Mallosia graeca (Sturm, 1843) is a species endemic to Greece. It is mainly known from Peloponnese peninsula but can also be found in Atica, the Greek mainland. The host plant of this spectacular European longhorn beetle has long been unknown. In 1967 Carl von Demelt (Demelt, 1967) observed a number of specimens of this insect and suggested that the species developed in "Wurzelstock einer niederen Distelart" (in root system of a small thistle species, Asteraceae, transl. and note by authors). This information has then been repeated in later works (e.g. Bense, 1995). The correct host, Eryngium (Apiaceae), has only been discovered recently by a French group (Renvaze & Renvaze, 2004). Interestingly, species of the closely related genus Semnosia K. Daniel, 1904 are all associated with plants of the family Apiaceae (such as Ferula and Prangos).
The depicted beetles were collected on the host plant (Eryngium) near Kalavrita (Peloponnese, Greece). Collected by M.Hoskovec.
MH & MR © July 21, 2006
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