Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 79. (Budapest 1987)

Altenhofer, E. ; Zombori, L.: The species of Heterarthrus Stephens, 1835 feeding on maple (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATION ALI S HUNGARICI Tomus 79. Budapest, 1987 p. 185-197. The species of Heterarthrus Stephens, 1835 feeding on maple (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) by E. ALTENHOFER, Groß Gerungs & L. ZOMBORI, Budapest E. ALTENHOFER & L. ZOMBORI: The species of Heterarthrus Stephens, 1835 feeding on maple (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). — Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 1987 79: 185-197. Abstract — Six Heterarthrus species : leucomelus (KLUG, 1814), aceris (KALTENBACH, 1856), flavicollis (GUSSAKOVSKIJ, 1947), imbrosensis SCHEDL, 1981, healyinom. n. (pro Phyllotoma aceris MCLACHLAN, 1867) and cuneifrons sp. n. feeding on maple (Acer spp.) are discussed in detail. With 18 figures. The aceris-grouv of species in the genus Heterarthrus STEPHENS, 1835 has always presented problems to the specialists. This was not only due to the small number of specimens available for study but also to the inadequate knowledge, especially of the early life history of the species concerned. Thus, works going into details are always much welcome, since the solution of long-standing problems renders sound basis for further study. The hereunder presented contribution is somewhat extraordinary, since out of the six species the type of two was unavailable, therefore, the authors had to rely wholly on the original descriptions and on the relevant literature sources. The authors did not spare time nor sinew to find the place of deposition of these two types, unfortunately, without success. Thus, the types of the species Phyllotoma aceris KALTENBACH, 1856 and Phyllotoma aceris MCLACHLAN, 1867 have not been recovered, since the museums: British Museum (Natural History), London (J. Quinlan), Commonwealth Institute of Entomology, London (I. Gauld), Museum für Naturkunde (Zoologisches Museum), Berlin (G. Königsmann), Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien (Dr. M. Fischer), The Castle Museum, Norwich (Dr. T. Erwin), to which we had sent letters of request were wholly unaware of their whereabouts. Notwithstanding, the help of the above colleagues, in trying to locate the types of these two species, is much appreciated and whole-heartedly thanked also herewith. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The species of Phyllotoma aceris KALTENBACH was described in the Verhandlungen in 1856. The original description is not long, thus, it is difficult to readily apply the features to any species of the aceris-group with certainty. However, the first part of the description deals with the feeding time of the larva (July and August) and with its food-plant: "Bergahorn (Acer pscudo-platanus)." The subsequent reference to this species is given on page 91 in the very comprehensive work of KALTENBACHS Pflanzen-Feinde, published in 1872. Here the author again described his own species and added some further notes, thereby modifying his original description : "Die minierende Larve lebt im Juni und Anfangs Juli in den Blättern des weissen Ahorn (Acer Pseudo-platanus), seltener in denen des Feld-Ahorn (Acer campestre)". The bionomical notes arc followed by the description of the larva and the adult. His additions and obvious corrections, we are sure, were added after having read the description of R. MCLACHLAN'S Phyllotoma aceris sp. n. and CH. HEALY'S observations on the MCLACHLAN species published in 1867. From here onwards the various authors, including KALTENBACH