Orthopteran diversity and distribution in the Monviso Natural Park (Western Italian Alps) (Orthoptera)
Author
Giuliano, Davide
text
Fragmenta entomologica
2022
2022-05-15
54
1
45
64
http://dx.doi.org/10.13133/2284-4880/536
journal article
10.13133/2284-4880/536
2284-4880
6.25
Chorthippus
(
Glyptobothrus
)
cialancensis
Nadig, 1986 Ch
:
ALSW
; ERL:
NT
; P; %C: 2.88; ER:
2020-2580 m
; Ph: VIII-X
C. cialancensis
is an endemic grasshopper with a distribution restricted to high elevations in the northern Cottian Alps (
Sindaco et al. 2012
;
Sardet et al. 2015
). The MNP includes the southernmost portions of its range, with only some localised populations occurring in the upper Po Val- ley. This species proved to prefer alpine grassland habitats, especially in the proximity of screes or other rocky areas on south-east-facing slopes. According to the available data, the specimen observed at
2020 m
(Pian del Re, Crissolo;
14/10/2019
; DG;
Bellmann 1993
) represents a low-elevation record in the whole
C. cialancensis
range, while the individual collected at
2580 m
(Vallone delle Traversette, Crissolo;
10/08/2019
; DG) updates the known upper altitudinal extreme for this species in
Italy
. This
taxon
should represent a conservation priority in the MNP, since the observed localised populations are apparently composed by a low number of individuals, making them particularly vulnerable to detrimental human pressures (e.g. intensive grazing, collecting, etc.) or other stochastic events. In addition,
C. cialancensis
is considered among the species which may suffer of ongoing climatic alterations in alpine ecosystems, thus justifying its inclusion in the
Near-threatened
category by
Hochkirch et al. (2016)
.