Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 36/1. (2016)
Zoology
NEW FAUNAL DATA ON SAPROXYLIC BEETLES (INSECTA: COLEOPTERA) FROM THE NATURA 2000 SITE “SIGHISOARA- I ARNAVA MARE” Petru Vasile ISTRATE Colegiul National “Alexandru Papiu Ilarian” Tirgu-Mure§ Str. Bernardy György nr. 12, RO-540072 Tirgu-Muref forest_dog_yellow@yahoo.com Abstract: The objective of this writing is to make known the results of the study of the inventory of the Saproxylic Beetles fauna from the Natura 2000 Site,”Sighi§oara-Tarnava Mare”, a project that was developed between 2011 and 2013. The insects collecting took place in a large area that include the extremities of the counties Mure?, Sibiu and Bra§ov, characterized by hills with forests of beech and oak. Due to the relative isolation in eastern Transylvania, the deficient transport network and the Saxon villages where traditional agriculture is still practiced, meadows with oaks and ancient forest were preserved in this area. This landscape represent a favorable habitat for developing of a diverse fauna. In the introduction, there are presented some ecological considerations linked to the Saproxylic Beetles and their role in keeping the forest as healthy as possible and ways to protect it as well. There is a characterization of the main habitats in which the forest vegetation is growing. The list of the Saproxylic Beetles species contains 138 species, belonging to 19 families and representing 80% of the total coleopteran species collected. They are a part of the big number of the collected species by the author in the study area. Some rare species are being included on the red list of some countries in Europe, including Romania, or on the lists of some nongovernmental organizations that fights to protect the natural habitat. Keywords: saproxylic, beetles, old trees, cerambycidae, lucanidae, Natura 2000 Introduction The beetles (Coleoptera), with more than 350,000 known species and with new species frequently discovered, rank as the largest order in the animal kingdom according to Liebherr. J. K. and McHugh, J.V. [7]. In Europe, beetles comprise several ten-thousand of species, exhibiting a rich variety of form as well as varied life-cycle strategies. [5]. The definition of the beetles we used for this list is one that was proposed by Alexander, K. [1] and shows their preference for the wood that had been attacked by the fungus and it doesn’t require old or dead trees. Saproxylic species which are involved in or dependent on wood decay caused by fungus or aging are associated with both living and dead trees. Conventionally two groups are being included in the definition: a) the ones that are associated with the sap running down the bark of trees, the species that are dependent on the flow of sap and b) other than fungal organisms that feed directly with wood. The Saproxylic Beetles are insects that are dependent in their larval development of the rotten wood and and therefore play an important role in decomposition processes and thus for recycling nutrients in natural ecosystems. It was found that the trees are being attacked by the M A R I S I A, XXXVI, p. 117-136
