Archiv der Entomologica Austriaca

Hoverfly assemblages in three different habitat types of the Gesäuse National Park – semi-natural beech-(fir)-spruce forests, former spruce plantations and avalanche corridors – were investigated. Three areas of each habitat type were sampled with the help of a butterfly net and coloured pan traps from May to August 2013. In total 102 species of Syrphidae with 1841 individuals were found, including the first record of Xanthogramma stackelbergi in Austria. Hoverfly assemblages exhibited distinct differences between habitats. Indicator species could be identified for each of them. Avalanche corridors offering high flower abundance exhibited the highest species richness. Most individuals, however, were recorded in the spruce plantations, which probably served as retreats from the heat on hot summer days. Differences in species richness were less pronounced between the two forest types. Surprisingly spruce plantations exhibited a relatively high species richness, which could partly be attributed to a higher flower abundance due to management procedures. Beech-(fir)-spruce forests exhibited the highest amount of variation in species richness and hoverfly abundance between sites, but contained most saproxylic species, which represent an important component of forest ecosystems. More species as well as more individuals were caught with the butterfly net than with pan traps at comparable effort. Species composition, however, differed between the two methods, indicating that several methods should be applied for a complete species inventory.

In the lowlands of Eastern Austria the morphology of three running waters situated in four near-natural retention areas was evaluated by dragonfly surveys. In line with the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive, the Dragonfly Association Index was applied to assess the differences between the current odonate fauna and the rivertype-specific reference conditions. The ecological status of the four river sections was classified as “high” and “good” respectively, due to the increased sinuosity of the rivers, the in-stream habitat heterogeneity and the pronounced lateral connectivity by creating backwaters. These measures provided a mosaic of different habitats for both, rheophilic and limnophilic dragonfly species. A total of 38 species were recorded in the four retention areas, which correspond to 49 % of the Austrian dragonfly inventory of 78 species; 33 species were classified as autochthonous in at least one of the investigation areas. The necessity of management measures for the dragonfly fauna, such as preventing tree canopy cover or mowing of reed, is pointed out.

Much of our crops are pollinated by insects. In this study we investigated, if bumblebees (Bombus) visit the flowers of the Styrian Oil Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo var. styriaca), because they are potentially more effective pollinators of pumpkin than honey bees. In Styria, six test fields were selected and supplemented with bumblebee colonies in the center of the fields, each field with two to three colonies of a different species (B. lapidarius, B. hortorum, B. pratorum, B. terrestris, B. hypnorum). The sixth field was used as control field, with no added colonies. The fields were sampled three times during the flowering season in 2014; every visitor within pumpkin flowers, such as bees (bumblebees, wild bees, honey bees), beetles, butterflies and hoverflies, was recorded. After harvest, the yield for each field was determined. Honey bees were the most abundant visitors of pumpkin flowers (86,1 %). Our results suggest B. hortorum to have a preference for the flowers of C. pepo var. styriaca. B. pratorum could be detected in the flowers as well, B. lapidarius was not recorded. The field with added B. hortorum hives produced 530 kg pumpkin seeds per hectare, which was the second highest amount of pumpkin seeds of our test fields. The highest crop yield per hectare was reached on the field supplemented with B. pratorum. Nevertheless, further studies have to be carried out to investigate, if the use of B. hortorum as pollinator best results in increased yield of pumpkin seeds.

Hemiptera records gained in July 2015 in course of the 7th European Hemiptera Congress in Styria are presented. In total, 144 Auchenorrhyncha, 143 Heteroptera, 13 Psylloidea and 2 Aphididae species were collected. Ribautodelphax imitans (Delphacidae), Eurhadina saageri (Cicadellidae), Notonecta maculata (Notonectidae), Notonecta meridionalis (Notonectidae) and Polymerus cognatus (Miridae) are new records for Styria.

Within the framework of the research on the weevil fauna of Greece the authors carried out a field trip to surroundings of Athens in June 2015 (1th June to 14th June). At the 14 study sites, over 200 weevil species were recorded. Selected species, weevil host plants and habitats are discussed in the report. The results will be added to the Online-Catalogue “The Curculionoidea Fauna of Greece” (BAHR et al. 2016).

On 22 October 2016, the Symposium “Zoological Nomenclature in change?”, organized by the Austrian Entomological Society (ÖEG) took place in Graz (Styria), Austria. The reason for this event was the election of Erna Aescht, Curator of Invertebrates (excluding insects) and Protistologist at the Biologiezentrum Linz, into the “International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature”. Before her only four Austrian scientists had been commissioners: Ludwig Graff de Pancsova (1851–1924), Anton Handlirsch (1865–1935), Wilhelm Kühnelt (1905–1988), and Reinhart Schuster (born 1930). The beginning of the digital era at the end of the 20th century has brought with it dramatic changes in the mode of publication of scientific papers, that are also relevant for taxonomy and nomenclature. Some current and acute problems are discussed. The scientific community of taxonomists urgently appeals to the Commission to define clear rules concerning dates of publication, including electronic publications in order to ascertain priority and stability of names.

Continuous transformations of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature and the “Code”: why, how, where, when? The 4th edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature comprises the preamble, 90 articles (grouped in 18 chapters) including 727 provisions and a glossary of 372 terms, which all are mandatory. In contrast, 120 illustrative examples and 131 recommendations are not binding. The index with 986 entries does not form part of the legislative text and is not exhaustive, but heavily cross-references the articles, recommendations and glossary. Since two Declarations (i. e. 44 and 45) have been added in 2003 and 2016, respectively, as well as an Amendment of Articles 8, 9, 10, 21 and 78 in 2012, the Code is no longer an entity. On 16 December 2015 seven new members joined the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature and afterwards it was decided to prepare the 5th edition of the Code. An innovation is that all Commission members are in the editorial committee. Six subcommittees, viz. on typification, stabilizing usage, rules of publication, Constitution and Bylaws, harmonization of Codes and Code clean‐up, will consider additions and changes of the next official version, prospectively coming into force on 1 January 2020.

Descriptions of new species without vouchers – the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature threatens taxonomy and museums. Following the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Article 73.1.4, new species may be established even if based only on illustrations, in absence of specimens. This Article recently used to describe a new species of African flies was considered as detrimental in several papers. The pros and cons are here discussed and a demonstration is given that all arguments believed to justify such species descriptions are ill-based. The practise, suggesting equivalence of physical specimens and virtual images, is potentially detrimental for both, taxonomy and museums of natural history.

Diethard Dauber, an excellent specialist of Cerambycidae, died in the evening of March 21, at the age of 74. He described 130 species of the family Cerambycidae new to science. He leaves a big gap as a friend and also as a scientist.

A brief report on the 7th European Hemiptera Congress, organised by the Austrian Entomological Society (ÖEG), the OEKOTEAM and the University of Graz, held in July 2015 in Seggau Castle near Graz (Austria), is presented. 100 participants from 25 countries gave 55 talks and presented 26 posters, making the congress a very interesting and successful event.