Spaniopus peisonis ( Erdös, 1957 ), Erdos, 1957

Tselikh, Ekaterina, 2015, Review of the world species of Spaniopus Walker, 1833 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), with description of a new species from the Russian Far East, Zootaxa 4058 (1), pp. 41-65 : 58-60

Spaniopus peisonis ( Erdös, 1957)

( Figs 46–52 )

Gyrinophagus peisonis Erdös, 1957: 64 ; holotype ♀, not available for study (Dr. Z. Vas, personal communication) (HNHM, not examined). Type locality: [ Hungary] “Vörs”.

Spaniopus peisonis: Bouček, 1972: 307 –308.

Description. Female. Body length 2.6–2.8 mm; fore wing length 1.25–2.1 mm. Colour: head, mesosoma and metasoma dark metallic green or blush-green with diffuse coppery lustre; antenna and legs brown; fore wing usually with one lunate spot below S, sometimes with additional small subapical spot; ovipositor sheath dark brown.

Head in dorsal view 2.0× as broad as length and 1.24–1.30× as broad as mesoscutum; in frontal view 1.3× broader than high. POL as long as OOL. Eye height 1.3× eye length and 1.45–1.55× as long as malar space. Frons 1.45–1.60× broader than eye height. Distance between antennal toruli and lower margin of clypeus 0.8–0.9× as long as distance between antennal toruli and median ocellus. Clypeus radially striate, its lower margin weakly emarginate. Mandible formula 3:4. Antenna with scape 1.1–1.2× as long as eye height and 1.4–1.5× as long as eye length; pedicel 1.8–2.0× as long as broad and 1.4–1.5× as long as F1; combined length of pedicel and flagellum 0.9–1.0× breadth of head; second anellus of antenna transverse and 1.9–2.0× as long as first one; flagellum filiform; F1 1.15–1.20× as long as broad, weakly constricted basally; F2–F3 subquadrate, F4–F6 subtransverse; each funicular segment with one row of dense sensilla; clava 2.0× as long as broad.

Mesosoma 1.65–1.08× as long as broad. Pronotal collar medially 1.16–1.18× as long as mesoscutum. Scutellum finely reticulate, about as long as broad, with noticeable but shallow frenal line. Propodeum medially 0.9× as long as scutellum; with median carina complete, costula irregular; nucha subglobose and reticulate, occupying at least 0.5× length of propodeum. Fore wing 2.27–2.35× as long as maximum width; basal cell of fore wing bare; speculum open; M 1.0–1.1× as long as P and 1.5–1.7× as long as S; P 1.5–1.67× as long as S.

Metasoma sublanceolate, 1.7–2.1× as long as broad and 1.40–1.55× as long as mesosoma. Ovipositor sheath projecting slightly beyond apex of metasoma.

Male. Body length 1.6–2.0 mm. Colour: head, mesosoma and metasoma metallic green with diffuse coppery lustre; scape and pedicel yellowish-brown, flagellum brown; legs yellowish-brown; fore wing hyaline. Eye height 1.7× as long as malar space. Combined length of pedicel and flagellum 1.10–1.15× breadth of head; F1–F6 longer than broad; clava 2.2× as long as broad. Fore wing with M 1.3× as long as S; P 1.25–1.3× as long as S. Otherwise similar to female.

Material examined. CZECH REPUBLIC: 1 ♀, “Boh. or., Týniště nad Orl., obora, 8.8.59, Bouček”; 1 ♀, “Týniště n. Orl., BOHEMIA, Bouček, 10.8.1959 ”; 1 ♀, “ ČSR., Bohemia, Sobeslav, 22/7.55, A. Hoffer”; 1 ♀, “Břehyně u Doks, BOHEMIA, Bouček, 17.7.63 ” (all from BMNH). FRANCE *: 1 ♀, “ FRANCE. Hérault Reg. Montpellier, H. Lavagne leg.”. GREAT BRITAIN: 2 ♀, 1 ♂, “BRANDON Suffolk 10.vi.73 ex. G. i n c l u s a in Phragmites.”, “♀ Spaniopus peisonis (Erd.) det. Z. Bouček, 1973”; 1 ♀, “ ENGLAND: Cambs. Wicken Fen 2.vi.1976 ”, “♀ Spaniopus peisonis (Erd.) det. Z. Bouček, 1980”, “ BMNH #953708”. HUNGARY: 1 ♂ (allotype), “Vörs, 1955. VI.16 dr. Erdös”, “De Phragmite vulgari Ltm.”, “Allotypus ♂ Gyrinophagus peisonis Erd., 1957 ”, “ Gyrinophagus peisonis Erd. det Erdös”, “♂”, “Hym. Typ. No. 6725 Mus. Budapest”, “Hungarian Natural History Museum Hymmenoptera Coll. Budapest” ( HNHM).

Distribution. Belgium, Czech Republic, France *, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Netherland, Slovakia, Sweden ( Noyes 2015).

Biology. Primary parasitoid of Giraudiella inclusa (Frauenfeld, 1862) ( Diptera , Cecidomyiidae ) ( Bouček 1972; Dzhanokmen 1978; Tscharntke et al. 1991; Tscharntke 1992; Noyes 2015).

Comparative diagnosis. Females of S. peisonis along with those of most known species of Spaniopus have F1 comparatively shorter and hardly constricted basally, and the second anellus distinctly transverse. Differences between these species are given in the key to females. Males of S. peisonis along with those of S. fulvicornis , S. japonicus , S. nigriceps and S. sasacolae have the mid tibia neither broadened or flattened, but S. peisonis males distinctly differ from those of the other four species by its bare basal cell and shorter pedicel.

Figures

FIGURES 46 – 52. Spaniopus peisonis (Erdös) (♀ non type, Great Britain, ♂ paratype). 46, ♀ habitus, lateral view; 47, ♀ fore and hind wings; 48, ♀ mesosoma and propodeum, dorsal view; 49, ♀ antenna; 50, ♂ habitus, dorsal view; 51, ♂ antenna; 52, ♂ fore and hind wings.