Pristiphora (Pristiphora) rufipes Serville 1823

Pristiphora (Pristiphora) rufipes Serville, 1823

(Figs 2, 4, 8, 10)

Pristiphora rufipes Serville, 1823: 75 (original description).

Pristiphora alnivora: TORKA (1934):301 –304 (larval development); LORENZ & KRAUS (1957): 190 (larval description, host plant); KONTUNIEMI (1960): 72 (host plant).

Pristiphora rufipes: LACOURT (1999):219 (host plant); HELLRIGL (2007): 223 (larval development, host plant); LISTON (2011): 191 (host plant).

Pristiphora aquilegiae: LISTON (1995): 131 (host plant); TAEGER et al. (1998): 114 (host plant).

Material examined. CZECH REPUBLIC: BOHEMIA centr.: Louny distr., Cikánský dolík NR (5749), 28.v.2015, 12 larvae on Aquilegia vulgaris, J. Macek lgt. & det. (NMPC).

Description of the last instar larva. Body length 12–13 mm. Colour. Head yellow green, with brownish reticulate texture on vertex; trunk green with translucent dark blood vessel margined by white strips of fat body.

Morphology. Head with scattered erect setae; clypeus with four setae, labrum symmetrical, deeply emarginated anteriorly, with four setae; mandibles with one seta; stipes with no setae; palpifer with two setae; the second segment of palpus with one seta; trunk cuticle finely granulose; prothorax (four annulets): first annulet with 3+3 setae, second annulet with 9–10 setae, fourth annulet with 4 setae, lateral lobe with 3 setae, suprapedal lobe with 2–4 setae; mesothorax (four annulets): first annulet with 6 setae, second annulet with 8 setae, lateral lobe with 6–7 setae, suprapedal lobe with 3–5 setae; metathorax (four annulets): first annulet with 4 setae, second annulet with 6 setae, third annulet 10 setae, lateral lobe with 6–7 setae, suprapedal lobe with 4 setae; abdominal segments (III–VII) (six annulets): second annulet 7–8 setae; fourth annulet 8–10 setae; first postspiracular lobe with 3 setae; second postspiracular lobe with 3 setae; subspiracular lobe with 4–5 setae; suprapedal lobe with 3–6 setae; supraanal and subanal lobes with scatterd long setae.

Notes on identification. Compared to Pristiphora sareptana, the larvae of P.rufipes differ in the absence of the black basal rings surrounding the setae on the thorax and lateral lobes of trunk segments (Figs 8a,b), as well as in oligophagy on columbines (Aquilegia spp.).

Bionomics. Habitat: mesophilous species, inhabiting deciduous and mixed forests, meadows, forest clearings, forest paths, parks, gardens; bivoltine/trivoltine; flight period from April to September; larval period from the end of April to September. Host plants: columbines (Aquilegia spp.) including garden cultivars (LACOURT 1999, LORENZ & KRAUS 1957); e.g., Aquilegia atrata (LISTON 2011), A. coerulea (HELLRIGL 2007), A. chrysantha (TORKA 1934), A. flabellata (HELLRIGL 2007), A. olympica (LISTON 2011), A. vulgaris (KONTUNIEMI 1960, TAEGER et al. 1998, HELLRIGL 2007). Mature larvae build a solid cocoon covered with soil particles, in which they also hibernate.

Discussion. The larva was described in detail by LORENZ & KRAUS (1957), the larval development by TORKA (1934) and HELLRIGL (2007). A redescription of the larva is provided here to facilitate comparison with the other Pristiphora larvae treated here.

Distribution. Palaearctic: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland. Introduced to Canada (TAEGER & BLANK 2011).