-6200

UDC 595.74:591.9(497)

Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817) IN THE NORTHWESTERNPART OF THE BALKAN PENINSULA (NEUROPTERA,

ASCALAPHIDAE)

DušanDEVETAKDepartmentof Biology,Universityof Maribor,Koroška160,SI-2000Maribor,Slovenia

Accepted30I 1998.

DistributionofLibelloides ottomanus (Germar)in thenorthwesternpartof theBalkanPeninsulaandsomeinformationconcemingintestina1contentare deseribed.

Neuroptera, Ascalaphidae, Libelloides ottoTlUlnus, faunistic studies, food, Balkan

DEVETAK,D., Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817)u sjeverozapadnomdijeluBalkanskogpoluotoka(Neuroptera,Asca]aphidae).Entomol.Croat. (1997) ]998). Vol.3. Num. 1-2.:45-48.

Opisanaje rasprostranjenostLibelloides ottomanus (Germar,1817)u sjeverozapad­nom dije]uBa]kanskogpo]uotokai istraženisu ostacihrane u probavnomsustavu.

Neuroptera, Asca]aphidae, Libelloides ottomanus, faunisticke studije, hrana,Balkan

Introduction

Ascalaphidae or owl-flies comprise about 400 speci es in ca. 65 genera (NEW,1989). In Europe, there are 15 species, and, in the northwestern part of the BalkanPeninsula,3 species in 2 genera are known (ASPOCK et al, 1980; DEVETAK; 1995).

Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817) is a polycentric Mediterranean ascalaphidspecies occuring in France, Italy, Croatia, Yugos1avia (Montenegro, Kosovo), Albania,Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Anatolia (AsPOcKet al, 1980)~

Literature on asca1aphids is mostly biased toward faunistic and taxonomic studies.A monograph on ecology of French Libel10ides species, including information on L.ottomanus, was pub1ished by PUlSSEGUR(1967). Gut content with rests of prey animalsin adults of Libelloides coccajus (Denis et Schiffermiil1er) was analyzed by STELZL(1991). The larval morphology of L. ottomanus was described by P!EPER and WILL­MANN(1980).

Distribution of L. ottomanus in the NW part of the Balkan Peninsu1a and someinformation on gut content are presented in this paper.

Material and methods

The distribution is based on material in the Natural History Museum, Zagreb (col1.Mus ZG), Natural History Museum, Ljubljana (coll. Mus LJ) and the author'scollection.

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Enlomo!. Croa!. (1997) 1998. Vo!. 3. Num. 1-2.: 45-48.DEVETAK, D., Libelloides ottomanus (Gennar, 18!7) in the NW Part of the Balkan Peninsula ...

Fig. 1. A female of Libelloid.es ottomallUs (Gennar, 1817)

•

3 4

Fig. 2-4. Food remains found in digestive tract of L ottomaIlus. Bar 100 !-trn.

Fig. 2. A coleopteran leg fragmen!.Fig. 3. A dipteran tarsus.

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EntomoL Croat. (1997) 1998. VoL 3. Num. 1-2.: 45-48.DEVETAK, O., Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817) in the NW Part of the Balkan Peninsula ...

Adults (3 females) preserved in 70% akohol were dissected and the digestive tractisolated. The masticated food remains suspended in akohol were mounted on glassslides and examined microscopical1y.

Results and discussion

1. Distribution in the northwestem part of the Balkan Peninsula

1.1. Literature records:

Croatia: Frauenfeld (1856): Makarska, Split; Stein (1863): Split; Novak (1891):Hvar; Galvagni (1902): Komiža; Taborsky (1936): Zadar; Devetak (1992): Jablanac,Krk, Lošinj, Pag.

Montenegro: Taborsky (1936); Van der Weele (1908).Macedonia: Pieper and Willmann (1980): Titov Veles (12 km N).Albania: Capra (1945): Burel1e; Zeleny (1964): Vlora: Borshi, Mali i C;orajt.

1.2. Material examined:

Croatia:

Jablanac, 4.6. 1914 (col1.M\ls ZG); Krk, 6. 1975; Krk: Bašcanska Draga, NovaBaška, 8. 6. 1995, legoM. Bedjanic; Krk: Voz-Omišalj, 8. 6. 1938, legoJ. Staudacher(col1.Mus LJ); Lošinj: Cunski, 7.7.1974, lego& col1.P. Tonkli; Pag: Caska (Caska),25.6. 1956,7. 1960 (coll. Mus ZG); Pag: Kolansko Blato, 11. 6. 1958 (coll. Mus ZG);Pag: Zaglav, 26. 6. 1956 (col1.Mus ZG).

