Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 36/1. (2016)
Zoology
Zaharia NECULISEANU 1. Pterostichus mutus (Say). 10-13.5 mm is monovoltine, spring-summer breeders species. Overwintered adults emerge from hibernation in early April. Both adults and larvae are predators, taken under logs and wood, collected in leaf-litter and by pitfall traps. We believe that this species is xylophilous (growing or living on or in wood) and maybe feeding on wood (xylophagous). Copulation was observed a few times toward the end of May and July night after 1.00 AM. Duration of copulation — 10 to 15 min. 2. Eggs were laid singly in the soil on different depth. Each female lay 45-57 eggs in its lifetime. Duration of egg stage - 4 to 6 ds. The length of egg is 1.2-1.4 mm; width is 0.7-0.8 mm. 3. This photo shows the LI; the length of LI on 2—3 ds is 4.5—5.5 mm., this instar lasted 5—6 ds, for LI cannibalism was not observed. 4. The second instar L2 were very active, cannibalism was observed two time. The length of L2 on 8—9 ds is 6.5-8.0 mm, this instar lasted 6—7 ds. 5.Body of L3 is cylindrical; head and thorax dark brownish-rufous; abdomen tergites with light brown plates. The length of this mature larva on 16-18 ds is 12-14 mm., on 28-29 ds (before pupation) 16.2-16.7 mm with width of head capsule 1.8—1.9 mm. The duration of the larval stage —29—30 ds. 6. Pupated in the soil in a specially constructed pupal chamber with a length 10—11 mm. and width 5—6 mm. The pupal stage lasted from 7 to 9 ds. The length of pupa is 7-8 mm, the width is 3.2-3.7 mm. The total development from the egg to adult lasted 40-44 ds. New adults began to emerge from Mid-July to late August. Adults with hight voracity could consume different kind of food. The old adults disappeared toward the Mid of August. Conclusions The results of research detected 14 carabid species of the tribe Pterostichini, belonging to genera Poecilus Bonelli (2 species), Stereocerus Kirby (1 species) and Pterostichus Bonelli (11 species). Native species represented 92.8% of all collected Pterostichini. One species is adventive Pterostichus melanarius, introduced from Palaearctic. This introduced to North America species has a wider distribution, but it is more frequently throughout the northern states and Canada. . It mainly prefers open habitat, is well adopted to agricultural field conditions and is abundant in many agricultural fields, occur in the forest and in the garden. Were describe in detail the biology and ecology (mating, oviposition periods, fecundity, the development period from eggs to adults, adult longevity, duration of each immature stage (egg-, larval-, pupal- stages), voltinism, feeding, cannibalism, predation etc.) of species Poecilus lucuhlandus, Pterostichus caudicalis, Pterostichus corvinus., Pterostichus mutus. Three of these species Poecilus lucuhlandus, Pterostichus caudicalis, Pterostichus mutus are monovoltine, springsummer breeders species, overwintered as adults (with spring-summer reproduction type), but Pterostichus corvinus maybe is a summer-autumn breeders species, overwintered as larvae (with summer-autumn reproduction type). Both adults and larvae of these species are predators; adults and larvae have a hight voracity and could consume different kind of food. Cannibalism was observed for first instar (LI) (Pt. caudicalis), for second instar (L2) and third instar (L3) (Pt. ebeninus, Pt. mutus) and for adults ({Pt. ebeninus). Mating of this species observed only at night, usually after 11.00 pm to 1.00 am; mating duration usually 10-15 min, but sometimes more than 3 hours (Pt.caudicalis). These results demonstrated that JBWR is an important area for invertebrates animals, especially for insects. The carabids and other group of insects observed and found in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during research period (Z.N., unpublished data) confirmed that this area has habitats with a good conditions for breeding, hibernation and for the maintenance of a high diversity and abundance. 74
