Roeseliana azami subsp. minor Nadig 1961
Creators: name: Massa, Bruno
name: Tagliavia, Marcello
name: Buzzetti, Filippo Maria
name: Fontana, Paolo
name: Carotti, Giovanni
name: Bardiani, Marco
name: Leandri, Fausto
name: Scherini, Roberto
name: Verde, Gabriella Lo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Tettigoniidae
Roeseliana
Roeseliana azami
Roeseliana azami minor nadig, 1961

description: Roeseliana azami minor Nadig, 1961
Figs. 2a, 2c, 2e, 2f, 3b, 3c, 5c, 5d, 5h, 5g, 5l, 7b, 7c, 7d, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 11, 22e, 22f, 22g, 23e, 23f, 24e, 24f
Nadig, 1961. Mitt. Schweiz. Ent. Gesellsch, 34: 286 (Roeseliana azami minor); type locality and depository: Switzerland, Ticino, Piano Scairolo (MHNG, Geneva).
Material examined. Switzerland, Ticino, Piano Scairolo (holotypus ♁) (MHNG); Italy, Lombardy, Adda river, South Olginate 14.VII.1960, A. Nadig (1♁, 1♀) (MfN); same data (1♁, 1♀) (NMP); Italy, Piedmont, Biella, Zumaglia (Ponte Rio) 10–16.VIII.1973, F. Capra (12♁, 24♀); Italy, Lombardy, Crema 11–12.VIII.1954, F. Capra & B. Baccetti (2♁, 2♀); Italy, Lombardy, surr. Pavia 5.VIII.1954, G. Domenichini (1♁); Italy, Lombardy, San Donato (Lodi) 21.VII.1950, G. Domenichini (1♁, 3♀); Italy, Lombardy, surr. Milano 1948, G. Domenichini (1♀); Italy, Lombardy, Arcisate (Varese) IX.1955, D. Guiglia (1♁, 1♀) (MSNG); Switzerland, Ticino Valley, Piano Scairolo 16.VI.1960, A Nadig (1♁, 1♀ paratypes); Italy, Piedmont, Leinì (Torino) IX.1972, G. Osella (2♀); Italy, Piedmont, Lombardore (Torino) 15.VIII.1970, G. Osella (1♀); Italy, Piedmont, Foglizzo (Torino) 28.VIII.1958 (1♀); Italy, Lombardy, Chignola Po, S. Colombano al Lambro (Lodi) 26.VII.1992 (1♁, 1♀) (MCR, coll. P. Fontana); Italy, Piedmont, Druento Gagliassotto (Torino) 18.VI.2009, P. Savoldelli & C. Segreto (1♁, 2♀); Italy, Piedmont, Pessinetto (Torino) 12.VII.2007, P. Savoldelli (1♀ holopterous) (PSPC); Italy, Lombardy, Ticino River, Linarolo, Ponte della Becca (Pavia) 16.VIII.2011, P. Fontana & P. Tirello (1♁, 3♀); same data 10.VIII.2016, R. Scherini (2♁, 3♀, of which 1 holopterous); Italy, Lombardy, Linarolo, Ospedaletto (Pavia) 9.VIII.2016, R. Scherini (3♁, 1♀) (BMPC); Italy, Lombardy, Torricella del Pizzo, Argine Maestro (Cremona) 3.VI.2020, F. Leandri (2♁, 1♁ holopterous, 1♀); Italy, Lombardy, San Daniele Po (Cremona) 15.VI.2020, F. Leandri (1♀); Italy, Lombardy, Motta Baluffi (Cremona) 5.VI.2020, F. Leandri (1♁); Italy, Lombardy, Castel Nuovo Bocca d’Adda, Golena del Po 5.VI.2019, F. Leandri (1♁, 1♀); Italy, Lombardy, Milan Baggio, Cava Ongari 23.VI.2020, F. Leandri (1♀); Italy, Lombardy, Gussola, Golena del Po (Cremona) 7.VIII.2021, F. Leandri (1♁) (coll. Leandri); Italy, Lombardy, Casanova del Morbasco (Cremona), 18.VI.2011, M. Bardiani (1♀) (coll. Bardiani); Italy, Lombardy, Rivalta sul Mincio, Rodigo (Mantova) 5.VIII.2021, M. Bardiani (1♁) (coll. Bardiani); Italy, Lombardy, Bosco Fontana, Marmirolo (Mantova) 26.VII.2019 (1♀), 2.VIII.2019 (1♁), 15.VI.2021 (1♁), M. Bardiani (CNBFVR); Italy, Lombardy, Riserva Naturale Le Bine, Acquanegra sul Chiese, 25.VI.2020, M. Bardiani & F. Leandri (1♁) (coll. Bardiani); Italy, Lombardy, Acquanegra sul Chiese, Valli di Mosio (Mantova) 10.VII.2020, M. Bardiani (1♁) (coll. Bardiani); Italy, Lombardy, Marcaria, Riserva Naturale Torbiere di Marcaria (Mantova) 17.VIII.2019, M. Bardiani (1♀ photographed), 23.VII.2020, M. Bardiani (1♁, 1♀ photographed); Italy, Lombardy, Marcaria, San Michele in Bosco (Mantova) 12.VI.2020, M. Bardiani (1♀) (coll. Bardiani); Italy, Piedmont, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Trontano, bivacco Alpe Mottac (1665m) 9.VIII.2022, M. Bardiani (1♁, 1♁ holopterous, 1♀); Italy, Piedmont, Santa Maria Maggiore, Alpe Vald di sopra (1385m) 10.VIII.2022, M. Bardiani (1♀); Italy, Piedmont, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Trontano, bivacco Alpe in La Piana (960 m) 8.VIII.2022, M. Bardiani (1♁); Italy, Liguria, Lago Agoraie di Mezzo, turbary, 1327 m, 20.VIII.2008, M. Bardiani, P. Cornacchia, P. Dallatana, S. Hardersen, G. Nardi (1♁) (CNBFVR); Italy, Lombardy, Chignola Po, S. Colombano al Lambro (Lodi) 27.VIII.1992 (3♀); Italy, Piedmont, Biella, Zumaglia 16.VIII.1963, F. Capra (1♁, 1♀) (MSNM); Italy, Lombardy, Passo Penice, between provinces of Pavia and Piacenza, 1150 m, 19.VIII.2017 (1♁, 1♀ photographed by R. Scherini); Italy, Lombardy, Motta Visconti (Milan) 7.VII.2018 (1♁, 1♀ photographed by R. Scherini); Italy, Lombardy, Riserva naturale Le Bine, Acquanegra sul Chiese (Mantova), 30 m s.l.m. 13.VI.2021 (7♁, 5♀), E. Rivalta (coll. E. Rivalta, Bologna).
