Forum Entomologi Italiani

The Măcin Mountains is a mountainous string in the Northern Dobruja (Dobrogea), Romania. Seen from the Danube, they seem only low hills, however they are mountainous region.
The Măcin Mountains are one of the oldest in Romania, being formed in the second part of the Paleozoic, in the Carboniferous and Permian, during the Hercynian orogeny. The predominant rock is granite. Erosion (caused by the difference of temperature) has created steep slopes, with the aspect of ruins.
The highest peak is Ţuţuiatu (also called Greci) which has a height of 467 meters. Other important peaks are Priopcea Hill (410 m) and Muntele lui Iacob ("Mountain" of Iacob – 341 m).
The climate is arid with Mediterranean influence. The summers are very hot and dry, the autumn is long and dry and the winter is prevailingly poor in snow.

I started to climb from the village named "Greci" (Greeks) to the peak Ţuţuiatu, but I didn't reach the peak, considering to study less in detail than much and superficially, our time being not very long (10.20-16.00).
. I marked with red my way.

The aspect of the village is pure Romanian, in this area the buildings are less altered.

The general aspect of this versant is arid, steppic with rare brushes and trees.

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Ciao
Adrian

The surprises didn't take long.
Pimelia subglobosa (cf). It is found only in Dobruja.

Also the dung provided from cows, sheeps and goats is full of dung beetles. Here is a multitude of Onthophagus amyntas, but other species too, I will prepare them later and take detailed pictures and post in the "Nuove richieste di determinazione o di conferma" topic.
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Many other specific beings, like the Testudo graeca ibera.

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Ciao
Adrian

Here I found many specimens of Tropinota squalida (rare in Romania) and it is very interesting the etologic separation:[T. squalida/i] were found on these yellow Asteraceae,

since [i]T. hirta were only on Crataegus monogyna flowers.

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Ciao
Adrian

The landscape is fantastic for an entomologist.

Many interesting insects, like this nymph of Bradiporus sp.

But in this period, this is the empire of the Cetonids. I have seen here, among the 2 Tropinota's: Cetonia aurata aurata, Protaetia (Eupotosia) affinis, Protaetia (Potosia) cuprea cuprina, P. (P.) fieberi, Protaetia (Netocia) vidua and P (N.) hungarica

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Ciao
Adrian

Beautiful places!

Try to put some meat traps, the place is good for Nicrophorus

Another place where need to spend some time were the trees of Prunus mahaleb.

Here I found 2 Buprestid species: Ptosima undecimmaculata (many specimens) and Anthaxia candens, very rare in Romania. The last one I had no guts to take a picture in nature, because I forgot to take the salt to put on their tale
. The problem with these trees they were only between big rocks, so it was hard to follow the flying insects with the sight until to watch my next step.
Unfortunately, this place is very far from me, hard to get in traveling alone, maybe Cosmin will reach there more times in this year and will put traps. But it is a piece of Heaven for entomologists like me.

Next days, I will post pictures of most insects in the "Nuove richieste di determinazione o di conferma" topic.

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Ciao
Adrian