European Genus Research Articles

SNP‐based analysis of European Thymallus spp. (Salmonidae) reveals extensive mito‐nuclear discordance relevant for biogeographic inferences, taxonomy and conservation

AbstractAimPaleohydrological dynamics are well‐documented for European river systems, promoting shifting phases of isolation and connectivity of their aquatic fauna. These conditions coupled with high rates of hybridisation found in freshwater fishes may introduce considerable complexity and potential mito‐nuclear discordance of phylogenetic patterns. We evaluate this hypothesis using the first large‐scale analysis of nuclear SNPs in European species of grayling (Thymallus) compared to mtDNA data with the aim of reassessing the evolutionary history of this group of rheophilic fishes.LocationFreshwater systems in Europe.MethodsBased on mitochondrial (mitogenomes, control region) and nuclear (ddRADseq) data, we applied population‐genetic, phylogenetic, and biogeographic tools to evaluate lineage diversity in the context of paleohydrological alterations.ResultsThe results corroborated previously recognised high levels of lineage diversity, but revealed several cases of mito‐nuclear discordance and signals of both historical (natural) and human‐mediated introgression among major inter‐ and intraspecific lineages of Thymallus in Europe. A time‐calibrated phylogeny and ancestral area estimation, based on nuclear SNP data, supported a late Pliocene diversification of the genus in Europe and suggested an early colonisation of the Black Sea basin with subsequent dispersal into Central and Western Europe.Main ConclusionsThe genetic structure of Thymallus in Europe recovered by nuclear SNPs contrasts considerably with that supported by mtDNA. Several instances of mito‐nuclear discordance underscore frequent contact of allopatric lineages in a dynamic paleohydrological landscape and reveal the weakness of basing both taxonomic and conservation decisions on inferences based on mtDNA alone. The Danube and Rhine drainages were inferred as important zones of contact between divergent phylogeographic lineages. Additionally, our data cast doubt on the genetic integrity of the endangered T. aeliani. Its divergence from T. thymallus, using nuclear SNPs, appears minimal as samples of T. aeliani group within Danubian lineages, despite carrying highly divergent reciprocally monophyletic mtDNA.

Exploring the Climatic Niche Evolution of the Genus Falco (Aves: Falconidae) in Europe.

By integrating species distribution modeling techniques, phylogenetic comparative methods, and climatic data, we analyzed how European falcon climatic niches have changed over evolutionary time in order to understand their tempo and mode of evolution and gain phylogenetic insights related to the ecological context of falcon evolution. For this purpose, we tested the relative contributions of niche conservatism, convergent evolution, and divergent evolution in the evolutionary history of this group of species in Europe. The occupation of climatic niche spaces by falcon species in Europe was not similar, considering that their climatic niche evolution was characterized by heterotachy, especially after ca. 4 Mya. Our results indicate that convergent evolution and niche divergence played an important role in the evolutionary history of these species, with no significant evidence of closely related species retaining their fundamental niche over time (phylogenetic niche conservatism). In most analyses, less closely related falcon species occupied similar climatic environments. We found that speciation in the European genus Falco was influenced by climatic niche differentiation, more prevalent in the last 4 million years, with the main climatic niche shifts occurring between closely related falcon species.

Molecular diversity and species delimitation in the genus Mideopsis Neuman, 1880 in Europe (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Mideopsidae)

Water mites of the genus Mideopsis are often a very abundant member of running and standing water communities whose taxonomy has been based almost exclusively on traditional morphological studies. In this study, we present a species-level phylogeny of the genus in Europe using 71 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcodes available in the BOLD database. In addition to morphological identification, we applied two different molecular taxon delimitation approaches (Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning - ASAP and multi-rate Poisson tree processes). The ASAP molecular delimitation revealed the presence of five molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTU), i.e., M. crassipes Soar, 1904, M. milankovici Pešić & Smit, 2020, M. roztoczensis Biesiadka & Kowalik, 1979 and two distinct M. orbicularis MOTUs, both widely distributed and sympatric in Central and Northern Europe. Morphological analysis revealed that specimens of Clade 1 match the description given by Biesiadka & Kowalik (1979) for Mideopsis orbicularis. We highlight the need for a thorough revision of the genus Mideopsis in Europe by integrating morphological and molecular data.