Yugoslavia: Kosovo:Kopaonik: Košutovacki potok, 28. 5. 1985,22.6. 1986, legoP. Jakšic.Macedonia:Dojransko jezero: Dojran, 12.5. 1984, legoP. Jakšic; Katlanovo, 17.5. 1984, lego

P. Jakšic; Pletvar, 8. 7.1984, legoP. Jakšic.

2. Food remains

Intestinal content of 3 females originating from the island of Krk were examined.Only in few cases, it was possible to identify arthropod fragments, but in most casesone can only speculate on the origin of these food remains. The fol1owing structureswere recorded: compound eyes, antennal and leg segments, cuticular plates withbristles, and pars stridens of a stridulating insect (Figs. 2-4). Some leg fragmentsbelonged to Coleoptera and Diptera. These fragments indicate which insects are theprey of L. ottomanus. One can conclude that the prey animals of L. ottomanus are verysimilar to those of Libelloides coccajus (Stelzl, 1991) and Palpares libelluloides(DEVETAK, 1996).

Acknowledgments: 1 am very grateful to Mr. F. Perovic, MSc (Natural HistoryMuseum, Zagreb) and to Mr. 1.Sivec, DSc (Natural History Museum, Ljubljana) whomade it possible for me to study the museum material. lowe special thanks to P. Jakšic,P. Tonkli and M. Bedjanic for providing the specimens.

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Entomol.Croat.(1997)1998.Vol.3. Num. 1-2.:45-48.DEVETAK,D., Libel10idesottomanus(Gennar, 1817)in theNW Partof the BalkanPeninsula...

22'

+".

Fig. 5. Collecting sites of Libelloides ottomanus in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula

References

Asptick, H., U. Asptick, H. Htilzel (Mitarb. H. Rausch), 1980. Die Neuropteren Europas. 2 vols, Goecke& Evers, Krefeld.

Capra, F., 1945. Alcuni Odonati e Neurotteri dell' Albania Settentrionale. - Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat.Genova, 62: 292-300.

Devetak, D., 1992. Megaloptera, Raphidioptera and Planipennia (Neuropteroidea, Insecta) of Croatia. ­Znartstv. Rev., 4(1):89-114.

Devetak, D., 1995. Deleproctophylla australis (Fabricius, 1787) in Istria and Quarnero (Neuroptera:Asca1aphidae). - Annales, Ann. Istrian Mediterr. Stud., 7: 193-198.

Devetak, D., 1996. Palpares libelluloides (Linnaeus, 1764) in the northwestern part of the BalkanPeninsula (Neuroptera: Myrrneleontidae). - Annales, Ann. Istrian Mediterr. Stud., 9: 211-216.

Frauenfeld, G., 1856. Beitrag zur Fauna Dalmatiens. - Verh. zool.-bot. Ver. Wien, 6: 431-448.Galvagni, E., 1902. Beitriige zur Kenntnis der Fauna einiger dalmatinischer Inseln .. - Verh. zool.-bot. Ges.

Wien, 52: 362-388.New, T.R., 1989. Planipennia. Lacewings. - Handb. Zool., 4(30): 1-132.Novak, G.B., 1891. Terzo cenno sulla fauna dell'lsola Lesina in Dalmazia. Neuroptera. - Glasn. hrv.

narodoslov. društ., 6: 50-58.Pieper, H., R. Wi1lmann, 1980. Die Larven griechischer Ascalaphiden-Arten (Ins., Planipennia). ­

StuttgarterBeitr. Naturk. A, 337: 1-11.Puissegur, c., 1967. Contribution zoogeographique, anatomique et biologique ii la connaissance de sept

especes et d'un hybride interspecifique d' Ascalaphus F. (Planip. Ascalaphidae). - Vie Milieu, Ser.C, 18: 103-158.

Stein, J.P.E.F., 1863. Beitrag zur Neun?pteren-Fauna Griechenlands (mit Beriicksichtigung dalmatinischerArten). - BerI. entomol. Z., 7: 411-422.

Stelzl, M., 1991. Untersuchungen zu Nahrungsspektren mitteleuropiiischer Neuropteren-Imagines(Neuropteroidea, Insecta). - J. Appl. Entomol., 111: 469-477.

Taborsky, K., 1936. Monograficke zpracovani druhu Ascalaphus ottomanus Gerrnar. MonographischeBearbeitung der ArtAscalaphus ottomanus Gerrnar. - Sbor. entomol. odd. Nar. Mus. Praze, 14: 133-144.

Van der Weele, H.W., 1908. Ascalaphiden monographisch bearbeitet. .- Coll. zool. Edm. de SelysLongcharnps, 8: 1-326.

Zeleny, J., 1964. Ergebnisse der Albanien-Expedition 1961 des Deutschen Entomologischen Institutes.24. Beitrag. Neuroptera. - Beitr. Entomol., 14 (3/4): 323-336.

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