Three species of Limonia Meigen (Diptera: Limoniidae) are recorded here for the first time from c... more Three species of Limonia Meigen (Diptera: Limoniidae) are recorded here for the first time from countries within the Balkan region. Here we report Limonia pannonica (Kowarz, 1868) from the Republic of Macedonia, L. phragmitidis (Schrank, 1781) from Greece, and L. splendens (Kuntze, 1920) from Montenegro and Serbia.
The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact n... more The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact number of species from here remains uncertain. The last Romaninan checklist was published in 2007 and further sporadic faunistic data cumulated together a number of five species only. Based on our intensive faunistic survey carried out between 1998 and 2011 a number of eight species , three of them new for Romania, are recorded. Wings and male genital organs of Ptychoptera handlirschi, P. longipennis, and P. silvicola are figured. Notes on individual variability of Ptychoptera albimana from Bulgaria, Romania, Germany and Luxembourg are figured and discussed.
A list of nine hairy-eyed crane fly (Tipuloidea: Pediciidae) species collected in Ukrainian Carpa... more A list of nine hairy-eyed crane fly (Tipuloidea: Pediciidae) species collected in Ukrainian Carpathians in July 2014 including Pedicia (Amalopis) fusca Ujvárosi and Bálint, 2012 recorded from Ukraine for the first time.
Diptera specimens were collected between 2014-2015 and some Polineura species between 2004-2013. ... more Diptera specimens were collected between 2014-2015 and some Polineura species between 2004-2013. We investigated our research in 76 localities in Sǎlaj Județul, Romania. Altogether 516 specimens of 141 species comprised of 37 Diptera families are reported from Sǎlaj Județul. 15 species of them proved to be new to the Romanian fauna.
Background: Mosquito-borne viruses (moboviruses) are of growing importance in many countries of E... more Background: Mosquito-borne viruses (moboviruses) are of growing importance in many countries of Europe. In Romania and especially in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (DDBR), mosquito and mobovirus surveillance are not performed on a regular basis. However, this type of study is crucially needed to evaluate the risk of pathogen transmission, to understand the ecology of emerging moboviruses, or to plan vector control programmes.
Secondary succession in former arable fields (i.e. old fields) might be altered by the colonizati... more Secondary succession in former arable fields (i.e. old fields) might be altered by the colonization of invasive alien species, with possible community-wide impacts, hindering the ability of old fields to become species-rich communities. However, the effects of invasive species on local communities have rarely been addressed in the light of secondary succession. Therefore, we studied the impact of the highly invasive Solidago canadensis on plant and pollinator communities along a gradient of invasion severity in old fields with different ages (1–20 years since last ploughing) in Southern Transylvania, Romania. We asked whether the invasion of S. canadensis causes shifts in (1) the composition and diversity of plant communities, and (2) pollinator communities along the successional gradient. Further, we asked (3) to what extent the presence of S. canadensis affected flower visitation of native plant species by pollinators. According to our results, the invasion reduced the native plant species richness throughout succession, although the most profound negative effect on plant diversity and vegetation naturalness was exerted in older successional communities. The invasion of S. canadensis had a negative effect on the abundance of bees irrespective of the old field age; however, there was no similar negative effect on hoverflies. Native flowers experienced reduced visitation by wild bees, honey bees and hoverflies due to the augmented presence of S. canadensis. Therefore, the invasion of this perennial plant species diverts the trajectory of vegetation succession, alters the mutualistic links between the native elements of these old fields, and causes a non-desired alternative stable states to be installed.
Contribution to the tipulid fauna (Di ptera: Tipulidae) of Austria with first records from Austri... more Contribution to the tipulid fauna (Di ptera: Tipulidae) of Austria with first records from Austria and different provinces. In this paper, records of the family Tipulidae from Austria are published. The specimens were collected from the second author in the period 1991–2013 as by-products of his study about the aquatic insect fauna of Austria. The 432 identified specimens belong to 79 species. Three species, Dolichopeza (Oropeza) modesta Savchenko, 1980, Tipula (Pterelachisus) apicispina Alexander, 1934 and Tipula (Tipula) italica errans Theowald, 1984, have been recorded for Austria the first time. The previously unsure considered occurrence of Tipula (Pterelachisus) subglacialis Mannheims & Theowald, 1959 is now confirmed by a recent record. Additional 21 species have been recorded in provinces, in which they have been unknown according to Vogtenhuber (2011). All identified species are listed with locality information. For the new records from Austria and the provinces as well as for the special records additional details are presented in relation to the faunistic importance.
