Biology of two European Tenthredo species (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) feeding on Gentiana

By

Liston, Andrew, 1978-
Altenhofer, Ewald
Netzberger, Romana
Prous, Marko

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

Deutsche entomologische Zeitschrift

Volume

67

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

13--18

Subjects

Gentianaceae , Host plants , Larvae , Sawflies , Symphyta , Tenthredinoidea

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Berlin Nicolai'sche Verlags-Buchandlung 1881-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/dez.67.49741

 

Abstract

Very few sawflies using Gentianaceae as larval host plants have been recorded. We identified larvae collected in Austria on Gentiana asclepiadea L. as Tenthredo atra Linnaeus, 1758 and T. propinqua Klug, 1817. If its current taxonomic circumscription as a single species is accepted, T. atra is a highly polyphagous species, whereas T. propinqua may be more specialised: Gentiana asclepiadea is its first recorded host. We sequenced plant DNA from the head of one T. propinqua larva, which confirmed that it had been feeding on this plant. This is the first recorded use of G. asclepiadea by sawfly larvae. Larvae are illustrated, and identification characters are described.