Search

Pelamera atra (Rondani, 1861) is an enigmatic species of bristle fly that has been challenging dipterologists with regard to its taxonomic position within the family Tachinidae since it was first described. The species is rarely collected and is only known from a handful of female specimens. The first ever male specimen of P. atra was collected in southern Italy in 2017, and it allowed for the discovery of its unique terminalia. The present paper provides the first description of a male of P. atra and presents new insights about its phylogenetic position within the family based on molecular data. A maximum likelihood analysis was conducted on a selection of tachinid taxa using sequences of two nuclear protein-coding genes (CAD and MCS) to formulate the first hypothesis concerning the phylogenetic placement of P. atra. Phylogenetic analyses reconstructed P. atra as a member of the Tachininae sister to the (Loewiini + (Polideini + Ernestiini)) clade. This reconstruction challenges previous attempts at classifying Pelamera based on female external morphology, which instead suggested a close affinity to the tribes Brachymerini or Minthoini. Due to the morphological distinctiveness of this taxon, we here propose the placement of P. atra in the monotypic tribe Pelamerini stat. rev. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper reports data on the biology of eleven species of tachinid flies collected in Italy and Spain on different host plants and emerged from different host larvae. An annotated list of the eleven species emerged from the collected lepidopterans is provided; information about distribution and biology are given as well as the description of their puparia. Two new parasitoid species of the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) Lobesia botrana were recorded: Clemelis massilia, whose host preferences were unknown so far, and Neoplectops pomonellae. A list of lepidopteran pest species with their associated plants and tachinid parasitoids is then given in order to highlight the relationships among the three components of the biocenosis (plant, herbivore and parasitoid). Eventually, due to the great economic importance of L. botrana in viticulture, a preliminary identification key to the puparia of its tachinid parasitoids is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies on butterfly ecology and biology of Melitaeini butterflies have been carried out in the past, however the factors affecting butterfly mortality and the role of natural enemies on population dynamics are not yet fully known. Larval survival plays a key role in determining butterfly population size and distribution range; thus, knowing the sources and variation in larval mortality is essential understanding and predicting population dynamics. Butterfly larval mortality is generally ascribed to abiotic factors, predators and parasitoids (mainly Diptera and Hymenoptera). Among Diptera, tachinids parasitize primarily larval Lepidoptera. In this paper, we report the results of 5-year observations in the wild and captivity on the tachinids, Erycia furibunda and E. festinans, parasitoids of caterpillars of a population of Euphydryas aurinia spp. provincialis and Melitaea cinxia in Central Italy revealing their host specifity. The hosts, E. aurinia and M. cinxia, and parasitoids, E. furibunda and E. festinans, inhabit the same habitat and their life cycles highly overlap, nevertheless, the parasitoids maintain their host specifity: E. furibunda as parasitoid of E. aurinia; E. festinans as parasitoid of M. cinxia. This was confirmed by our findings during the butterfly breeding activities carried out for over five years. Although the role of chemical cues in host finding requires further research, according to our observations the presence of only E. furibunda on larval webs of E. aurinia let us suppose that the mechanism by which E. furibunda locates its host could be based on olfactory cues emitted by feeding damage to host plants that act from afar. Similarly, the mechanism of host finding used by E. festinans could act to select its host, M. cinxia. Furthermore, we illustrate some diagnostic features of adults for the identification of the studied parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. 1. We analysed the canopy and understorey communities of flies in the family Tachinidae, the most diverse group of parasitoid Diptera, in a small and isolated temperate plain forest in northern Italy. Our objective was to assess whether and how these communities differ from one another, and how species distribution relates to forest structure, host distribution, mating sites, and season. 2. The study was carried out in 2008 with 14 Malaise traps installed between April and November in an equal number of sites randomly selected inside the forest, seven on the ground and seven in the tree canopy. 3. Overall species richness, abundance, and turnover were greater in the understorey traps, but most diversity metrics indicate greater overall diversity and evenness in the canopy traps. Community ordination and estimates of beta diversity indicate that the two habitat-associated communities are distinct and should both be considered in assessments of insect diversity and community structure. Indicator species values revealed the presence of a number of species that were effective indicators of canopy and understorey habitats. No strong male bias in canopy traps was observed across species; however, the only significant sex ratio biases in the canopy were towards males. Both male and female biases were observed in understorey traps, depending upon the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]