Information regarding Pentatomoidea is scarce in Southern Italy, and in particular concering the Apulia region (Sourthern Italy), an area of high biodiversity potential. We conducted an extensive survey of Pentatomoidea fauna in the Alta Murgia National Park, a Site of Community Importance, and neighbouring areas located in central part of Apulia region. The survey was carried out in 2016, 2017 and 2020, sampling different habitat types. We found 55 species, with five new records for Apulia: Solenosthedium bilunatum, Acrosternum millierei, Sciocoris homalonotus, Cyphostethus tristriatus and Holcogaster fibulata. The polyphagous pest Halyomorpha halys was found only in urban areas, whereas Ventocoris falcatus, Ellipsocoris kalashiani and Tholagmus flavolineatus, considered rare species, were collected in dry grasslands, confirming the crucial role of natural habitat for biodiversity conservation.
Ellipsocoris kalashiani is recorded for the first time in Apulia (Southern Italy). The specie was described by Carapezza (2009) from Eastern Turkey and Western Armenia, but no records have ever been reported for Europe. Recently, few individuals of this species were found in Alta Murgia National Park (Apulia, Italy), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and Site of Community Importance (SCI), characterized by natural forests and dry grassland habitats, with Mediterranean-steppe vegetation. The specimens were collected in two different localities, about 40 km apart from each other, suggesting a long-standing presence in that area. This study provides the first report of the species for the Italian Heteroptera fauna and several hypotheses about its presence there. However, further investigations are needed in order to clarify some ecological aspects, such as its unknown host plant.
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