Exetastes crassus GRAVENHORST, 1829

Riedel, Matthias, 2023, The genus Exetastes GRAVENHORST in the West Palaearctic region, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Banchinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 55 (2), pp. 641-692 : 653

Exetastes crassus GRAVENHORST, 1829 (figs 6, 3, 54, 70, 99, 131)

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀. Length 12-16 mm. Flagellum short and filiform, with 38-41 flagellomeres; 1 st flagellomere 3.6-4.0× as long as wide and 0.5× as long as eye; preapical flagellomeres slightly transverse. Temple moderately and roundly narrowed behind eye. OED 1.7-2.5× ocellar diameter. Inner eye margins parallel or slightly convergent ventrally. Minimal facial width 0.7-0.8× eye length. Clypeus 1.8× as wide as long, convex centrally, ± impressed and bilobed apically. Mandible elongate, lower tooth slightly larger than upper one. MI 0.3-0.4. Epomia present. Mesoscutum finely punctate, smooth between punctures, strongly shining. Scutellum not carinate. Propodeum punctate; spiracle slit-shaped; apical transversal carina absent. Hind femur 4.8-5.6× longer than wide. Hind claws long, distinctly bent apically, with long teeth. Areolet oblique, vein 2m-cu reaching its middle; ramellus short; vein 1cu-a slightly postfurcal. Metasoma smooth and shining. 1 st tergite 1.3-1.5× as long as wide. 2 nd tergite 0.6-0.7× as long as wide. Ovipositor sheath 0.6-0.7× as long as hind tibia and 1.3-1.5× as long as 1 st tergite, ovipositor slightly and continuously bent upwards.

Color: Black. Setae of mesosoma brownish. Clypeus entirely black or with red apex. Scutellum sometimes with weak yellowish or reddish spot. Metasoma mainly reddish or chestnut-red; 1 st tergite ± infuscate basally, 6 th and 7 th tergites black, sternites black. Coxae and trochanters black, legs otherwise mainly red; hind femur red, sometimes narrowly yellowish basally; hind tibia entirely or in apical 2/3 and mid to hind tarsi ± infuscate. Pterostigma ochreous, margins ± darkened.

♁. Length 13-15 mm. Flagellum with 38-42 flagellomeres. OED 2.0× ocellar diameter. Hind femur 4.3-5.0× as long as wide. 1 st tergite 1.3-1.6× as long as wide. 2 nd tergite 0.7× as long as wide.

Color: Black. Clypeus sometimes reddish apically. Scutellum sometimes with weak yellowish spot. 1 st tergite apically, 2 nd to 4 th tergites entirely and 5 th tergite basally red or chestnut-red. 6 th and 7 th tergite black, yellowish apically (metasoma sometimes distinctly darkened). Femora red, fore femur sometimes infuscate basally. Color otherwise as in ♀.

New host records: Cucullia scrophulariae (DENNIS & SCHIFFERMÜLLER, 1775) (Lep. Noctuidae ) (coll. RIEDEL), Cucullia blattariae (ESPER, 1790) (Lep. Noctuidae ) (Edinburgh).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Transpalaearctic; new record for Israel (Munich).