Between 2000 and 2013 a number of 1389 individuals belonging to Tipuloi dea and Ptychopteridae we... more Between 2000 and 2013 a number of 1389 individuals belonging to Tipuloi dea and Ptychopteridae were collected in ClujNapoca and its surround ings. Seven species are new to the Romanian fauna. Additionally, many species considered rare to the country's fauna were collected as well. The surprisingly high numbers of 114 species identified from here were un expected but explainable by the mosaic pattern of habitats from almost natural to extremely modified under anthropogenic pressure. The present faunistic survey highlights the importance of maintaining natural habitats like Făgetul Clu ju lui -Valea Morii Natura 2000 sites even in the vicinity of a such important metropolis like ClujNapoca, in Romania.
Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last ... more Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last seven years. A number of 5 species are new records to the Romanian fauna, as Tipula (Acutipula) latifurca Vermoolen, 1983; Tipula (Acutipula) vittata Meigen, 1804; Tipula (Lunatipula) recticornis Schummel, 1833; Tipula (Pterelachisus) pseudopruinosa Strobl, 1895 and Tipula (Savtshenkia) signata Staeger, 1840. A short comment on general distribution of species, with a critical revision on the published data is added. Original pictures on male genital and wing is also presented.
Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 spe... more Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 species and subspecies, from which 97 are recorded in the Western-Palaearctic region so far. However new species are still expected from less investigated regions, like the Balkans or the Eastern Europe.
The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact n... more The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact number of species from here remains uncertain. The last Romaninan checklist was published in 2007 and further sporadic faunistic data cumulated together a number of five species only. Based on our intensive faunistic survey carried out between 1998 and 2011 a number of eight species , three of them new for Romania, are recorded. Wings and male genital organs of Ptychoptera handlirschi, P. longipennis, and P. silvicola are figured. Notes on individual variability of Ptychoptera albimana from Bulgaria, Romania, Germany and Luxembourg are figured and discussed.
Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 spe... more Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 species and subspecies, from which 97 are recorded in the Western-Palaearctic region so far. However new species are still expected from less investigated regions, like the Balkans or the Eastern Europe. In the present article, we desrcibe a new limonid crane fly species, Molophilus balcanicus Kolcsár sp. n. from the Central Balkan area (Bulgaria). This new taxa is closely related to M. serpentiger Edwards, 1938 and M. variispinus Starý, 1971 based on the external male genital structures, but differs from its siblings mostly in the structure of the inner and outer gonostylus. Additionally, a number of species are reported for the first time from various European countries, like M. variispinus Starý, 1971 and M. occultus de Meijere, 1918 from Romania; M. crassipygus de Meijere 1918, M. obsoletus Lackschewitz, 1940 and M. medius de Meijere, 1918 from Greece; M. flavus Goetghebuer, 1920 from Andorra; M. cinereifrons de Meijere, 1920 from Bulgaria and M. corniger Meijere, 1920 from Spain.
The Carpathian region is recognized as one of the most important hotspots for aquatic biodiversit... more The Carpathian region is recognized as one of the most important hotspots for aquatic biodiversity in Europe. In the present study, 658-bp long nucleotide sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene were used to study the phylogeographical patterns of the Carpathian endemic dipteran species belonging to the Pedicia staryi group. Molecular data support the taxon status of the allopatric sibling pairs of the morphologically highly similar Pedicia apusenica, Pedicia staryi, and Pedicia lobifera. This pattern is most likely the result of long-term isolation in so-called cumulative microrefugia in the Carpathians, caused by aridification and forest fragmentation in the Miocene-Pliocene period, in combination with the specific habitat requirements of these species (i.e. the wet and humid environments of forested headwater springs). Furthermore, molecular data reveal an important cryptic diversity in the case of the most widespread Carpathian P. staryi, as represented by highly divergent, allopatric populations from distant mountainous ranges, already recognized as important centres of endemism for aquatic insects. In addition, an unexpectedly high genetic diversity was identified in populations from the Rodnei Mountains, where the northern and southern slopes harbour highly divergent genetic lineages. This highlights the importance of this mountain range in the preservation of autochthonous diversity in the Carpathians. The present study provides important new evidence regarding the persistence of relic species in spring habitats in the Carpathians, with ancient divergence events that predate Quaternary glaciations and confirm their continuous presence during the Last Glacial Maximum in multiple isolated refugia, leading finally to a high genetic complexity in these particular aquatic ecosystems.
Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last ... more Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last seven years. A number of 5 species are new records to the Romanian fauna, as Tipula (Acutipula) latifurca Vermoolen, 1983; Tipula (Acutipula) vittata Meigen, 1804; Tipula (Lunatipula) recticornis Schummel, 1833; Tipula (Pterelachisus) pseudopruinosa Strobl, 1895 and Tipula (Savtshenkia) signata Staeger, 1840. A short comment on general distribution of species, with a critical revision on the published data is added. Original pictures on male genital and wing is also presented.
Larvae identifications in a series of insect groups opens new perspectives since molecular method... more Larvae identifications in a series of insect groups opens new perspectives since molecular methods are presently largely available and easy to apply. The Acutipula larvae, belonging to the dipteran family Tipulidae, are frequently present in wet and humid environment. In continental Europe there were identified a number of 8 widely distributed species, from which only 5 larvae were identified and described. The further, A. balcanica, A. latifurca and A. bosnica remain, unknown. We applied molecular taxonomy methods using standard DNA barcoding sequences to associate unknown larvae to previously identified adults. When sequence similarity were 99–100% we than checked larvae for morphologically informative characters, such the chaetotaxy on the body segments, the spiracular rings, anal lobes and the head capsule morphology. Here we present and illustrate for the first time the hitherto unknown A. bosnica. A. latifurca and A. balcanica larvae with comments on their identity and distribution.
Three species of Limonia Meigen (Diptera: Limoniidae) are recorded here for the first time from c... more Three species of Limonia Meigen (Diptera: Limoniidae) are recorded here for the first time from countries within the Balkan region. Here we report Limonia pannonica (Kowarz, 1868) from the Republic of Macedonia, L. phragmitidis (Schrank, 1781) from Greece, and L. splendens (Kuntze, 1920) from Montenegro and Serbia.
The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact n... more The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact number of species from here remains uncertain. The last Romaninan checklist was published in 2007 and further sporadic faunistic data cumulated together a number of five species only. Based on our intensive faunistic survey carried out between 1998 and 2011 a number of eight species , three of them new for Romania, are recorded. Wings and male genital organs of Ptychoptera handlirschi, P. longipennis, and P. silvicola are figured. Notes on individual variability of Ptychoptera albimana from Bulgaria, Romania, Germany and Luxembourg are figured and discussed.
A list of nine hairy-eyed crane fly (Tipuloidea: Pediciidae) species collected in Ukrainian Carpa... more A list of nine hairy-eyed crane fly (Tipuloidea: Pediciidae) species collected in Ukrainian Carpathians in July 2014 including Pedicia (Amalopis) fusca Ujvárosi and Bálint, 2012 recorded from Ukraine for the first time.
Diptera specimens were collected between 2014-2015 and some Polineura species between 2004-2013. ... more Diptera specimens were collected between 2014-2015 and some Polineura species between 2004-2013. We investigated our research in 76 localities in Sǎlaj Județul, Romania. Altogether 516 specimens of 141 species comprised of 37 Diptera families are reported from Sǎlaj Județul. 15 species of them proved to be new to the Romanian fauna.
Background: Mosquito-borne viruses (moboviruses) are of growing importance in many countries of E... more Background: Mosquito-borne viruses (moboviruses) are of growing importance in many countries of Europe. In Romania and especially in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (DDBR), mosquito and mobovirus surveillance are not performed on a regular basis. However, this type of study is crucially needed to evaluate the risk of pathogen transmission, to understand the ecology of emerging moboviruses, or to plan vector control programmes.
Secondary succession in former arable fields (i.e. old fields) might be altered by the colonizati... more Secondary succession in former arable fields (i.e. old fields) might be altered by the colonization of invasive alien species, with possible community-wide impacts, hindering the ability of old fields to become species-rich communities. However, the effects of invasive species on local communities have rarely been addressed in the light of secondary succession. Therefore, we studied the impact of the highly invasive Solidago canadensis on plant and pollinator communities along a gradient of invasion severity in old fields with different ages (1–20 years since last ploughing) in Southern Transylvania, Romania. We asked whether the invasion of S. canadensis causes shifts in (1) the composition and diversity of plant communities, and (2) pollinator communities along the successional gradient. Further, we asked (3) to what extent the presence of S. canadensis affected flower visitation of native plant species by pollinators. According to our results, the invasion reduced the native plant species richness throughout succession, although the most profound negative effect on plant diversity and vegetation naturalness was exerted in older successional communities. The invasion of S. canadensis had a negative effect on the abundance of bees irrespective of the old field age; however, there was no similar negative effect on hoverflies. Native flowers experienced reduced visitation by wild bees, honey bees and hoverflies due to the augmented presence of S. canadensis. Therefore, the invasion of this perennial plant species diverts the trajectory of vegetation succession, alters the mutualistic links between the native elements of these old fields, and causes a non-desired alternative stable states to be installed.