Morphological, acoustic and genetic identification of a reproducing population of the invasive African clawed frog Xenopuslaevis (Anura, Pipidae) recently discovered in Belgium.

Using external morphology of adults and tadpoles, osteology from high-resolution microcomputed tomography, vocalization analysis, and DNA sequence data, the identity of a reproducing Belgian population of invasive Xenopus at the current northernmost edge of the distribution of the genus in Europe was assessed. All data concur to an identification as Xenopus (Xenopus) laevis (Daudin, 1802). Genetically it is most closely related to populations of the Cape region in South Africa. No studies on the natural history of the Belgian Xenopus population and its impact on the local environment have been made to date.

Tuberona nom. nov., a replacement name for Tuberocandona Külköylüoğlu et al., 2023 (Crustacea, Ostracoda)

The name Tuberocandona has been applied to two different genera of Ostracoda, first to a fossil genus described in 1995 from Europe and then to an extant genus reported in 2023 from North America. Because the name of the European genus takes precedence, a new name is proposed for the North American taxon.

The first record of the Far Eastern grass-carrying wasp Isodontia nigella (F. Smith, 1856) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: Sphecinae) from the Crimea

Isodontia nigella (F. Smith, 1856) is native to the Eastern Palaearctic, Oriental region, and Australia. A sheaf of reed canes installed as a trap nest in the Crimea was occupied with 73 nests of this species in 2021. The nests contained one to eight cells separated by partitions made of packed fragments of grass stalks and blades; the closing plug was made of the same materials. In some cases, there was no visible partition between two subsequent cells. The prey consisted of three orthopteran species with the predomination of the tree cricket Oecanthus pellucens (Scopoli, 1763) amounted to 95.1% of the identified specimens; three to 15 victims were stored per cell. Sex ratio was strongly male-biased, about 1♀:4♂. The species had two generations per year. Prepupae of the second generation overwintered and imagines emerged in 2022: males on 12–19 June, females on 17 June–5 July. Melittobia acasta (Walker, 1839) and an unidentified bombyliid fly were recorded as parasitoids that damaged only three cells. The reproductive success of the wasp was 65.2%; most deaths of the progeny were for unknown causes. This is the first record of I. nigella in Europe, outside its native range. Isodontia nigella is the second invasive species of the genus in Europe after I. mexicana (de Saussure, 1867) and the fifth invasive species of the family Sphecidae in the Crimea.

First report of grapefruit rot caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. karsti in France.

The grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) is a citrus hybrid tree (C. maxima & C. sinensis). Due to nutritional value and its bioactive compounds, the fruits are recognized as a functional food, valued as promoting health. French grapefruit production is low (7.5 Kt/year) but is confined to a restricted area in Corsica and benefits from a quality label, the economic impact of its cultivation being therefore locally significant. Since 2015 previously unreported symptoms have been repeatedly observed on grapefruits in more than half of the orchards in Corsica, with an incidence of 30% of fruits altered. Brown to black circular spots were observed on fruits and leaves, surrounded by chlorotic halos on the latter. On the mature fruit, lesions were round, 4 to 10 mm in diameter, brown and dry (e-Xtra 1). Although the lesions are superficial, the fruits cannot be marketed due to constraints linked to the quality label. 75 fungal isolates were obtained from symptomatic fruits or leaves collected in Corsica (in 2016, 2017, and 2021). Cultures obtained after 7 days on PDA at 25°C, were white to light grey in colour, forming concentric rings or dark spots on the agar surface. We did not observe any notable difference among the isolates except some evolved towards a more marked grey. Colonies tend to form a cottony aerial mycelium and orange conidial masses appear with age. The conidia were hyaline, aseptate, cylindrical with ends rounded, and measured 14.9 ± 0.95 µm length and 5.1 ± 0.45 µm width (n = 50). Cultural and morphological characteristics were similar to those described for C. gloeosporioides s. lat. or C. boninense s. lat. (Weir et al. 2012 ; Damm et al. 2012). Total genomic DNA was extracted from all isolates, and the ITS region of rDNA was amplified with ITS 5 & 4 primers, then sequenced (GenBank Accession Nos. OQ509805-808). For 90% of isolates GenBank BLASTn results were 100% identical to C. gloeosporioides isolates sequences, whereas for other isolates the resulting sequences were 100% identical to C. karsti or C. boninense isolates sequences. Four strains (three C. gloeosporioides with light colour differences, in order to see if there was diversity among isolates of C. gloeosporioides s. lato ; and one C. karsti) were further characterized by sequencing partial actin [ACT], calmodulin [CAL], chitin synthase [CHS-1], glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase [GAPDH], β-tubulin 2 [TUB2], for all strains ; glutamine synthetase [GS], Apn2-Mat1-2-1 intergenic spacer and partial mating type (Mat1-2) gene [ApMAT] for C. gloeosporioides s. lat., and HIS3 for C. boninense s. lat. (Weir et al. 2012 ; Silva et al, 2012) (GenBank Accession Nos. OQ509805-808 & OQ507698-724). Multilocus phylogenetic analyses carried out with the obtained and Genbank available sequences confirmed that 3 isolates (UBOCC-A-116036, -116038, & -116039) clustered within C. gloeosporioides s. s., while the other (UBOCC-A-116037) clustered within C. karsti (e-Xtra 2) 'Star ruby' grapefruits were surface sterilized then wound-inoculated with 20 μl of a conidial suspension (105 conidia ml-1) of UBOCC-A-116036 & 116037 isolates or 20 μl sterile water for control (ten fruits for each isolate or control). After 10 days incubation at 20°C, symptoms, identical to those initially observed, developed around the inoculation point, while controls inoculated with water remained symptomless. Fungal colonies re-isolated from the lesions were morphologically like the original isolates. Recently, various infections caused by some Colletotrichum sp. have strongly compromised citrus production in different Mediterranean countries: ie Italy (Aiello et al. 2015), Portugal (Ramos et al. 2016), Tunisia (Ben Hadj Daoud et al. 2019), Turkey (Uysal et al. 2022). In these studies, C. gloeosporioides s. s. and C. karsti were identified as the causal agents. These two species were the predominant Colletotrichum sp. associated with Citrus and allied genera in Europe (Guarnaccia et al. 2017). To our knowledge, our study is the first report of C. gloeosporioides and C. karsti causing anthracnose on grapefruit in France, which confirms the incidence of these two pathogens on the Mediterranean rim. Given the economic importance of citrus cultivation in the Mediterranean region, the presence of Colletotrichum spp. should deserves to be monitored, and a control strategy should be considered.

Redescription of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Testudines, Trionychidae) from the Early Miocene of Czechia.

The taxonomy of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Liebus, 1930), family Trionychidae, subfamily Trionychinae, is revised based on new and previously mentioned material (including the type material) from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian, MN 3) sites of the Most Basin, Czechia. Given that the diagnosis was so far based only on plastral elements, here we focused on the cranial material and combined our study with previously published data on postcranial elements. 3D models of the skulls derived from CT scans allow us to provide the first complete skull description of R. bohemicus, including several new cranial diagnostic characters of the species. Our results not only enable the distinction of the trionychid genera Trionyx and Rafetus, both recorded from Central Europe during the Early Miocene, but further allow us to provide an emended diagnosis for R. bohemicus. We confirm the conclusions of a previous study according to which Trionyx pontanus, T. preschenensis, T. aspidiformis, and T. elongatus are nomina dubia. R. bohemicus from Břešt'any (MN 3) represents the oldest record of this genus in Europe as well as the oldest occurrence of the genus.

First fossil record of Varanus (Reptilia, Squamata) from Switzerland and the earliest occurrences of the genus in Europe

We here describe two isolated fossil teeth from the Early Miocene (MN 4) of Hüenerbach, Switzerland. The material is tentatively referred to Varanus, marking the first occurrence of this iconic lizard genus in the Swiss fossil record, while it also represents one of its earliest occurrences from Europe, being coeval with other records from Spain, France, and the Czech Republic. Important diagnostic features in the teeth of extant Varanus are discussed, coupled with comparisons with related taxa. The prominent serration in one of the two Swiss teeth is an unusual feature for European varanids. In addition, the sole other lizard specimen from Hüenerbach is also described, being referred to an indeterminate lacertid, with potential affinities to the genus Janosikia.

