Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 281–281, 2014
Title: Professor L. Móczár is 100 years old
Download in Portable Document Format (pdf)
Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 283–305, 2014 Title: A checklist of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Western Himalaya, India
Authors: Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Ulfat Jan and Aijaz Ahmad Wachkoo* Authors' address: Department of Zoology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir – 190006, India; E-mail: *aijaz_shoorida@yahoo.co.in Abstract: A checklist of hoverfly species recorded from Indian Western Himalaya is reported based on literature records. Altogether 55 genera and 169 valid species are currently known from the area. Synonyms, notes about type localities, depositories and distribution are included. The list, which provides a synthesis of the regional taxonomical work carried out until now, can serve as a baseline survey for future studies. Key words: Diptera, Syrphidae, checklist, Himalaya, India. Download in Portable Document Format (pdf)
Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 307–312, 2014 Title: Margolethaeus, a new Lethaeini genus (Hemiptera: Rhyparochromidae) from the Oriental Region
Authors: László Zsalakovics and Előd Kondorosy Authors' address: University of Pannonia, Georgikon Faculty, H-8360 Keszthely, Deák Ferenc. u. 16, Hungary; E-mails: zsalakovicsl@gmail.com, kondorosy.ee@gmail.com Abstract: Margolethaeus maculatus gen. n., sp. n. (Hemiptera, Rhyparochromidae, Lethaeini) is described and discussed from NE India, Laos and Vietnam. The general habitus of the new genus is similar to Neolethaeus, but the wide pronotal and lateral margin, the absence of the distinct pronotal collar, the absence of the closed basal cell on the membrane and the small size make Margolethaeus different. Key words: Lygaeoidea, Margolethaeus maculatus, new genus and species, India, Laos, Vietnam. Download in Portable Document Format (pdf)
Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 313–324, 2014 Title: New additions to ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from India
Authors: Himender Bharti and Shahid Ali Akbar Authors' address: Department of Zoology & Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India; E-mails: himenderbharti@gmail.com, kingakbarali@gmail.com Abstract: Twenty species of ant genus Carebara Westwood are recognized from India including two species described as new and one representing new record to India. The 20 Indian species are: C. aborensis (Wheeler, 1913), C. asina (Forel, 1902), C. bengalensis (Forel, 1902), C. carinata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. dentata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. hornata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. lamellifrons (Forel, 1902), C. leei (Forel, 1902), C. lignata (Westwood, 1840), C. mukkaliensis sp. n., C. nayana (Sheela et Narendran, 1997), C. obtusidenta (Xu, 2003), C. propomegata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. raja (Forel, 1902), C. rectangulata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. rothneyi (Forel, 1902), C. similis (Mayr, 1862), C. spinata Bharti et Kumar (2013), C. terayamai sp. n., C. wroughtonii (Forel, 1902). Key to the major workers of the Indian species is provided. Key words: ants, Myrmicinae, Eastern Himalaya, Southwestern India, intercaste. Download in Portable Document Format (pdf)
Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 325–358, 2014 Title: Faunistic contributions to the Microchelonus Szépligeti species of the Palaearctic Region, with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae)
Author: Jenő Papp Author's address: Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1431 Budapest, Pf. 137, Hungary; E-mail: j.papp1933@gmail.com Abstract: Present state of the knowledge of the Palaearctic Microchelonus species: 1) In Tobias (2010) monographed 434 Microchelonus species occuring in the Palaearctic Region of which Tobias alone has described 379 new species during the last five decades. 2) His monographic survey essentially promoted the identification of the Palaearctic species. In the present contribution 86 known Microchelonus species are reported. The majority of them are new to the fauna of one, or more, countries in the region; the respective countries are marked with an asterisk (*) in the Faunistic List. Besides the 86 species two new species are added: M. moczari and M. spinulosus, they are compared to their nearest allies. Redescription is presented for the ”omitted” (nomen oblitum) species M. subsulcatus (Herrich-Schäffer, 1838) originally described in the genus Chelonus. Taxonomic notes and nearest allies of M. iranicus Tobias are presented. The total number of the Microchelonus species here treated is 88. With 95 linedrawn figures. Key words: known and new species, faunistic data, descriptions, nearest allies, checklist. Download in Portable Document Format (pdf)
Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 359–370, 2014 Title: Close nesting association of two ant species in artificial shelters: results from a long-term experiment
Authors: László Gallé, Orsolya Kanizsai, István Maák and Gábor Lőrinczi Authors' address: Department of Ecology, University of Szeged
