Helorus nigripes Förster, 1856

Vogel, Jonathan, Sauren, Jerome & Peters, Ralph S., 2024, New evidence on the identity of the European Helorus species (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea, Helorida), Biodiversity Data Journal 12, pp. e 122523-e 122523 : e122523-

Helorus nigripes Förster, 1856

Helorus nigripes Förster, 1856: 143

Helorus rugosus Thomson, 1858: 380 . Lectotype designated by Pschorn-Walcher (1955)

Materials

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: individualCount: 1; sex: male; disposition: in collection; associatedSequences: no DNA barcode available; occurrenceID: B89735F0-6010-5EE8-A6D3-5208B97080BB; Taxon: family: Heloridae ; genus: Helorus ; specificEpithet: nigripes ; scientificNameAuthorship: Förster, 1856; Location: country: The Netherlands; countryCode: NL; stateProvince: Limburg; municipality: Maastricht; locality: Exc. St. Pietersberg, Wijngaard, langs kleine Pruisweg ; Identification: identifiedBy: van Achterberg, Kees; dateIdentified: 2003; Event: eventDate: 1950-8 - 16; year: 1856; Record Level: institutionID: RMNH; collectionID: JV _ Prel _ 0033; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: individualCount: 1; sex: female; disposition: in collection; associatedSequences: no DNA barcode available; occurrenceID: C4F9CD8A-4F22-5CD5-81BD-C72346EEB366; Taxon: family: Heloridae ; genus: Helorus ; specificEpithet: nigripes ; scientificNameAuthorship: Förster, 1856; Location: country: The Netherlands; countryCode: NL; stateProvince: Limburg; municipality: Maastricht; locality: Exc. St. Pietersberg, Oosthelling bij grens ; Identification: identifiedBy: van Achterberg, Kees; dateIdentified: 2003; Event: eventDate: 1950-8 - 17; year: 1856; Record Level: institutionID: RMNH; collectionID: JV _ Prel _ 0034; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen

Remarks

We could only study historical material of this reportedly rare species, loaned from the RMNH. The specimen shows the distinct coarse reticulation on head and mesosoma (Fig. 6 B) that was already described by Förster and also mentioned, described, and imaged by subsequent authors ( Pschorn-Walcher 1955, Townes 1977, Van Achterberg 2006). Note that Pschorn-Walcher (1955) wrote that the name H. rugosus Thomson should be preferred because Thomson’s material was, in contrast to Förster’s, still present. Pschorn-Walcher (1971) continued to use the name H. rugosus . Pschorn-Walcher (1955) designated a lectotype for H. rugosus , deposited at Stockholm Museum ( SMNH). It is unclear if Townes (1977) was aware of this designation and was looking for the same specimens Pschorn-Walcher (1955) examined when he briefly reports the type as “ … lost, not found in Stockholm 1975 ”. Despite the allegedly lost primary type of H. nigripes , we agree with Townes (1977) that the statement describing the unique coarse sculpture by Förster leaves no doubt about the identity of the name. The absence of the primary type of H. nigripes is irrelevant. Therefore, H. nigripes is used here, maintaining the principle of priority.

Figures

Figure 6. Helorus nigripes Förster, 1856, male (RMNH). A habitus lateral; B head and mesosoma lateral. Scale bar: A 1000 µm, B 500 µm.