A PacBio Hi-Fi Genome Assembly of the Painter's Mussel Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1758).

The highly diverse group of freshwater mussels from order Unionida is found in the world's freshwater systems due to several fascinating evolutionary adaptations, including "parental care," and most notably, an obligatory parasitic phase in their early life cycle, called glochidia, which infests and uses fish for nutrition and dispersal. Freshwater mussels play essential ecological roles in freshwater habitats, including water filtration, sediment bioturbation, and nutrient cycling. However, these species are also highly threatened, being one of the faunal groups with the highest recorded extinction rate in the wild. Genomics methods have an incredible potential to promote biodiversity conservation, allowing the characterization of population health, identification of adaptive genetic elements, delineation of conservation units, and providing a framework for predictive assessments of the impact of anthropogenic threats and climate change. Unfortunately, only six freshwater mussel species have had their whole genomes sequenced to date, and only two of these are European species. Here, we present the first genome assembly of the Painter's Mussel, Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1758), the type species representative of the order and the most widespread species of the genus in Europe. We used long-read PacBio Hi-Fi sequencing reads to produce a highly contiguous assembly that will pave the way for the study of European freshwater mussels in the Genome Era.

Stochastic FE analysis of stress concentrations in curved glulam beams due to the uncertainty of material direction

When curved glulam beams are subjected to bending, tension perpendicular to grain is introduced. In this work, Monte-Carlo analysis is conducted to study the influence of the annual-ring orientation of individual board on stress concentration in the radial direction. A virtual cutting program is developed which simulates the sawing processes of boards and yields a database of sawn boards, each with a characterized material direction with respect to the pith location. Lamellas are randomly selected from the database to construct curved glulam beams in FE models for Monte-Carlo simulation. Parameters including lumber diameter distribution, taper function, orthotropic elastic properties are considered for four common wood genera in Europe: spruce, pine, larch, and beech.Statistical analysis shows that when the annual-ring effect is considered, the average radial stress in the middle height area of the glulam beams can reach up 1.56 times (even higher on the middle width and height area) compared to the common practice, where wood is usually simplified as transverse isotropic material. Such stress concentration, which can trigger early damage of the structure, indicates an underestimation of stress perpendicular to grain in common practice. Moreover, parameter studies show that the stress redistribution depends not only on the mechanical properties of wood species but also on the width of the board layer.

Data on species plasticity and stable characters has an overall importance in identification keys: comments on Brullo et al. (2022) article

The paper of Brullo et al. (2022) aimed to lectotypify _Elatine macropoda_ Guss. and _E. gussonei_ (Sommier) Brullo et al., two enigmatic members of the genus. They gave an overview of the taxonomic issue of these species, identified the type specimens, and gave a comprehensive description of both species, as well as aimed to clarify open questions in the nomenclature of these taxa. However, some of the points raised by Brullo et al. (2022) are in contrast to previously published scientific evidence, leading them to reach different taxonomic conclusions. This contrast is the result of (i) misinterpreted some key findings published in other works, and (ii) stitching to preconceptions on the distribution and specific characteristics of these species. Given the importance of scientific discussion, authors here attempt to shed light on contested points to help the better understanding of the taxonomy of this genus in Europe.

Latest Triassic and Early Jurassic Spiriferinida (Brachiopoda) of Zealandia(New Zealand and New Caledonia).

