Distribution and biology of two Balkan scorpionflies, Panorpa rufostigma and P. lacedaemonia (Mecoptera: Panorpidae)

Two Balkan scorpionflies

Abstract

Background and purpose: Two scorpionflies, Panorpa rufostigma Westwood, 1841 and P. lacedaemonia Lauterbach, 1972, are poorly known and understudied from faunistic and ecological aspects. A review of published and new records of two species in the Balkan Peninsula and Crete is presented.

Material and methods: The scorpionflies were caught by various entomologists using a sweeping net, preserved in ethanol, and sent to the article authors.

Results: Altogether five unpublished records of P. rufostigma and 19 unpublished records of P. lacedaemonia are presented. The paper summarizes the data on the identification, phenology, altitude preferences and habitats of both species. Three collecting places of P. lacedaemonia in south Albania are the first records in the country. Color images detailing some morphological characters of P. lacedaemonia are presented for the first time.

Conclusions: Both species have a wider geographical distribution than previously known. The species P. rufostigma is a summer/autumn species preferring shrubby or semi-open stands, often of dry character. The species P. lacedaemonia occurs the whole year with two distributional peaks between and prefers forest or bushy stands, often by water.