Monoxia obesula Blake, 1939, a species native to the U.S.A. and adventive to Sardinia, Italy (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Galerucini)

Abstract

Monoxia obesula Blake, 1939, a species native to North America, is newly found in Sardinia, Italy. This discovery constitutes the first report of the species from Europe, as well as the first report from outside of the U.S.A. The species is redescribed and illustrated, and errors in the original description are corrected. Host plants are species of Atriplex and Chenopodium occurring in saline habitats.

Archophileurus spinosus Dechambre, 2006 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae), a new exotic scarab possibly acclimatized in Italy, with a compilation of exotic Scarabaeidae found in Europe

“…Every year new exotic beetles are intercepted in the main arrival points; however, these likely constitute only a limited fraction of the actual arrivals. It is interesting to note that most of the exotic species recently found in Italy have been captured in the natural environment already, and they probably have stable populations (Clark et al 2014;Zappi 2014;Salvato & Uliana 2016;Toma et al 2017;Guariento et al 2019;Mola & Yoshida 2019;Forbicioni 2019;Ruzzier & Colla 2019). The presence of Archophileuru spinosus in Apulia, although totally unexpected, is perfectly in line with the aforementioned records: beetles that usually escape the main control procedures or that are not targeted by the most-used monitoring systems.…”

Spread of the ragweed leaf beetle, Ophraella communa LeSage, 1986 (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae), in Piedmont Region (northwestern Italy)

“…7). In Europe, Ophraella is most similar to Monoxia LeConte, another North american genus that has recently been discovered in Italy (Clark et al, 2014). However, adults of the adventive species of Monoxia are only 2.4-3.7 mm long, the elytral markings (when present) are mostly in the form of isolated spots rather than vittae, many specimens have a deflexed pygidium, and the females have simple rather than bifid tarsal claws.…”

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Lema bilineata (Germar), a New Alien Invasive Leaf Beetle for Europe, with Notes on the Related Species Lema daturaphila Kogan & Goeden

“…Hitherto, only 14 alien invasive leaf beetle species have been reported in Europe (mostly in southern countries), representing just a small percentage (0.9%) of the total European fauna of leaf beetles, but their number is continuously increasing. Indeed, to the list recently presented in [51], which includes the iconic case of Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say and the cryptogenic devastating species Epitrix papa Orlova-Bienkowskaja, as E. similaris (Gentner), three more alien invasive leaf beetles have been added in Europe during the last decade: Ophraella communa LeSage [52], Monoxia obesula Blake [53] and Colasposoma dauricum [54]. Lema bilineata is the first alien invasive Criocerinae reported in Europe.…”