The Late Triassic spiriferinides of Zealandia include the endemic or Austral genera Rastelligera, Psioidea and Psioidiella, and the cosmopolitan Zugmayerella. Mentzelia kawhiana is revised and placed in Callospiriferina. It appears in the late Rhaetian and is found in the Téremba Terrane in New Caledonia and throughout the Murihiku Terrane in New Zealand. The spiriferinides were severely affected at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in Zealandia as elsewhere, but a moderately diverse fauna developed in the Early Jurassic. This has strong links to South America, and affinities with southern Europe and North Africa. In this study, a total of six species of Jurassic spiriferinides are recognised. Callospiriferina ongley is present in middle and late Hettangian and Sinemurian faunas. It is succeeded in the Pliensbachian and early Toarcian by Callospiriferina radiata. Two species of Spiriferina are recognised. S. sophiaealbae n. sp. first appears in the Middle Hettangian and is present in the Southland and Kawhia Synclines until the early Toarcian. S. arakiwa n. sp. is found mainly on the southwest limb of the Southland Syncline in the Pliensbachian and early Toarcian. The non-costate European genus Cisnerospira is represented in Zealandia by the small C. antipoda n. sp. This species ranges from Hettangian to early Toarcian. Two specimens of a spiriferinide with a costate sulcus are tentatively identified as Dispiriferina sp. cf. D. chilensis. The highest stratigraphic level at which Zealandian spiriferinides have been found is that of the Dactylioceras band at Kawhia, which is correlated with the Crassum Subzone of the Bifrons Zone (highest Early Toarcian) and includes three species of spiriferinide. This suggests that the Zealandian spiriferinides survived the Toarcian Event, only to meet their demise slightly later.

A New Species of the Pythonomorph Carentonosaurus from the Cenomanian of Algora (Guadalajara, Central Spain).

The Cenomanian (lowermost Upper Cretaceous) faunal assemblages are of high interest in understanding the turnovers that took place between the Early and the Late Cretaceous, resulting in significant differences. In this context, the analysis of the association of reptiles found in the Algora fossil site (Guadalajara Province, Central Spain) is of great interest since it represents the first European Cenomanian site with a high concentration of macrovertebrate remains. A new pythonomorph 'lizard' from Algora, Carentonosaurus algorensis sp. nov., is described here. It is the second representative of this European genus. Its microanatomical study reveals that an extreme pachyosteosclerosis affected at least its dorsal vertebrae, suggesting adaptations for slow-swimming habits in shallow-water environments. Consequently, this new taxon is interpreted as a slow swimmer, hovering near the bottom of near-shore marine environments of the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago and, more specifically, along the shores of the larger Iberian Island for that period. This is in concordance with the high diversification of 'pachyostotic' pythonomorphs recorded during the Cenomanian, allowing the subsequent adaptation of this lineage to open marine environments.

The North Asian Genus Kolhymamnicola Starobogatov and Budnikova 1976 (Gastropoda: Amnicolidae), Its Extended Diagnosis, Distribution, and Taxonomic Relationships

The taxonomic position and phylogenetic affinities of the endemic North Asian genus Kolhymamnicola Starobogatov and Budnikova, 1976 (Gastropoda: Amnicolidae) remain unknown. To resolve this, we studied key morpho-anatomical characteristics of Kolhymamnicola snails and performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of COI mtDNA, 16S rRNA, and 18S rRNA genes. In terms of protoconch microsculpture, operculum, radular teeth, and gill complex morphology, Kolhymamnicola snails do not differ significantly from the North American genera Amnicola Gould and Haldeman, 1840 and Taylorconcha Hershler et al., 1994, and the European genus Marstoniopsis van Regteren Altena 1936. The bifid penis found in Kolhymamnicola is similar to that in the genus Marstoniopsis. The female reproductive anatomy has some features shared by Kolhymamnicola and Taylorconcha (absence of bursa copulatrix, single seminal receptacle in rs2′ position, and ventral channel). The molecular analysis has revealed Taylorconcha as the closest relative to Kolhymamnicola; the COI-based genetic distance between them amounted to 0.113. We discuss the possible time of divergence of these two genera, as well as of European Marstoniopsis and the Baikal Lake endemic family Baicaliidae. The last common ancestor of these groups was widely distributed in Miocene–Pliocene in the Holarctic waterbodies. Recent Kolhymamnicola snails are distributed in Northern Asia, including lakes of the Baikal rift zone. We rank the Baicaliidae as a family rather than a subfamily of Amnicolidae based on their distinct, unique morpho-anatomical characteristics and highly supported separate position on the molecular tree. The tribe Erhaiini Davis and Kuo, 1985 is elevated to the rank of the family, with 3–4 recent genera included. The family Palaeobaicaliidae Sitnikova et Vinarski fam. nov. is established to embrace the Cretaceous North Asian gastropods conchologically similar to the recent Baicaliidae and Pyrgulidae.

