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A first record of the alien mantis species Hierodula tenuidentata (Mantodea: Mantidae) in Serbia

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An alien mantis species, Hierodula tenuidentata, has expanded its areal in Europe in the last few years. It was registered in several European countries, including some on the Balkan Peninsula. Herein are presented for the first time records of H. tenuidentata on the territory of Serbia, several from the capital city of Belgrade, and one from Novi Kneževac, a town in the northern part of country. The species was recognized for the first time in photos posted in a Facebook group of insect lovers and enthusiasts in 2019, but positive identification only took place in 2020 after group members collected specimens. Social networks can be a very important tool for the monitoring of invasive species in general, and invasive mantids in particular, especially due to their size and attractiveness.
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cta entomologica serbica, 20
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DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.4621135
A FIRST RECORD OF THE ALIEN MANTIS SPECIES
HIERODULA TENUIDENTATA (MANTODEA: MANTIDAE) IN SERBIA
M
IHAILO
V
UJIĆ
1
*,
S
LOBODAN
I
VKOVIĆ
1,2,3
,
T
IBOR
R
EKECKI
4
,
D
UŠAN
K
RSTIĆ
1
,
V
ERA
S
TANKOVIĆ
5
,
M
ILAN
ð
URIĆ
1
and
I
VAN
T
OT
1
1 HabiProt, Cankareva 9/13, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
*E-mail: mihailovujic01@gmail.com (corresponding author)
2 Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54286 Trier, Germany
E-mail: s6slivko@uni-trier.de
3 IUCN/SSC Grasshopper Specialist Group, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54286 Trier, Germany
4 Scientific Research Society of Biology and Ecology Students “Josif Pančić”
Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
5 Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research, Gračanička 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Abstract
An alien mantis species, Hierodula tenuidentata, has expanded its areal in Europe in the last few years. It was registered
in several European countries, including some on the Balkan Peninsula. Herein are presented for the first time records of
H. tenuidentata on the territory of Serbia, several from the capital city of Belgrade, and one from Novi Kneževac, a town
in the northern part of country. The species was recognized for the first time in photos posted in a Facebook group of
insect lovers and enthusiasts in 2019, but positive identification only took place in 2020 after group members collected
specimens. Social networks can be a very important tool for the monitoring of invasive species in general, and invasive
mantids in particular, especially due to their size and attractiveness.
K
EY WORDS
: citizen science, Facebook, invasive species
Introduction
Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869 is a mantis species originally found in Asia that in the last few years
has expanded its distribution towards Europe (Battiston et al., 2018). The species was recently registered in
many European countries, such as Albania, Bulgaria, Greece including its islands, Italy, North Macedonia,
Russia, Ukraine, but was often reported under a possible synonym, Hierodula transcaucasica Brunner von
2
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et al.
Wattenwyl, 1878 (Cianferoni et al., 2018; Van der Heyden, 2018a; Van der Heyden, 2018b; Romanowski et
al., 2019). The taxonomic statuses of these species are not entirely clear and more detailed analyses are
needed. Cianferoni et al. (2018) suggested several possible scenarios for the species and provided
identifying characters for both of them. In addition to these species, another alien Hierodula has established
its populations – H. patellifera Serville, 1839, but has so far only been recorded in northern Italy and southern
France (Battiston et al., 2020). Hierodula species can be separated from other Mantodea living in Europe by
a combination of the following characters: white stigmas on the tegmina and the shape of pronotum, as per
the key and figures provided in Battiston et al. (2019).
To date, two families of Mantodea species have been recorded in Serbia: two Mantidae (Ameles heldreichi
Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1882 and Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758)) and one Empusidae (Empusa fasciata
Brullé, 1832) (Vujić, 2020).
Material and methods
The first specimens of allochthonous Hierodula species were identified after photos were posted on
Facebook by members of a group of insect lovers and enthusiasts called “Insekti Srbije (Insects of Serbia)”.
