Similar rose chafer
| Similar gold beetle | ||||||||||||
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Similar rose chafer (Protaetia affinis) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Protaetia affinis | ||||||||||||
| ( Andersch , 1797) |
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Fig. 1: left: female in top view, right: same beetle from below |
Fig. 2: head |
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Fig. 3: Thighs of the hind leg above male, below female |
Fig. 4: Pygidium comparison males females |
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Fig. 5: Top: Mesosternalfortsatz in plan view, right-hand half partly tinted below: Mesostermalfortsatz of the side outline of dashed tightened green: Mesosternalfortsatz yellow: hip and thigh of the left- ken, middle leg |
 
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Fig. 6 Knee of the hind leg (left thigh) |
Fig. 7 white arrow: front corner of the breast shield |
 
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Fig. 8: Aedeagus, top view on the left and partially colored, green on the right : inner leaf blue: outer leaf white: dorsal gap Arrowhead: small teeth |
The Similar rose chafer ( Protaetia affinis ) is a beetle from the subfamily of the rose chafer , to the family of scarab beetles belongs. The genus Protaetia is represented in Europe with five subgenera. The similar rose beetle belongs to the subgenus Eupotosia , which, in addition to the similar rose beetle, is also represented in Europe with Protaetia (Eupotosia) mirifica . The species Protaetia affinis is usually represented in Europe in the subspecies Protaetia affinis affinis , a second subspecies Protaetia affinis tyrrenica can only be found in Corsica and Sardinia , possibly also in Italy and France .
Like all species of the Protaetia genus , the Similar Rose Beetle is particularly protected and strictly protected by the Federal Species Protection Ordinance (in Appendix 1 double-marked with a +).
Notes on the name
The beetle was described by Andersch in 1797 under the scientific name Cetonia affinis . The species name affinis ( lat. , Similar) can be explained by the fact that Andersch assesses the species as "similar to the superficial sight of the Cetonia fastuosa Fabricius (today Protaetia aeruginosa , the large rose beetle ), but the" variant (s ) [of] an already known kind (s) ... without imposing my belief on someone to be willing "considers itself to be a kind of its own. The German part of the name similar is only the translation of the Latin affinis .
From Mulsant & Rey the genre in 1871 Cetonia split while the subgenus Potosia defines which of Reitter was taken over as a genre and disassembled into subgenres. Eupotosia was only defined in 1954 and roughly corresponds to the subgenus Potosia s.str. from Reitter. The scientific name Potosia affinis for the similar rose chafer is widely used in the literature . According to Schenkling , the name Potosia comes from old Gr. πότος "pótos" derived for "drink" and alludes to the fact that the animals can be found on tree sap flowing out. The prefix Eu (old Greek ευ- eu) means beautiful , genuine .
The genus Protaetia was established by Burmeister in 1842 and the genus name was explained by himself. He is from old gr. προταίτιος “protaitios”, lat. “principalis”, meaning “first, imperial”, derived.
Bonelli described the species in 1801 under the name Cetonia quercus . The synonymy is attested by Burmeister. The name can be translated as oak rose beetle (Latin quercus for oak ). The beetle owes its name to the fact that it is mainly found in oak forests.
Characteristics of the beetle
With a length of 17 to 23 millimeters, the beetle is a large rose beetle, but on average smaller than the large rose beetle . On the top it is brilliantly shiny uniformly metal green or light golden green, but blue-green ( var. Mirifica ), copper-red (var. Pyrochrous ) and on top two-tone variants (var. Pyrodera ) are also described. White tomentose spots are usually absent, but there are also specimens with few and small spots on the wing covers (var. Albanotata ). Some authors consider some varieties to be subspecies, which in turn are broken down into varieties. An identification key for the different races and color variants can be found at Tauzin. The color of the underside is usually a little more blue, antennae and legs are often bluish. The beetle is slightly arched and bald on top.
The head shield is square, its front edge is curved up and bulged. It is cut out on the side above the feelers so that their point of deflection is visible from above. The antennae are ten-limbed, the last three limbs are lamellar-lengthened towards the front and together form a club. The forehead between the eyes is strong, simple and dotted at this point more densely than in Protaetia cuprea (Fig. 2).
The pronotum is evenly arched in front, not raised in the middle as in the large rose beetle. The sides of the pronotum are completely rimmed, the margin becomes significantly narrower towards the front, but reaches the front corners (white arrowhead in Fig. 7), while in Liocola lugubris the side edge of the pronotum disappears before it reaches the front corners. The pronotum base is clearly concave in front of the label , the sections adjoining on both sides are only vaguely concave. The label is elongated with a rounded tip.
