Abstract
The occurrence of Crepidophorus mutilatus (Rosenhauer, 1847) (Coleoptera: Elateridae), a saproxylic beetle of old-growth forests in the Palearctic region, is confirmed for Italy. The species has a discontinuous and localized distribution in central and northern Europe and Siberia, with isolated populations in the Iberian and Balkan peninsulas, and is included in the risk categories of the Italian Red List for saproxylic beetles. Crepidophorus mutilatus was found in the Matese Mountains, central-southern Apennines, during July 2018 while surveying the beetle fauna in a beech woodland at about 1,719 m elevation as part of the LIFE project “AForClimate”. This extends its known distribution into southern Europe and further confirms the important biogeographical role of this mountainous territory, recently designated a national park. We discuss distribution and conservation issues and provide recommended conservation measures that may be useful for protecting many other saproxylic beetles (e.g., safeguarding of large trees with cavities).
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