The authors of the paper requested group members to collect questionable specimens for identification, but
for more than a year, no specimens were collected. Finally, in September and October of 2020, three
Hierodula were collected and delivered to the first author for identification. All three specimens were identified
as H. tenuidentata according to the description, keys and figures given by Battiston et al. (2019, 2020).
Specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol or prepared by standard procedure in dry conditions, and stored
in the private collections of the authors (MV and TR). All the data were entered into the Alciphron database
(database on insects of Serbia), both data on examined and only photographed specimens (HabiProt, 2020).
The distribution map was made in Alciphron database and QGIS 3.16.0, using data stored in Alciphron.
Results and discussion
Three specimens of Hierodula were examined and all three were identified as H. tenuidentata. Data about
findings, notes and map are presented.
Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869 (Fig. 1)
Material examined: Central Serbia: Belgrade, Vase Čarapića Street (44˚49’04’’ N, 20˚27’32’’ E), 30.09.2020,
1 ♂, leg. G. Vekić Krstić & D. Krstić; Belgrade, Old Mercator (44˚49’40’’ N, 20˚24’40’’ E), 27.10.2020, 1 ♀,
leg. A. Kubíček. AP Vojvodina: Novi Kneževac (46˚02’27’’ N, 20˚05’31’’ E), 19.10.2020, 1 ♀, leg. T. Rekecki.
Notes: This allochthonous species was registered in the capital city of Serbia Belgrade, and in Novi
Kneževac in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in the north of the country. All records except that from
Novi Kneževac came from urban parts of Belgrade, where specimens were observed and photographed on
tree bark, cars, walls, terraces and inside apartments. Given that Belgrade is the largest city in Serbia with
the most intensive trade activity, a large number of allochthonous and invasive insects have been registered
in and around the city (Protić, 2008; Ćetković et al., 2011; Šeat, 2015; Protić & Šeat, 2016; Šeat et al., 2019;
Petrović-Obradović et al., 2020; Šeat et al., 2020). The first photos of Hierodula on the Facebook group date
from 2019. Maps of the current distribution of H. tenuidentata in Serbia and Belgrade are presented in Fig. 2.
First record of the alien mantis species Hierodula tenuidentata in Serbia
3
Figure 1. Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869, female (photo: M. Vujić).
This species is probably already more widespread in Serbia, and it is expected to expand its range in the
country over the next few years, especially in urban and suburban environments. Occurrence in these
habitats may be apparent due to limited observations in these habitats. Another possible reason is that the
spread in urban and suburban areas is faster due to intensive trade activities, fewer predators and higher
temperatures, which can all positively affect the survival of more individuals. Battiston et al. (2019) noted that
the impact of the species on Italian and European ecosystems is unknown, but that it might pose a threat to
autochthonous mantid species, such as the widely distributed Mantis religiosa. The number of records and
area involved are still small in Serbia, so it is too early to estimate potential influence on ecosystems here. In
order to examine these possible influences, it is necessary to collect data not only on H. tenuidentata, but
also on M. religiosa, and to monitor both species over the coming years.
The second Hierodula species that occurs in Europe is H. patellifera, which has established populations only
in central and northern Italy and southern France (Battiston et al., 2020). Battiston et al. (2020) noted that the
oothecae of this species successfully survived winters in Italy and they expect H. patellifera will expand its
areal towards central Europe and northern Italy. It is reasonable to expect the appearance of this species in
Serbia in the next few years. Despite existing taxonomic problems between H. transcaucasica and
H. tenuidentata, Cianferoni et al. (2018) provided characters for the separation of these species: discoidal
and internal spines of fore femora are entirely black in H. transcaucasica and black only on the tip in
H. tenuidentata. H. tenuidentata can be mistaken for other green mantids reported in Europe, such as
M. religiosa, H. patellifera or Sphodromantis viridis (Forskal, 1775). A reliable identification can be made
using the keys, descriptions and figures provided in Battiston et al. (2019, 2020). Combinations of the
following characters are important for the identification: the presence of white stigmas on tegmina and
absence of the black or eye-like spots at the base of the first coxae, on the inner side (unlike M. religiosa)
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et al.