The wing covers are pressed flat lengthways from the middle to the rear next to the seam (disk impression). This discal impression is clearly limited towards the front and does not flow into the area in front of it, as with the large rose beetle. The wing covers are very fine and scattered dotted , only in the area of the impression and laterally behind the shoulder are clear semicircular to horseshoe-shaped points formed, which form rows in the area of the disk impression. The wing covers ( elytres ) are still separated after hatching from the pupa and are inflated by hemolymph and brought into shape. The inner edges along the seam are designed so that the right Elytre forms a tongue and the left Elytre forms the matching groove , so that the two wing covers hook into each other and thus form a very solid connection. The label is symmetrically shaped with a bar on the lower edge on which the wing covers rest near the pronotum. This bar disappears from the middle under the label, which means that the tip of the label can rest on the elytres and limit them at the top, preventing excessive lifting and thus contributing to the stability of the connection. The separation of the individual cover wings from one another is reversible. The rear wings are unfolded for flying by slightly lifting the wing coverts and moved during flight with the wing coverts closed through a recess in the front area of the side edge of the wing coverts.
The middle chest ( mesosternum ) continues forward between the hips of the middle pair of legs. The shape, puncture and hairiness of this mesosternal process (Fig. 5) provide important identification features. The mesosternal process does not rise forward beyond the level of the mid-hip to a hemispherical termination as in the genus Cetonia , but it widens forward and is wider than it is long. It is large, smooth or at most very finely dotted and hairless. Viewed from above (Fig. 5 above) it widens very strongly at first, then weaker forward, and is cut off only slightly convex there. Viewed from the side (Fig. 5 below) it protrudes moderately forwards.
The legs are strong and suitable for digging. The rather weak tarsi are all five-part. The front rails are three-toothed in both sexes. The rear rails only have a cross bar that is slightly behind the center on the outside. The rear edge of the hind legs (in Fig. 3 the lower edge) in the male is drawn out in the outer third at an obtuse angle, like a tooth, cut out in an arc in front and behind (Fig. 3 top). In the female, the tooth is only hinted at and the section towards the base is almost straight (Fig. 3, bottom). The rear edge of the hind leg is not ciliated as in Protaetia cuprea , but rather bald (the hairs visible in Fig. 3 arise from the rear of the thighs). All splints have a conspicuously white hairy patch on each knee (Fig. 6).
The pygidium is simply arched in the males, flatter in the females and with two oblique impressions, which run from the back outside to the front upwards (Fig. 4).
As in many cases, the male genitals ( Aedeagus , Fig. 8) differ significantly in the outwardly very similar species. In all species of the genus, a base part (not color-coded) has two side parts (paramers) which enclose the penis.
In the case of the similar rose beetle, the outer edge of the parament is approximately parallel when viewed from above. The paramers are not elongated, but rather compact and less than twice as long as the aedeagus is wide. They are black-brown and often show a greenish metallic sheen (clearly visible in Fig. 8 in the uncolored left part of the top view). The paramers bend downwards behind the middle, their end part is very flat (side view in Fig. 8). The paramers distinguish between a more lateral outer leaf (lamina exterior, tinted blue on the right in Fig. 8 top view) and a predominantly overhead inner leaf (lamia interior, tinted green on the right in Fig. 8). The lamina interior is not simply rounded at the end, as in Protaetia cuprea , but has a sharp, backward-facing tooth on the outer edge far in front of the tip (black arrowhead in Fig. 8). Viewed from above, the tooth can protrude beyond the edge of the aedeagus so that the end section appears separated by the tooth (as in the case shown) - or the lamina exterior optically forms the lateral boundary and surrounds the tooth. Then, viewed from above, it is visible from the side over the entire length, otherwise it is covered by the lamina interior towards the tip. The lamina exterior has no tooth in the end area, while in Protaetia cuprea a tooth sits on the lamina exterior and the lamina interior is toothless. The dorsal inner margins of the two inner leaves are fused in the basal part but are deeply indented with longitudinal furrows. Then they separate and enclose the dorsal fissure (right half in Fig. 8 top view, colored white). Then the inner edges of the inner leaves approach each other again, the tips are not or hardly folded over one another.
biology
The warmth-loving beetle is a typical inhabitant of southern oak forests. It lives mainly in the crown area of old oaks. The beetle appears together with the shiny gold rose beetle in spring. From the beginning of June it can often be found en masse on the leaping oaks. There he licks the sap that leaks out due to injuries to the shoots, which are often caused by other insects. The beetle is also common on the blossoms of chestnuts . It can also be found on overripe fruits gnawed by other insects.
The beetle is diurnal and prefers the warmest time of the day for its activities. In contrast to other rose beetles, it often flies up and looks for another source of food. Over the course of the year, the beetle becomes increasingly rare and can hardly be found from September onwards. Finds in October are rare. At least hatched specimens hibernate late in the year. When breeding, they dig themselves fifteen to eight inches deep into the ground.