Bryaxis pyrenaeus pyrenaeus (Saulcy): European Genus and Species Newly Recorded for North America (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

Bryaxis pyrenaeus pyrenaeus (Saulcy): European Genus and Species Newly Recorded for North America (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

A new species of Megacricetodon from the Early-Middle Miocene of Czech Republic and its importance for the understanding of the earliest evolution and dispersal of the genus in Europe

ABSTRACT The sudden appearance of modern cricetids in Europe during the Early Miocene was one of the most significant mammalian events of European Neogene. A characteristic representative of this mammalian turnover was the genus Megacricetodon that quickly became major components of the rodent faunas across Europe. Here, we review the fossil record of this genus from the Early-Middle Miocene (MN4-MN5) localities of Czech Republic, the key area for the understanding the earliest history of this genus in central Europe. We provide an age refinement of the localities under study, especially in the context of new data from the Northern Alpine Foreland Basins. A detailed analysis of the available material revealed a presence of Megacricetodon grueneri sp. nov., described here from Dolnice 3 (MN4a/b). The oldest record of Megacricetodon comes from Ořechov (~late MN4a) and marks the first occurrence of the genus in central Europe. We discuss and propose the most likely scenarios for the earliest phylogeny and dispersal of Megacricetodon into central and western Europe that were strongly influenced by major tectonic processes in the Pannonian and Pre-Alpine areas having a major impact on the development of terrestrial ecosystems and the composition of faunas. Zoobank: http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D2154E84-BD58-4AF9-80C7-8E8AEED7517D

Systematics, ontogeny and palaeobiogeography of the genus Orthacanthus (Diplodoselachidae, Xenacanthiformes) from the lower Permian of France

AbstractThe erection of Orthacanthus buxieri Heyler & Poplin from the lower Permian locality of Buxières‐les‐Mines (Allier, France) was based on a poorly prepared specimen with only a few parts of its anatomy visible. The supposedly related teeth have been regarded as possibly belonging to O. kounoviensis, a species already known from the Carboniferous–Permian of Germany and Czech Republic. The holotype of O. buxieri requires extensive preparation before it can be revised, but the description of Orthacanthus isolated teeth and dorsal spines from Buxières‐les‐Mines nevertheless provides useful information, especially given that no precise description of this material has been provided so far. The aim of this description is to better understand the evolutionary history of the French Orthacanthus and its relationships with the other European species. The studied material is assigned to O. kounoviensis. This is the latest occurrence of this genus in Europe and the presence of both juvenile and adult teeth indicate that Buxières‐les‐Mines was probably one of the last suitable environments for its reproduction. We also identify Orthacanthus cf. kounoviensis from the Muse oil‐shale bed, the first record of this genus in the Autun Basin. This brings into question the relationships between the different Carboniferous–Permian basins of the Northern Massif Central and suggests that they could still have been in connection during the lower Permian, in contrast to the central European basins, which seem to be more isolated from each other.

Poliaenus europaeus n. sp., the first cerambycid from Rovno amber (Coleoptera Cerambycidae)

ABSTRACT The first cerambycid from Eocene Rovno amber, Poliaenus europaeus n. sp. (Lamiinae, Pogonocherini) is described. The new species is the first known fossil of Poliaenus Bates, 1880, as well as the first representative of this genus in Europe. Relations with extant species and with the putative hosts of this fossil are discussed, leading to suppose the presence of Abies in Eocene of Ukraine. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0E67C646-09FE-4789-94A5-313EAB48B797

Draeculacephala robinsoni Hamilton, 1967 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae), a newly introduced species and genus in Europe with comments on its identification.

For the first time in the Palaearctic Region, the New World leafhopper genus Draeculacephala Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) has been recorded in France (Pyrenes-Orientales) and Spain (Catalonia). The species present in both countries is Draeculacephala robinsoni Hamilton 1967, among the most common and widespread species of the genus Draeculacephala in eastern North America. Comments on the identification of this species are presented. The species already seems to be firmly established in the region since it has been found in 11 different sites with a maximum distance of 86 km between them. Since the genus has been reported to be a vector of plant pathogens including Xylella fastidiosa its further spread in Europe should be closely monitored.