Gitognathus gibberosus, Delucchi

Baur, Hannes, 2001, The Hymenoptera (Chalcidoidea, Ichneumonoidea, Platygastroidea) described by Vittorio Delucchi: an annotated catalogue, Journal of Natural History 35 (1), pp. 55-125 : 79

Gitognathu s gibberosus Delucchi (Pteromalidae)

Gitognathus gibberosus Delucchi, 1955a: 68 , 71. Holotype m, Hungary: Pest County, VaÂcz [VaÂc] (HNHM [examined]).

Material. HOLOTYPE m (cr, left antenna and left fore wing lacking) labelled`VaÂcz. 914. BiroÂ. V.; 26.V. [back side of former label]; Sphaeripalpus [sic] gibberosus m. V. Delucchi det. m; TYPE [red]’. One slide (sc) labelled`3; B [circled] DIS antenne m Sphaeripalpus [sic] gibberosus m.’ with left antenna (1955a: 70, ®gure 92) and one slide (sc) labelled`4; B [circled] DIS ala m Sphaeripalpus [sic] gibberosus’ with left fore wing (1955a: 70, ®gure 91) of holotype.

Remarks. Delucchi described the female and stated` Type deÂpose au MuseÂum d’Histoire Naturelle de Budapest’ but did not specify the number of specimens he had. There are two females (cr) in VD which match the data cited (`Budapest BiroÂ. 1916’ and`A.-Orbo Dr SzilaÂdy’) but lack any original identi®cation label.

Delucchi (1955a: 68) separated gibberosus from Sphaeripalpu s viridis FoÈrster [sub Gitognathus grandiclava Thomson ] based on the ®rst funicular segment being longer than the pedicel, the petiole subtransverse, the transscutal articulation weakly sinuate, and the number of setae on the cubital fold reduced. Examination of many females and males of viridis and fuscipes from Northern and Central Europe ( BMNH, ETHZ, LUZM, MG, MHNG, NMBE, RA, VD) showed that these characters do not hold good for separating the species. First, the length of funicular segments is variable even within a single species as shown by Graham (1969: 212) and my own investigations. Second, careful measurements have revealed that the petiole of the holotype is at least as long as broad (the length of the petiole was di cult to measure accurately, hence it may actually be slightly longer than broad). Third, the sinuation of the transscutal articulation and the number of setae on the cubital fold are not exceptional but fall within the range of viridis . As any other character, notably the almost completely reduced pilosity on the lower surface of the speculum, also ®t the diagnosis of the latter species very well, there is no reason to keep gibberosus separate.

Status. Junior synonym of Sphaeripalpus viridis FoÈrster syn. n.