(Fig 3B), shape of pronotum (unlike S. viridis) (Fig. 3A), characters of male genitalia and strong spines
without basal plates on the inner side of the first coxae (unlike H. patellifera) (Fig. 3B).
Figure 2. Map of current distribution of Hierodula tenuidentata in Serbia; A – UTM fields (10 × 10 km) on map of Serbia
where Hierodula tenuidentata was registered (from Alciphron database); B Map of Belgrade with localities where
Hierodula tenuidentata was registered.
Figure 3. Identification characters for Hierodula tenuidentata; A – pronotum, dorsal view; B – first legs, absence of black
or eye-like spots in base of the coxae and spines without basal plates (black arrows) (photos: M. Vujić).
Social networks have in recent times played a very important role in detecting and monitoring invasive and
allochthonous, as well as newly discovered species. Examples of this are the discovery of new plant and
insect species via social networks, and the registering of an invasive butterfly species, the Geranium bronze
First record of the alien mantis species Hierodula tenuidentata in Serbia
5
Cacyreus marshalli Butler, 1898 in Serbia in the autumn of 2020 (Gonella et al., 2015; Skejo et al., 2016;
Rahayu & Rodda, 2019, Milojković et al., in prep.). Facebook groups and other popular social networks can
be very important in monitoring invasive mantid species in Europe and Serbia, since they are large and
attractive insects for insect lovers, amateurs, photographers and enthusiasts.
Acknowledgment
The authors are thankful to Andrej Kubíček and Gordana Vekić Krstić for collecting the specimens.
References
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patellifera chasing the train for Europe? Biodiversity Data Journal, 8, e50779.
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Italy: a new invasive alien species for the European fauna? Biodiversity Journal, 9(4), 399404.
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First record of the alien mantis species Hierodula tenuidentata in Serbia
7
ПРВИ НАЛАЗИ СТРАНЕ ВРСТЕ БОГОМОЉКЕ
HIERODULA TENUIDENTATA (MANTODEA: MANTIDAE) У СРБИЈИ
М
ИХАИЛО
В
УЈИЋ
,
С
ЛОБОДАН
И
ВКОВИЋ
,
Т
ИБОР
Р
ЕКЕЦКИ
,
Д
УШАН
К
РСТИЋ
,
А
НДРЕЈ
К
УБИЧЕК
,
М
ИЛАН
Ђ
УРИЋ
и
И
ВАН
Т
ОТ
Извод
Страна врста богомољке, Hierodula tenuidentata, проширила је свој ареал у Европи претходних
неколико година. Регистрована је у неколико европских земаља, укључујући неке на Балканском
полуострву. У овом раду представљамо прве налазе ове врсте на територији Србији, неколико налаза
из Београда и један из Новог Кнежевца. Врста је први пут препозната на фотографијама постављеним
на Фејсбук групу љубитеља инсеката и ентузијазиста 2019. године, а сигурна идентификација је
извршена тек након што су чланови групе прикупили јединке, 2020. године. Друштвене мреже могу
бити веома важна алатка у праћењу инвазивних врста, посебно инвазивних богомољки, због њихове
величине и атрактивности.
Received: December 7th, 2020
Accepted: March 10th, 2021
... In the last decade, many allochthonous and invasive species were recorded in Serbia, but usually outdoors, unlike E. annulipes. A large number of allochthonous insects species stand out, such as giant Asian mantid Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869, true bugs such as oleander seedbug Caenocoris nerii (Germar, 1847) and brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855), ragweed leaf beetle Ophraella communa LeSage, 1986, geranium bronze butterfly Cacyreus marshalli Butler, 1897, etc. (Šeat 2015;Šeat et al. 2019;Petrović-Obradović et al. 2020;Milojković et al. 2021;Vujić et al. 2021). In addition to insects, several species of other invertebrates have been reported, such as xerophilous snail Xeropicta cf. ...
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