Campylomorphus homalisinus (Elateridae): a new species for Lombardy (Italy), with notes on its ecology, distribution and biogeography

Abstract

Campylomorphus homalisinus has been found on Mt. Lesima (Northern Apennines) and it is the first record for the Lombardy region. C. homalisinus is a rare orophilous species: it has a discontinuous chorology that may have been caused by glaciers dynamics during the Pleistocene era. Little is known about the ecology of the species. This record and the expert-based investigation we performed determined that C. homalisinus inhabits shrublands and grasslands, but may also occur in the forests. This survey includes the only record of C. homalisinus foraging on flowers, a behavior that is not rare in the family Elateridae. We hypothesize that adults integrate their diet with flower resources according to a generalist strategy.

Keywords

• Campylomorphus homalisinus
• Coleoptera
• Flower visitor
• Flower Nectar
• Apennines
• Pleistocene Glaciations
• New record