''Megalodontes cephalotes'' is a species of sawflies within the
Symphyta
Sawflies are the insects of the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay ...
belonging to the family
Megalodontesidae.
Distribution and habitat
This species is restricted to the regions of Europe (
Andorra,
Austria,
Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria,
Croatia,
Czech Republic,
France,
Germany,
Italy,
North Macedonia,
Poland,
Romania,
Russia,
Slovakia,
Slovenia,
Spain,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
,
Yugoslavia).
[ It is a typically mountainous and alpine species, but it is also present in the lowlands. It inhabits south-facing warm slopes and dry grasslands, at an elevation up to above sea level.][Taeger, A. 200]
The Megalodontesidae of Europe (Hymenoptera, Symphyta).
In: Viitasaari, M. (ed.) Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta) I. A review of the suborder, the Western Palaearctic taxa of Xyeloidea and Pamphilioidea. Tremex Press Ltd., Helsinki[
]
Description
''Megalodontes cephalotes'' can reach a length of .
/ref> These rather rare sawflies have a black glossy body with narrow light yellow bands on the abdomen. Pronotum shows a yellow upper margin. The head is large, the antennae are pectinate, with darkened flabelli towards the apex. The wings are reddish.[
]
Biology
Adults can be found from May to July, mainly on white and yellow inflorescences.[ They feed on pollen, nectar and honeydew, while young larvae feed gregariously on a few flowering plants ('']Laserpitium
''Laserpitium'' is a genus of plants of the family Apiaceae.
Selected species
*''Laserpitium gallicum'' L.
*''Laserpitium gaudinii'' Moretti
*''Laserpitium halleri'' Crantz
*''Laserpitium latifolium'' L. – broad-leaved sermountain
*''Lase ...
'', ''Seseli
''Seseli'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Apiaceae. They are sometimes woody at base with a conic taproot. Leaf blades are 1–3-pinnate or pinnately decompound. Umbels are compound, with bracts few or absent. Petals are w ...
'' and '' Peucedanum'' species).[A. D. Liston and J. Spat]
Aspects of the biology of Megalodontes thor Taeger, 2002 (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Megalodontesidae).
/ref>
References
External links
Aramel.free.fr
Sawflies
Hymenoptera of Europe
Insects described in 1781
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius
{{sawfly-stub