In this paper we present an unusual case of cocoons produced by larvae of Tenebrionid Alphasida (Glabrasida) puncticollis
(Solier, 1836), which has been observed on the islet of Lampione (Sicilian Channel). Pupal cocoons have never been recorded for
species belonging to this genus, and their occurrence results rarely documented within the family Tenebrionidae. Some ecological implications are discussed

Lo Cascio, P.

Massa, B.

In this paper we present an unusual case of cocoons produced by larvae of Tenebrionid Alphasida (Glabrasida) puncticollis
(Solier, 1836), which has been observed on the islet of Lampione (Sicilian Channel). Pupal cocoons have never been recorded for
species belonging to this genus, and their occurrence results rarely documented within the family Tenebrionidae. Some ecological implications are discussed

Lo Cascio, P

MASSA, Bruno

Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Università di Palermo

Pietro LO CASCIO & Bruno MASSAA previously unreported nymph cocoon of Alphasida puncticollison the islet of Lampione (Sicilian Channel)(Coleoptera Tenebrionidae)Abstract - In this paper we present an unusual case of cocoons produced by larvae of Tenebrionid Alphasida (Glabrasida) puncticol-lis (Solier, 1836), which has been observed on the islet of Lampione (Sicilian Channel). Pupal cocoons have never been recorded forspecies belonging to this genus, and their occurrence results rarely documented within the family Tenebrionidae. Some ecological im-plications are discussed.Riassunto - Prima osservazione di bozzolo ninfale per Alphasida puncticollis nell’isolotto di Lampione (Canale di Sicilia) (Coleop-tera Tenebrionidae).Un inusuale caso di produzione di bozzoli a opera delle larve del Tenebrionide Alphasida (Glabrasida) puncticollis (Solier, 1836), os-servato nell’isolotto di Lampione (Canale di Sicilia), viene descritto e illustrato nel presente contributo. Lo svolgimento dello stadioninfale entro bozzoli costituisce un aspetto inedito della biologia delle specie appartenenti a questo genere e, in generale, risulta rara-mente documentato per i Tenebrionidi. Vengono discussi alcuni aspetti ecologici relativi alle osservazioni descritte.Key-words: pupal biology, nymph cocoon, Alphasida puncticollis, Coleoptera Tenebrionidae, Pelagie Islands.BOLL. SOC. ENTOMOL. ITAL., 142 (2): 81-84 30 LUGLIO 201081INTRODUCTIONTenebrionids (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae) areone of the largest beetle families at global level, ex-tremely common and widespread in differenthabitats, where it can represent a conspicuous partof the local invertebrate biomass, both as adults andlarvae (Doyen & Tschinkel, 1973; Thomas, 1979).However, most part of the studies on their imma-ture stages has been focused on species witheconomical relevance (see Watt, 1974; Lawrence &Spilman, 1991 and references therein), such as thosewith cosmopolitan or wide distribution, whose lar-val development is associated to storage products.On the contrary, for many other tenebrionids, bio-logical information are scattered or lacking. In thispaper we present an unusual case of cocoons pro-duced by larvae of Tenebrionid Alphasida(Glabrasida) puncticollis (Solier, 1836).MATERIAL AND METHODSDuring a field trip on Lampione Islet(35°33’00”N 12°19’11”E, Sicilian Channel) in lateAugust 2008, one of us (BM) had the opportunity toobserve and collect several pupal cocoons of Alphasidapuncticollis, containing tenerals together with the pu-pal exuviae (Fig. 1) or recently abandoned after adultemergence. We put together all the bibliographic ref-erences and some unpublished data on this subject.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONAlphasida puncticollis is a 10-12 mm longtenebrionid occurring in NE Algeria, Tunisia, andin Lampedusa and Lampione (Pelagie Islands); thislatter population, originally ascribed to A. tirellii,was referred to the subspecies moltonii (Canzoneri,1972), endemic to the islet. Alphasida species areadapted for burrowing into substrates, occupying thesame habitats of their larvae, and have essentiallydetritivorous habits (Doblas Miranda, 2007), as mostpart of darkling beetles (Calkins & Kirk, 1973), evenif they can also use other types of food resources(Sánchez-Piñero & Avila, 2004). Adults have noc-turnal habits and their life is shorter compared toother tenebrionids (about 30 days: Viñolas &Cartagena, 2005). On Lampione Islet, active adultsand larvae have been commonly observed from latewinter to summer (PLC, pers. obs.). Despite the ap-parently wide phenology of both adult and larvalstages, so far pupal cocoons were found only in sum-mer, in the ground or under stones. Their shape issub-spherical, with an external diameter rangingfrom 17.7 to 22.8 mm, while the irregular thicknessof each cocoon ranges from 2.0 to 7.3 mm. The co-coons are composed by an internal cavity having asmooth surface and an outer wall of slightly rugoseappearance (Fig. 2). The structure is made up of finesand, debris, and includes minute calcareous parti-Boll. Soc. Entomol. 