The larva usually develops in knotholes and woodpecker holes or other tree hollows in crumbling old oaks, in old oak stumps or in the humus of old oaks. The species is native to cork oak , holm oak , downy oak and sweet chestnut from the high forest to the garigue . However, the larva does not have very strict requirements when it comes to food, and can also be found in caves of the white willow . It also occurs in waste from sawmills or other vegetable waste, such as pomace . Larvae of other species of rose chafer have never been observed in tree hollows where the larvae were found. The microbiota may be too acidic or too dry for other species. During breeding, at least a high level of humidity causes an increased mortality of the larvae.
The development comprises three larval stages and normally takes a year, in cooler areas it can take two years.
distribution
The species is distributed from the Caucasus through southern Russia and southern Eastern Europe via Hungary and Austria to northern Italy and southern France , as well as Spain . The beetle is also widespread in the Mediterranean , but is absent in North Africa, the Balearic Islands , Cyprus and south of Turkey . In Switzerland the southern is Ticino populated. There are only old reports from southern Germany, where the beetle was previously reported from wine-growing areas, and from central France.
Recent surveys of find data from France show that the beetles are found almost exclusively at heights below 500 m. High heights (up to 2000 m) are presumably only reached during the search flights for new food sources in which thermal currents are exploited. The humid Atlantic climate is avoided.
In Spain the species was originally only known from the northeast, but has now also been reported from Salamanca and the province of Cáceres .
Web links
literature
- Heinz joy , Karl Wilhelm Harde , Gustav Adolf Lohse (ed.): The beetles of Central Europe . tape 8 . Teredilia Heteromera Lamellicornia . Elsevier, Spektrum, Akademischer Verlag, Munich 1969, ISBN 3-8274-0682-X . P. 362
- Klaus Koch : The Beetles of Central Europe Ecology . 1st edition. tape 2 . Goecke & Evers, Krefeld 1989, ISBN 3-87263-040-7 . P. 379
- Edmund Reitter : Fauna Germanica, the beetles of the German Empire, Volume II, KGLutz 'Verlag, Stuttgart 1909, p. 345
Individual evidence
- ^ Protaetia affinis in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved February 10, 2016
- ↑ Protaetia in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved January 23, 2016
- ↑ Eupotosia (subgenus) in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved February 10, 2016
- ↑ Distribution map affinis tyrrenica ( Memento from February 18, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Distribution map affinis affinis ( Memento from February 18, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Appendix 1 to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance
- ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (species)
- ^ Johann David Andersch: Entomological remarks ... in David Heinrich Hoppe: Entomological pocket book for beginners and lovers of this science 1797 p. 154 p. 160 f
- ↑ a b c E. Mulsant, Cl. Rey: Histoire naturelle des coléoptères de France Paris 1871 division p. 669 , affinis and synonym p. 672
- ↑ Edmund Reitter : Fauna Germanica, the beetles of the German Empire, Volume II, KGLutz 'Verlag, Stuttgart 1909 p. 345
- ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (genus)
- ↑ a b Hermann Burmeister: Handbuch der Entomologie 3rd volume Berlin 1842 Genus in the Google book search Synonym in the Google book search
- ^ A b G. Le Compte: "Sur Cetonia ( Potosia ) affinis et ses variétés" in Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France Paris 1906 p. 247ff
- ↑ Edmund Reitter: “Color aberrations of Potosia affinis Andersch” in Entomologische Blätter 5th year, No. 5, Nuremberg 1909, p. 182
- ↑ a b Pierre Tauzin: "Chorologie de Protaetia (Eupotosia) affinis en France" in Cetonimania Vol. 3, 4 - December 2008 pp. 114–147 ( PDF )
- ↑ Key Protaetia and Key for Eupotosia at coleo-net
- ↑ WF Erichson: Natural history of the insects of Germany 1st division Coleoptera Berlin 1845 Volume 3, Part 1 Part 1 p. 606
- ↑ René Mikšić: Tenth contribution to the knowledge of the Protaetia species Journal of the Working Group of Austrian Entomologists, 18th Jhg, No. 1 1966 distribution p. 11, parameters p. 28 fig. 7 and 8, distribution p.
- ↑ Albert Huber: The warmth-loving animal world of the wider area around Basel in Archives for Natural History 22nd year, Department A, 7th issue, Berlin 1916 p. 54
- ↑ Affinis distribution map ( Memento from February 23, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ E. Galante: Sobre los Escarabeidos (Col. Scarabaeidae) de la Península Ibérica in Boletín Asoc. Esp. Entom. Vol. 8 pag. 5-12, Salamanca June 1984 p. 6/8