Agata Kostro-Ambroziak

Population demography of the endangered large blue butterfly Maculinea arion in Europe

Demographic parameters such as survival, sex ratio and abundance can profoundly affect the viability of populations and thus are of primary importance in species of conservation concern. Although numerous studies have been published on certain aspects of the ecology and evolution of the endangered Large Blue butterfly Maculinea arion, there is still a lack of detailed knowledge on its populations’ demography. Moreover, M. arion populates a variety of xerothermic habitats throughout its European range using various food plants and host ants, which leads to complications in its conservation. Our aim was to estimate demographic parameters of M. arion populations in different parts of its European range. Detailed mark-recapture sampling was conducted on populations in four different countries. We often found that daily apparent survival probability declined with increasing age of individuals, but there was no difference between male and female survival. In smaller populations, the sex ratio was rather female-biased. Our most interesting result was the lack of protandry in some populations that might be a consequence of selection against reproductive asynchrony in small populations or a polyandrous mating system. The perfect coincidence of male and female phenology can positively affect the effective population size, because the lack of reproductive asynchrony increases the chance of male–female encounters. Abundance of the studied populations ranged between 100 and 1,600 individuals, smaller populations were on the verge of extinction. Habitat of the threatened small populations was either overgrazed or abandoned, while habitat of larger, stable populations was lightly grazed.

Phytodietus (Weisia) Pearlus sp. nov. from South Africa (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract. A new species of Phytodietus Gravenhorst, 1829, Ph. (Weisia) pearlus sp. nov. from the Republic of South Africa is described and compared with congeneric Afrotropical species.

Phytodietus (Weisia) queenslandicus, a new species from Australia (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).

Abstract. A new ichneumonids species from Australia, Phytodietus (Weisia) queenslandicus sp. nov., is described and illustrated. A key to the Australian, Ethiopian and Oriental species of the subgenus Weisia Schmiedeknecht, 1907 is presented.

Genus Phytodietus Gravenhorst, 1829 New to South America, with Description of a New Species (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tryphoninae)

Abstract. Phytodietus (Phytodietus) cooperi sp. nov. (Ichneumonidae, Tryphoninae) from Ecuador is described and illustrated. This is the first representative of the genus from South America, and extends the range of known morphological variation within Phytodietus.

A New Species of Phytodietus Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tryphoninae) from North Africa

ABSTRACT: A new ichneumonid species, Phytodietus (Weisia) sarae sp. nov. from Algeria and Tunisia is described and compared with congeneric Palaearctic species. The serious pest Lymantria dispar L. is recorded as a host of Phytodietus species for the first time.

What keeps ‘living dead’ alive: demography of a small and isolated population of Maculinea (= Phengaris) alcon

Small and isolated populations are prone to future extinctions and thus perceived as ‘living dead’. Although generally considered to be of low conservation value, their existence can still enhance species survival at the landscape scale through improving the connectivity of other populations and facilitating some (even if little) gene flow. We investigated the demography and genetic status of a tiny and highly isolated local population of Maculinea (= Phengaris) alcon near its distribution margin with the aim of identifying the features that allow it to persist. The study comprised intensive mark-recapture, surveys of Gentiana pneumonanthe foodplants and butterfly eggs laid on them, as well as genetic analyses. The population has been found to be characterised by low genetic diversity and estimated at only a few tens of individuals. The foodplant availability turned out to be the most obvious factor limiting M. alcon abundance. Nevertheless, the life expectancy of adult butterflies is fairly long, and their flight period very short, implying that most individuals occur within the same time window. Together with the relatively little protandry observed, i.e. almost synchronous emergence of males and females, this increases the chances of random mating among the individuals. Moreover, the butterflies move freely across the core habitat fragment. All things concerned, the effective population size is presumably not much lower than the recorded population size. Our findings provide guidelines for pinpointing those among ‘living dead’ populations that are likely to be the most persistent and thus worth conservation efforts aimed at preserving them.

Phytodietus elongator AUBERT, 1963 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Tryphoninae), a new species to Italy, and a key to the Italian species of the genus Phytodietus GRAVENHORST, 1829

Abstract Phytodietus elongator has been recorded from Italy for the first time. The hitherto identified subspecies (geographical forms) of this species, P. elongator elongator and P. elongator decoratus, are considered to be merely extreme examples of the variability of this taxon. A checklist and a key to the Italian species of the genus Phytodietus are provided.

Netelia (Prosthodocis) japonica (Uchida, 1928) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in the Polish fauna

Netelia (Prosthodocis) japonica (Uchida, 1928) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in the Polish fauna Netelia (Prosthodocis) japonica (Uchida, 1928) is reported for the first time from Poland on the basis of a female collected in Podlasie. A key to the subgenera of the genus Netelia Gray, 1860 recorded in Poland is provided.