142-2 new1  14-07-2010  16:24  Pagina 81LO CASCIO & MASSA82cles and vegetal matter, probably cemented with fae-ces. Apart from the smaller size, these cocoonsresemble considerably those of some ScarabaeoideaCetoniinae. It is still unclear if the larva builds itscocoon in external environment or underground,even if this latter evenience seems seriously hind-ed by soil structure, as the pedogenesis on the isletis strongly affected by wind-erosion and the sub-strates are largely characterized by lithosoils andcalcareous outcrops (Pasta, 2002). Pupal cocoonshave never been recorded for species belonging tothe genus Alphasida Escalera, 1905, and their oc-currence results rarely documented within thefamily. Pupation takes place inside a cocoon in somespecies living in fungi, such as Diaperinae (Leschen,1991), or in hollow trunks of dead trees, such as Pri-onychus ater (Fabricius, 1775), P. melanarius(Germar, 1813), Pseudocistela ceramboides (L.,1761) (F. Soldati, pers. comm.) and perhaps in oth-er Alleculinae. Species inhabiting deserticenvironments show several pre-imaginal adaptations,as the sand-covered silken tubes used by larvae ofsome Drosochrini and Opatrini (Schulze, 1975), butjust for Parastizopus armaticeps (Peringuey, 1892)the occurrence of pupal cocoons has been record-ed (Rasa, 1994; 1998). Concerning the non-feedingpre-imaginal stages of Mediterranean darkling bee-tles, no data have been found in literature, and fewinformation are due to occasional rearing of captiveanimals; e.g. for some species living in the groundthe costruction of earthen pupal cells has been ob-served (Blaps lusitanica Herbst, 1799: F. Soldati,pers. comm.). Finally, in other micro-insular envi-ronments (Aeolian Archipelago, S Tyrrhenian)inhabited by the congeneric Alphasida grossa(Solier, 1836), pupae were occasionally found un-der stones or in the litter during summer, while pupalcocoons have never been observed (PLC, pers. obs.).In contrast to its uncommonness within Tenebrion-idae, the construction of pupal cocoons resultswidespread among insects (see Grimaldi & Engels,2005 and references therein), including othercoleopteran groups with adecticous exarate pupae(Lawrence, 1991), such as the above-mentioned Ce-toniinae, or some Staphylinidae (Staniec, 2004).Insect cocoons are frequently built using silk, butcan incorporate material from the surroundings, suchas faeces, vegetal matter, sand, clay. In mostspecies they represent a protection against envi-ronmental damages, attacks by natural enemies(Danks, 2002), or the way to cross over the cold sea-son (Danks, 2004). Some studies put also inevidence their protective function against dry envi-ronments and/or dryness, showing that cocoons actas a humidity buffer and reduce transpiration of theiroccupants (Nowbahari & Thibout, 1990; Rosner &Führer, 1996; Tagawa, 1996), even if this role hasseldom been tested experimentally (Danks, 2002).Anyway, since the pioneer observations carried outby Fabre (1897) it is well known that an excessivedryness can seriously hinder the adult emergence inover-summering beetles from their cocoons. No da-Figs 1-2. Alphasida puncticollis: 1 - Section of a nymph cocoon from Lampione Islet containing a teneral and its pupalexuvia; 2 - the remains of a nymph cocoonBoll. Soc. Entomol. 142-2 new1  14-07-2010  16:24  Pagina 82A previously unreported nymph cocoon of Alphasida puncticollis on the islet of Lampione83ta about the climate of Lampione Islet are available,although it should not differ significantly from thatof the nearby island of Lampedusa, with an aver-age annual rainfall and temperature, respectively, of320 mm and 19 °C (Pasta, 2002). During the xericseason (from early April to late October), rainfallgenerally results lesser than 35 mm and averagemonthly temperature ranges from 18.7 to 26.1 °C(Vittorini, 1973). Therefore, several environmentalfactors (e.g. a prolonged and strong drought peri-od, the scattered vegetation occurring on the flat top,the scarce soil restricted to the calcareous rockcrevices) could represent as many unfavourable con-ditions for over-summering immature tenebrionids,in particular during the phase characterized by re-duced mobility. The pupation strategy observed inAlphasida of Lampione places some unresolvedproblems. From the available data, as above men-tioned, it results to be the first case recorded for thespecies belonging to this genus. Anyway, further in-vestigations are needed in order to clarify if, in otherpopulations of Alphasida puncticollis, pupae de-velopment takes place inside a cocoon, andeventually the significance of this distinctive traitof the species life-history in evolutionary terms; orif it represents a peculiar and/or seasonal adaptationunder environmental constraints, such as several be-havioral modifications occasionally recorded forother insects (Danks, 2007).ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe are grateful to Fabien Soldati, who kindly pro-vided his personal observations and unpublished data onthe biology of darkling beetles; to Julio Ferrer, RolandGrimm, Harol Labrique, and Piero Leo, for their usefulsuggestions.REFERENCESCALKINS C. O. & KIRK V. M., 1973 - Distribution and movement of adult false wireworms in a wheat fields. Annals ofEntomological Society of America, 66: 527-532.CANZONERI S., 1972 - Nuovi dati sui Tenebrionidae di piccole isole italiane, con descrizione di Alphasida tirellii molto-nii n. ssp. (XXVIII Contributo alla conoscenza dei Tenebrionidi). Atti della Società italiana di Scienze naturali edel Museo civico di Storia naturale di Milano, 113: 288-296.DANKS H. V., 2002 - Modification of adverse conditions by insects. Oikos, 99: 10-24. DANKS H. V., 2004 - The role of insect cocoons in cold conditions. European Journal of Entomology, 101: 433-437.DANKS H. V., 2007 - The elements of seasonal adaptations in insects. Canadian Entomologist, 139: 1-44.DOBLAS MIRANDA E., 2007 - Ecología de los macroinvertebratos edáficos en un ecosistema árido mediterráneo. Ph. D.Dissertation, Universidad de Granada.DOYEN J.T. & TSCHINKEL W. F., 1973 - Population size, microgeographic distribution and habitat separation in some Tene-brionid beetles (Coleoptera). Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 67: 617-626.FABRE J.-H., 1897 - Souvenirs entomologiques: étude sur l’instincte et les moeurs des insectes. 5. Librairie Delagrave,Paris, 355 pp.GRIMALDI D. & ENGEL M. S., 2005 - Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 772 pp.LAWRENCE J. F., 1991 - Order Coleoptera, pp. 144-184. In: Stehr F.W. (ed.). Immature insects, 2, Kendall Hunt PublisherCompany, Dubuque.LAWRENCE J. F. & SPILMAN T. J., 1991 - Tenebrionidae (Tenebrionoidea) (including Alleculidae, Cossyphodidae, Lagri-idae, Nilionidae, Rhysopaussidae, Tentyriidae), pp. 520-528. In: Stehr F.W. (ed.). Immature insects, 2, Kendall HuntPublisher Company, Dubuque.LESCHEN R. A. B., 1991 - Fiber formation and pupal cocoon spinning in Platydema (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae; Dia-perinae). 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Entomol. 142-2 new1  14-07-2010  16:24  Pagina 83ROSNER S. & FÜHRER E., 1996 - Zur Überwinterungsstrategie der Kleinen Fichtenblattwespe, Pristiphora abietina Christ.(Hym. Tenthredinidae). Journal of Applied Entomology, 120: 225-230.SÁNCHEZ-PIÑERO F. & AVILA J. M., 2004 - Dung-insect community composition in arid zones of south-eastern Spain.Journal of Arid Environments, 56: 303-327.SCHULZE L., 1975 - A review of silk production and spinning activities in Arthropoda with special reference to spinningin Tenebrionid larvae (Coleoptera). Memoirs of the Transvaal Museum, 19: 1-51.STANIEC B., 2004 - The pupae of Ontholestes murinus (Linnaeus, 1758), Philonthus rectangulus Sharp, 1874 and a sup-plement to the pupal morphology of Philonthus succicola Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Genus, 15:37-46.THOMAS D. B., 1979 - Patterns in the abundance of some Tenebrionid beetles in the Mojave Desert. Environmental En-tomology, 8: 568-574.TAGAWA J., 1996 - Fuction of the cocoon of the parasitoid wasp, Cotesia glomerata L. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): pro-tection against desiccation. Applied Entomology and Zoology, 31: 99-103.VIÑOLAS A. & CARTAGENA M. C., 2005 - Fauna de Tenebrionidae de la Península Ibérica y Baleares. 1. Lagriinae y Pi-meliinae. Argania Editio, Barcelona, 428 pp.VITTORINI S., 1973 - Il bilancio idrico secondo Thorntwaite nelle isole di Stromboli, Ustica, Pantelleria e Lampedusa.Lavori della Società italiana di Biogeografia, (n.s.) 3: 13-20.WATT J. C., 1974 - A revised subfamily classification of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera). New Zealand Journal of Zoology,1: 381-452.LO CASCIO & MASSA84INDIRIZZO DEGLI AUTORIP. Lo Cascio, Associazione Nesos, via Vittorio Emanuele 24, I-98055 Lipari ME, Italy. plocascio@nesos.orgB. Massa, Dipartimento SENFIMIZO (Entomologia, Acarologia and Zoologia), viale delle Scienze 13, I-90128Palermo PA, Italy. zoolappl@unipa.itBoll. Soc. Entomol. 142-2 new1  14-07-2010  16:24  Pagina 84

A previously unreported numph cocoon of Alphasida puncticollis on the islet of Lampione (Sicilian Channel) (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae).

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A previously unreported numph cocoon of Alphasida puncticollis on the islet of Lampione (Sicilian Channel) (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae).

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