Pristiphora saxesenii (Hartig, 1837)

Prous, Marko, Kramp, Katja & Liston 1, Veli VikbergAndrew, 2017, North-Western Palaearctic species of Pristiphora (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 59, pp. 1-190 : 32

Pristiphora saxesenii (Hartig, 1837) Figs 60, 120-121, 162, 288

Nematus (Nematus) hospes Dahlbom, 1835b: 9. Not available. Nomen nudum.

Nematus saxesenii Hartig, 1837: 212-213. Lectotype ♀ (GBIF -GISHym3409; here designated) in ZSM, examined. Type locality: Harz, Germany.

Pristiphora thalenhorsti Wong, 1975: 453-454. Holotype ♂ in CNC, not examined. Type locality: Sieber, Lower Saxony, Germany. Synonymised with P. saxesenii by Beneš and Krístek (1976).

Similar species.

The most similar species is P. gerula , valvula 3 of which lacks a scopa (present in posterior view in P. saxesenii ) and which usually has a pale pterostigma (usually dark brown in P. saxesenii ). Males are best recognised by examining penis valves (see the Key).

Genetic data.

Based on COI barcode sequences, P. saxesenii belongs to the same BIN cluster (BOLD:AAK9450) as P. abietina , P. compressa , P. decipiens , P. gerula , P. pseudodecipiens , and possibly P. robusta (Fig. 5). Maximum distance within the BIN is 2.18% and minimum between species distance is 0.00%. The nearest neighbour to BOLD:AAK9450, diverging by minimum of 3.92%, is BOLD:ACO1401 ( P. euxantha ). Based on nuclear data (one specimen), the nearest neighbour is 1.1% different ( P. gerula , only TPI).

Host plants.

Picea abies (L.) Karste ( Pschorn-Walcher and Altenhofer 2000, ex ovo rearing experiments by VV), P. pungens Engelm. ( Kula et al. 2016).

Rearing notes.

Ovipositing experiment no.19/1987: Finland, South Häme, Hämeenlinna (uniform grid reference 676:336). On 5-6.VI.1987 one captured female laid eggs on new needles of Picea abies , the eggs were on outer margin of needle near its middle and entirely visible. Larvae hatched on 9.VI.1987. Four to five larval instars were observed, the development of larvae was rapid and on 21.VI.1987 prepupae were seen. No extra moult after feeding.

Distribution and material examined.

West Palaearctic. Specimens studied are from Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Slovakia, and Sweden.