Athalia longifoliae sp. rev., stat. nov., new for the Netherlands and Germany (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)

Abstract

Athalia longifoliae is removed from synonymy with A. circularis and is upgraded to the species level from A. circularis ssp. longifoliae. The species is recorded for the first time for the Netherlands (19 localities) and for Germany (one locality). Differences between A. longifoliae and A. circularis are described and some notes on the ecology of A. longifoliae are given. In the Netherlands A. longifoliae was found only in a few limited areas where its host, Veronica longifolia grows, whereas A. circularis is common throughout the Netherlands. As both taxa occur within the same geographical area, do not interbreed and occupy their own ecological niche, these is no reason to treat A. longifoliae as a subspecies of A. circularis