H-6726 Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Hungary; E-mail: galle@bio.u-szeged.hu Abstract: Close nesting (real or quasi plesiobiosis) is the simplest form of spatial associations of heterospecific ant colonies that share the same microhabitat, but remain separate as individual units. We studied the tendency to close nesting between two ant species, Lasius psammophilus and Plagiolepis taurica, under slate plates used as artificial nesting sites during a 34 years long study period. 2410 nest records of 11 ant species were made under the plates, and a total of 181 close nesting associations were observed, most of which between L. psammophilus and P. taurica. The hypothesis of the weak antagonism between the two species was supported by (1) the rate of nesting associations, which was lower than expected from random probabilities; (2) the maximum of the index of avoidance, at intermediate densities; (3) the negative relationship between the unoccupied nesting shelters and the frequency of close nesting; (4) the tendency of individual and group level avoidance and (5) the low rate of interspecific aggression. The benefit of choosing favorable nesting sites and the risk of interspecific competition are in trade-off relation and the attractiveness of nesting shelters is the stronger constraint; therefore it can be regarded as the primary driver of the formation of spatial associations between the colonies of the two studied species. Key words: ants, plesiobiosis, competition, Lasius psammophilus, Plagiolepis taurica. Download in Portable Document Format (pdf)
Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 371–387, 2014 Title: Habitat requirements of the protected Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena); adult, egg and larval distribution in a highly degraded habitat complex
Authors: Noémi Örvössy1, Ádám Kőrösi2,3, Péter Batáry4, Ágnes Vozár5 and László Peregovits6 Authors' addresses: 1Institute of Ecology and Botany, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, H-2163 Vácrátót, Alkotmány u. 2–4, Hungary; E-mail: orvossyn@gmail.com Abstract: Habitat quality affects the presence and size of butterfly populations. Resources for all life stages must be found in a given or few habitat patches. Southern festoon (Zerynthia polyxena) is a vulnerable, but locally abundant species in Hungary. The larva requires birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis) as food plant. We examined the small scale habitat use of adults and distribution of eggs and larvae among different vegetation types to reveal the requirements of the species in all life stages. Transect counts were conducted in a tree plantation complex comprising four types of vegetation. Number (±SE) of adults, eggs and larvae were lowest in poplar plantation (adult 0.3±0.2, egg 1.1±1.1, larva 0.6±0.3). Medium amount of butterflies were observed in open (adult 8.3±2.9, egg 3.1±2.6, larva 3.1±1.9) and black-locust (adult 9.4±4.2, egg 12.7±4.9, larva 4.1±1.1) habitat. Number of butterflies was highest in hummocks (adult 13.5±1.5, egg 12.9±5.7, larva 8.4±2.1). Adults avoided bare ground. We encountered most eggs in dense food plant patches with high plants. Food plant height also positively influenced the occurrence of the larvae. Although distribution of adults and juvenile forms showed quite similar patterns, we could also reveal some differences that caused by different environmental conditions in distinct vegetation types. Our study stresses the importance of habitat quality, which affects population size of butterflies even in a highly degraded habitat complex. Key words: habitat quality, habitat patch, life stage, resource use, tree plantations. Download in Portable Document Format (pdf)
Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(4), pp. 389–400, 2014 Title: The habitat use and selectivity by topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva)
Authors: Balázs Csorbai1, Ádám Pereszlényi2, Róbert Kovács1, Béla Urbányi1 and László Horváth1 Authors' addresses: 1Department of Aquaculture, Institute of Environmental and Landscape Management, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Szent István University, H-2103 Gödöllő, Páter K. u. 1, Hungary; E-mail: csorbai.balazs@mkk.szie.hu Abstract: The topmouth gudgeon is an invasive species of the European fish fauna that causes problems not only as a competitor of native fishes in natural waters but also generates damages in pond fish farming. The behaviour of topmouth gudgeon has already been studied from a number of aspects, however, complex investigations on the habitat use of the species in invaded regions were not carried out yet. Here the habitat use of the fish in a close-to-nature pond system was examined with special, non-selective minnow traps and observations were subsequently complemented by aquarium experiments. Our findings revealed that in a pond inhabited by predator fish, topmouth gudgeon preferred the pelagial region, while in a pond free of predator fish, they preferred the littoral zone. The examined abiotic parameters had no effect on the habitat use of the fish. In a simplified artificial environment experiments have yielded the same results. The findings showed that topmouth gudgeon is rather flexible in adapting to the environmental conditions, the available nutrition base, but from the aspect of habitat use the most significant factor is probably the presence of predatory fish. The results can establish an effective suppression method of topmouth gudgeon populations with predator fishes. Key words: aquarium, habitat use, pond, predator, topmouth gudgeon.
2MTA–ELTE–MTM Ecology Research Group, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter s. 1/c, Hungary
3Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Glasshüttenstr. 5, 96181 Rauhenebrach, Germany
4Agroecology, Georg-August University, Grisebachstr. 6, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
5Ministry of Environment and Water, State Secretariat for Nature and Environment Protection, H-1011 Budapest, Fő u. 44-50, Hungary
6Pars Ltd, H-2094 Nagykovácsi, Rózsa u. 17, Hungary
2Department of Plant Taxonomy and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, Hungary