Contribution to the tipulid fauna (Di ptera: Tipulidae) of Austria with first records from Austri... more Contribution to the tipulid fauna (Di ptera: Tipulidae) of Austria with first records from Austria and different provinces. In this paper, records of the family Tipulidae from Austria are published. The specimens were collected from the second author in the period 1991–2013 as by-products of his study about the aquatic insect fauna of Austria. The 432 identified specimens belong to 79 species. Three species, Dolichopeza (Oropeza) modesta Savchenko, 1980, Tipula (Pterelachisus) apicispina Alexander, 1934 and Tipula (Tipula) italica errans Theowald, 1984, have been recorded for Austria the first time. The previously unsure considered occurrence of Tipula (Pterelachisus) subglacialis Mannheims & Theowald, 1959 is now confirmed by a recent record. Additional 21 species have been recorded in provinces, in which they have been unknown according to Vogtenhuber (2011). All identified species are listed with locality information. For the new records from Austria and the provinces as well as for the special records additional details are presented in relation to the faunistic importance.
Between 2000 and 2013 a number of 1389 individuals belonging to Tipuloi dea and Ptychopteridae we... more Between 2000 and 2013 a number of 1389 individuals belonging to Tipuloi dea and Ptychopteridae were collected in ClujNapoca and its surround ings. Seven species are new to the Romanian fauna. Additionally, many species considered rare to the country's fauna were collected as well. The surprisingly high numbers of 114 species identified from here were un expected but explainable by the mosaic pattern of habitats from almost natural to extremely modified under anthropogenic pressure. The present faunistic survey highlights the importance of maintaining natural habitats like Făgetul Clu ju lui -Valea Morii Natura 2000 sites even in the vicinity of a such important metropolis like ClujNapoca, in Romania.
Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last ... more Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last seven years. A number of 5 species are new records to the Romanian fauna, as Tipula (Acutipula) latifurca Vermoolen, 1983; Tipula (Acutipula) vittata Meigen, 1804; Tipula (Lunatipula) recticornis Schummel, 1833; Tipula (Pterelachisus) pseudopruinosa Strobl, 1895 and Tipula (Savtshenkia) signata Staeger, 1840. A short comment on general distribution of species, with a critical revision on the published data is added. Original pictures on male genital and wing is also presented.
Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 spe... more Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 species and subspecies, from which 97 are recorded in the Western-Palaearctic region so far. However new species are still expected from less investigated regions, like the Balkans or the Eastern Europe.
The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact n... more The Ptychopteridae fauna of Romania has attracted little attention in the past; hence the exact number of species from here remains uncertain. The last Romaninan checklist was published in 2007 and further sporadic faunistic data cumulated together a number of five species only. Based on our intensive faunistic survey carried out between 1998 and 2011 a number of eight species , three of them new for Romania, are recorded. Wings and male genital organs of Ptychoptera handlirschi, P. longipennis, and P. silvicola are figured. Notes on individual variability of Ptychoptera albimana from Bulgaria, Romania, Germany and Luxembourg are figured and discussed.
Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 spe... more Molophilus Curtis, 1833 is the most species-rich Limoniidae genus with a total number of 1006 species and subspecies, from which 97 are recorded in the Western-Palaearctic region so far. However new species are still expected from less investigated regions, like the Balkans or the Eastern Europe. In the present article, we desrcibe a new limonid crane fly species, Molophilus balcanicus Kolcsár sp. n. from the Central Balkan area (Bulgaria). This new taxa is closely related to M. serpentiger Edwards, 1938 and M. variispinus Starý, 1971 based on the external male genital structures, but differs from its siblings mostly in the structure of the inner and outer gonostylus. Additionally, a number of species are reported for the first time from various European countries, like M. variispinus Starý, 1971 and M. occultus de Meijere, 1918 from Romania; M. crassipygus de Meijere 1918, M. obsoletus Lackschewitz, 1940 and M. medius de Meijere, 1918 from Greece; M. flavus Goetghebuer, 1920 from Andorra; M. cinereifrons de Meijere, 1920 from Bulgaria and M. corniger Meijere, 1920 from Spain.
