Entomologica Austriaca 34

Rhysodes sulcatus (Fabricius, 1787) is among the rarest saproxylic beetles in Europe and is regarded as a strict primeval forest relict species sensu Eckelt (2017). In Austria, it was previously known only from a single record from Carinthia dating from 1983. Here, the discovery of R. sulcatus in Lower Austria is reported, representing the second confirmed national record after more than four decades. The record originates from an extensively managed forest within the Natura 2000 site “Kamp- und Kremstal” (site codes AT1207A00 and AT1207000) and is accompanied by the occurrence of several additional saproxylic beetle species of high conservation concern, including primeval forest relicts and species listed in Annex II or Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive (e.g. Lucanus cervus, Rosalia alpina, Cucujus cinnaberinus, Limoniscus violaceus and Osmoderma eremita sensu lato). The co-occurrence of multiple highly specialized and ecologically diverse saproxylic beetles within a managed forest indicates long-term structural habitat continuity and exceptional habitat quality. The findings suggest that a carefully applied, extensive forest management retaining large-diameter deadwood, habitat trees and a spatial network of unmanaged old-growth forest patches can maintain the structural and ecological prerequisites required for the long-term persistence of some of Europe’s rarest and most threatened saproxylic beetle species.

In the present study, variants of pronounced pruinescence are documented in several males and females of Lestes sponsa (Hansemann, 1823) recorded in eastern Austria. In males, this concerns not only the body regions typically exhibiting pruinescence, i. e. the prothorax, parts of the synthorax, and abdomen (S1, S2, S9, S10), but also the head, additional areas of the synthorax and abdomen (particularly S8), the anal appendages, legs, and wings. Of particular interest is the pruinescence of the ventral abdomen in females, which may be related to the duration of copulation. The enhanced pruinescence is discussed as phenotypic plasticity in response to climate‑change‑related increases in temperature and intensified UV radiation.