Agapanthia suturalis (Fabricius, 1787)
LAMINAE, AGAPANTHIINI

Size: 6-13 mm.
Host plant: 1 year. Asteraceae, also cited from other herbaceous plants.
Life cycle: Adults in February-April.
Distribution: SW Europe, North Africa, Near East.
Libya: Cyrenaica and Tripolitania
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Differs from Agapanthia c. cardui (Linnaeus, 1767) by distinctly attenuate (or even acuminate) elytra at apex, broadly clothed in yellowish pubescence. For this species, the oldest available name seems to be Agapanthia suturalis (Fabricius, 1787). Further clarification of nomenclatural status and distributional ranges of A. cardui complex is needed (Sama, 2002). The left specimen (Saraj, Tripolitania) is more typical than the left darker one.

Common in spring in both Cyrenaica and Tripolitania. Mostly on Thistles.
Cyrenaica: Tukrah, 17/04/2003. Haniyah, 30/03/2005, P. Weill Leg.
Tripolitania: As Sarraj, 02/03/2002; Az Zahrah, 13/032003 and 06/03/2004; Tarhunah, 16/02/2002. Bukamash, 11/03/2005, P. Weill Leg.

JCR 05/12/2003

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Agapanthia suturalis