Myrmeleon mariaemathildae Pantaleoni, Cesaroni & Nicoli Aldini 2010

Myrmeleon mariaemathildae Pantaleoni, Cesaroni & Nicoli Aldini, 2010

(Figs. 5F, 6F, 31)

The larva of this antlion was concisely treated in the species description (Pantaleoni et al. 2010).

Examined specimens. Italy. Sardinia, Sorso (Sassari), Platamona, coastal dunes, VIII.2012 (D. Badano), 3 L3. Sardinia, Cabras (Oristano), Tharros, coastal dunes, III.2011 (D. Badano), 1 L3. Tunisia. Tabarka, VII.2006 (R. A. Pantaleoni), 5 L3. Gammarth, VII.2010 (local collector), 1 L3.

Description of 3 rd instar larva. Size (based on 10 specimens): BL 9.28 mm; HL 1.70 mm (1.60–1.81), HW 1.48 mm (1.42–1.57), ML 1.64 mm (1.54–1.80), HW/HL 0.87, ML/HL 0.96. General colouring pale ochre with dark markings, ventral side paler with dark spots; dorsal side of the head capsule with anterior dark markings, lateral sides of the head with small dark marks, ventral side of the head pale with a pair of median spots of variable intensity according to individual (sometimes absent) (Figs. 5F, 31b); mandibles pale brown; legs pale; setae of the body black. Head slightly longer than wide; mandibles as long as the head capsule (Fig. 31a); interdental mandibular setae: (4–5)(1–2)(1–2)(1); dorsal side of the mandible with a sparse covering of short setae on the margins, ventral side of the mandible with few isolated setae at the base. IX abdominal sternite equipped with irregularly disposed ventral digging setae and a row composed by large bristles irregularly interspersed with small setae; rastra not prominent, each bearing 4 digging setae of which the external ones are the longest (Figs. 6F, 31c).

Bio-ecology. The larvae of this recently described species usually colonize open coastal sand dunes with a vegetation covering limited to pioneer psammophilous plants. The pits are normally built in exposed conditions, often at the base of tufts of herbs.

Distribution. Exclusively reported from Sardinia and Tunisia.

Remarks. The larva of M. mariaemathildae is very similar to the closely related M. inconspicuus noticeably differing in the paler colouring of the body and in the IX abdominal sternite. The same characters permit to distinguish this species from other European congeners. In Sardinia, M. mariaemathildae shares similar ecological requirements with M. hyalinus but the two species cohabit only in few sites with moderate anthropic disturbance.