Material examined from previous unknown populations. Italy, Tuscany, Lake Accesa (Massa Marittima) 6.VIII.2014, P. Fontana (2♁); same data 7.VII.2016, P. Fontana (12♁, 2♀) (BMPC). Italy, Marche, Serravalle Di Chienti, P.no Colfiorito (Macerata) (758 m) 14–18.VIII.2009, G. Carotti (4♁, 6♀, of which 1 holopterous) (1♁, 1♀ in MCR, coll. F. Buzzetti, others in GCPC); Italy, Marche, Sefro (Macerata), Piano Montelago, Fonte Vino (900 m) 19–20.VII.2009, G. Carotti (3♁, 2♀) (GCPC); Italy, Emilia Romagna, Mirandola, loc. Mortizzuolo 10– 12.VI.2019 and 23.VI.2019, B. Massa, D. Campobello, M. Esposito (2♁, 1♁ holopterous, 1♀) (BMPC).
Remarks. R. azami minor and R. azami are characterized by cut female subgenital plate. Nadig (1961) described it as subspecies of R. azami, followed by Harz (1969), Fontana et al. (2002), Coray (2004) and Massa et al. (2012). Others (Ĝtz 1969, Canestrelli 1981, Nadig 1987, Coray & Thorens 2001, Roesti & Keist 2009) have considered it a subspecies of R. fedtschenkoi, while differences are evident in the comparative descriptions of both taxa. More recently, Iorio et al. (2019) listed it as a valid species.
This taxon is brachypterous, but some rare fully-winged males and females may be found (Table 2). Male titillators are similar to those of R. azami, but they appear slender and more curved; the female subgenital plate differs very little from that of R. azami. In addition, biometrical differences allow to separate it from R. azami (see paragraph on biometrics).
Distribution. Domenichini (1955) recorded ‘ Metrioptera azami ’ (certainly referring to R. azami minor) in aquatic meadows between Sesia and Oglio rivers (Lombardy, Italy) and considered it widespread in Lombardy and Piedmont. In addition, he wrote that the specimens of M. roeselii quoted by Griffini (1893) from Paludi di Stura, Avigliana, Boves and Torino had also to be referred to ‘ Metrioptera azami ’ (see also Galvagni 2001); records of Platycleis roeselii by Bezzi (1891) from Pavia certainly have to be referred to R. azami minor. Ĝtz (1969) pointed out that this taxon lives in valleys with rivers. Nadig (1961, 1987, 1991) recorded it from Piedmont and Lombardy (Italy). Some Piedmont and Lombardy localities are reported by Fontana et al. (2002). Bardiani & Buzzetti (2010) recorded R. azami from Liguria, but likely it belongs to R. azami minor; indeed, some findings from Liguria, Piedmont and Aosta Valley are reported by Sindaco et al. (2012). Its habitats are humid zones as well uncultivated meadows. See also Tables 2 and 4.
Remarks on Italian populations from Northern Italy, Marche and Tuscany. These populations show some morphological and biometrical differences from each other, but very probably other populations live in intermediate regions.
Northern Italy population (Lombardy, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna). Males of this population have only small spines at the apex of titillators and the female subgenital plate is similar to that of R. brunneri. The locality where this population was found lies ca. 100 kms far from the nearest site of R. brunneri, 214 from that of Roeseliana of Tuscany, 242 from that of Roeseliana of Marche, and ca. 50 from Lombardy known sites of R. azami minor.
Marche population. Like the case of the population of Tuscany, that of Marche has male titillators similar to those of R. brunneri (but with more numerous spines), while the female subgenital plate is very similar to that of R. azami minor. Only one fully-winged female has been found to the present. Also, biometrics show differences of this population from the above cited taxa. Localities where this taxon was found are ca. 230 kms far from the nearest site of R. brunneri, 160 from that of Roeseliana of Tuscany, and ca. 290 from sites of R. azami minor of Lombardy.
Tuscany population. Male titillators have spines from their base to the apex, similarly to R. brunneri, but the female subgenital plate is similar to that of R. azami minor. Biometrics show some differences from other populations, very probably depending on their isolation. Actually, the Tuscany population is known only from Lake Accesa, ca. 160 kms from the site of Roeseliana in Marche region, and ca. 230 kms from the nearest site of R. azami minor of Lombardy.
description: Published as part of Massa, Bruno, Tagliavia, Marcello, Buzzetti, Filippo Maria, Fontana, Paolo, Carotti, Giovanni, Bardiani, Marco, Leandri, Fausto, Scherini, Roberto & Verde, Gabriella Lo, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic genus Roeseliana (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Tettigoniinae: Platycleidini): a case of ongoing Mediterranean speciation, pp. 351-400 in Zootaxa 5270 (3) on pages 364-365, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5270.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7859886