A STUDY ON TRUE BUGS (LYGAEIDAE, INSECTA) IN THE CENTRAL ALBANIAN HABITATS Eltjon Halimi 1, Xhuliana Qirinxhi 2, Gerta Subashaj 3, Anila Paparisto 1 1 University
of Tirana, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Tirana, Albania 2 University
“Fan. S. Noli” Korçë, Faculty of Natural Sciences and
Social Sciences, Korçë, Albania 3 Reald University College, Faculty of Medical Technical Sciences, Vlora,
Albania
1. INTRODUCTION The
Lygaeidae family consists of small to medium-sized species, with some notably
small. Many displays bright colors, primarily red and black, though also
including yellow Dolling (1991), Péricart (1998). These
insects have two simple eyes and two compound eyes, with a small head. Their
mouthparts comprise a single rostrum with four segments, and their antennae are
segmented into four parts. Additionally, the scutellum usually displays a
Y-shaped swelling, while their legs have a compound tarsus with three segments Slater (1975). Lygaeidae
species mainly feed on plants, primarily consuming seeds, although some also
feed on vegetative parts like flowers. Moreover, certain species within this
family display predatory behavior Servadei (1967), Servadei et al. (1972), Silvestri (1939), Miller (1971). This
paper explores Lygaeidae species across four habitats in central Albania,
covering Tirana and Elbasan regions Filipi & Bianchini (2014). The aim is to conduct a thorough
analysis of the species distribution within this family, considering genera and
collection stations. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS Biological specimens were gathered during expeditions carried out between 2021 and 2023 in ecological environments at stations located in Central Albania, namely Dajti, Krraba, Iba, and Vora. These stations encompass habitats consisting of mountainous, field, and cultivated agricultural terrain. Biological material was randomly sampled between 0900 and 1400 hours during the June-August period. Entomological mowing nets with a diameter of 80cm, aspirators, and Pitt's traps were utilized in this study. The mowing has developed using entomological nets followed a meticulous technique, covering 100 m2 (10m x 10m) regions and requiring five passes along the diagonal of each square Colas (2000), Chapman (1988). Following the collection process, the speciemens
were carefully placed into plastic bottles that were appropriately labeled with the date and station. Biologically pure
substances were preserved in polypropylene flasks with capacities ranging from
150 to 200 cc. Subsequently, the specimens were conveyed to the scientific
laboratory and conserved in containers filled with a mixture of 95% ethanol,
acetic acid, and distilled water, in addition to a little amount of ether Colas (2000),
Chapman
(1988). The taxonomik determination of speciemens was performed using a ZEISS stereomicroscope (Uzi Series 240/3 Model 50240003). This was done by utilizing determination keys that are specific to the family, as well as referring to previous collections and relevant articles Aukema & Rieger (1999), Cağata (1989). Additionally, our previous publications on Hemiptera species in our country Halimi et al. (2013), Halimi et al. (2023) were also considered. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION We taxonomically identified 96 specimens collected from the
ecosystems of the Dajti, Krraba,
Iba, and Vora stations. Table 1 displays the species
that have been recognized, organized according to genera. The table includes
the number of specimens collected for each species, accompanied by a
"+" symbol denoting the corresponding station where it was
encountered. Table 1
Based on the taxonomic examination of the Lygaeidae family specimens collected, it is revealed that this family consists of 15 species from 12 genera at the stations in Central Albania (refer to Table 2 and Figure 1). Table 2
The table presents the distribution of species across
different genera, along with their corresponding frequencies. These frequencies
were determined by including the number of specimens for each genus and the
overall count of 15
taxonomically determined species by us, in this study. The chart illustrates
the number of species by genus, as above. Figure 1
An
examination of the distribution of the family Lygaeidae shows that the genus Lygaeus is the most widespread, with 3 species,
representing 20% of all species reported by us. It is followed by the genus Ischnodemus which is reported with two species, accounting
for 13.33% of the total. The remaining genera, namely Geocoris, Beosus, Heterogaste, Graptopeltus, Kleidocerys, Metopoplax, Nysius, Pezocoris, Orsillus, and Platyplax, have
been shown to possess a solitary species, accounting for a mere 6.67% of the
overall species count. This
means that the ecological systems in Central Albania offer very favorable
environments for species belonging to the genus Lygaeus,
which show greater adaptability to different environmental and urban
fluctuations within the area. Examination
of species diversity in many countries shows significant variation (Table 3, Figure 2). The Krraba
station exhibits the highest level of species richness among the Lygaeidae
family, including a total of 8 species, representing 53.33% of the total
observed species. In contrast, the Iba station exhibits the least amount of
diversity, with only 6 species, accounting for 40% of the total. Dajti and Vora stations have a lower level of species
variety, where each station has only 4 species, accounting for 26.67% of the
total. The
results of this study show that the mountain and plain ecosystems in the Krraba region offer very favorable conditions for the
survival of these species. It can be seen that urban
developments, especially new constructions, have a somewhat smaller impact on
these species compared to other locations. The present study posits that
the conversion of highland ecosystems in the Dajti
area into winter tourist resorts, along with the growth of industrial
activities in the Vora region, has played a role in the documented decrease in
the species diversity seen at these two specific locations. Calculation
of species frequency per station was performed using the number of 15 species
documented in the four locations included in this research. Table 3
Figure 2
4. CONCLUSIONS This study presents the results gained from the analysis of 96 environmental samples collected from the ecological systems of Central Albania. A total of 15 species of the Lygaeidae family were found, dispersed among 12 genera. The genus Lygaeus exhibits the most variety within the Lygaeidae family, consisting of 3 species, which accounts for 20% of the total. This indicates that these habitats are especially advantageous for this genus. Krraba is the most abundant station in the Lygaeidae family, with 8 species, accounting for 53.33% of the total. In contrast, Dajti and Vora have fewer species, each with 4 species, indicating a frequency of 26.67%. The aforementioned suggests that Krraba provides more advantageous environments for species belonging to the Lygaeidae family. Conversely, the proliferation of winter tourist resorts in the Dajti region and the establishment of industrial parks in the Vora area could potentially lead to a decline in the observed species diversity.
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