The Carpathian region is recognized as one of the most important hotspots for aquatic biodiversit... more The Carpathian region is recognized as one of the most important hotspots for aquatic biodiversity in Europe. In the present study, 658-bp long nucleotide sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene were used to study the phylogeographical patterns of the Carpathian endemic dipteran species belonging to the Pedicia staryi group. Molecular data support the taxon status of the allopatric sibling pairs of the morphologically highly similar Pedicia apusenica, Pedicia staryi, and Pedicia lobifera. This pattern is most likely the result of long-term isolation in so-called cumulative microrefugia in the Carpathians, caused by aridification and forest fragmentation in the Miocene-Pliocene period, in combination with the specific habitat requirements of these species (i.e. the wet and humid environments of forested headwater springs). Furthermore, molecular data reveal an important cryptic diversity in the case of the most widespread Carpathian P. staryi, as represented by highly divergent, allopatric populations from distant mountainous ranges, already recognized as important centres of endemism for aquatic insects. In addition, an unexpectedly high genetic diversity was identified in populations from the Rodnei Mountains, where the northern and southern slopes harbour highly divergent genetic lineages. This highlights the importance of this mountain range in the preservation of autochthonous diversity in the Carpathians. The present study provides important new evidence regarding the persistence of relic species in spring habitats in the Carpathians, with ancient divergence events that predate Quaternary glaciations and confirm their continuous presence during the Last Glacial Maximum in multiple isolated refugia, leading finally to a high genetic complexity in these particular aquatic ecosystems.
Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last ... more Since the last updated list of Tipulidae of Romania (2007) new data were accumulated in the last seven years. A number of 5 species are new records to the Romanian fauna, as Tipula (Acutipula) latifurca Vermoolen, 1983; Tipula (Acutipula) vittata Meigen, 1804; Tipula (Lunatipula) recticornis Schummel, 1833; Tipula (Pterelachisus) pseudopruinosa Strobl, 1895 and Tipula (Savtshenkia) signata Staeger, 1840. A short comment on general distribution of species, with a critical revision on the published data is added. Original pictures on male genital and wing is also presented.
Larvae identifications in a series of insect groups opens new perspectives since molecular method... more Larvae identifications in a series of insect groups opens new perspectives since molecular methods are presently largely available and easy to apply. The Acutipula larvae, belonging to the dipteran family Tipulidae, are frequently present in wet and humid environment. In continental Europe there were identified a number of 8 widely distributed species, from which only 5 larvae were identified and described. The further, A. balcanica, A. latifurca and A. bosnica remain, unknown. We applied molecular taxonomy methods using standard DNA barcoding sequences to associate unknown larvae to previously identified adults. When sequence similarity were 99–100% we than checked larvae for morphologically informative characters, such the chaetotaxy on the body segments, the spiracular rings, anal lobes and the head capsule morphology. Here we present and illustrate for the first time the hitherto unknown A. bosnica. A. latifurca and A. balcanica larvae with comments on their identity and distribution.
The Carpathians are recognized as an important area of endemism for a number of plant and animal ... more The Carpathians are recognized as an important area of endemism for a number of plant and animal species with complex evolutionary histories. Repetitive patterns in divergence and distribution of such endemics in the Carpathians can help to identify important core areas and autochthonous speciation events which predate Quaternary glaciations, frequently associated with deep genetic and morphological structuring. Further on, climate changes during Pleistocene have also important effects on present genetic structures in a series of organisms from here. However recent genetic divergences are not always followed by measurable morphological differences, but can help to identify important Quaternary refugia in a series of most widespread temperate species. In our study we present two case studies of divergence and distribution in Pediciidae (Insecta, Diptera) in the Carpathians. Pedicia (Amalopis) occulta and Pedicia (Crunobia) littoralis complexes are represented by species with deeply divergent morphological and/or genetic structuring in the Carpathian area in relation with continuous evolutionary changes fallowing ecosystem dynamics during the Pliocene-Pleistocene climate changes. Graduated forest-fragmentation and aridization during the Pliocene period can likely be considered as inductors of their evolutionary processes. Once they have been formed, a number of cold-stenothermic Pedicia species, like P. fusca, or P. nielseni were able to survive Quaternary glaciations in multiple extra-Mediterranean refugia in or near the Carpathian area. Their present population genetic structures reflect different levels of isolation in one or more micro-refugia in the Carpathians which are highly repetitive with a series of refugia already identified in the case of other cold-stenothermic aquatic insects (e.g., caddisflies).
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