Meteorus breviantennatus Tobias, 1986

Stigenberg, Julia & Ronquist, Fredrik, 2011, Revision of the Western Palearctic Meteorini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), with a molecular characterization of hidden Fennoscandian species diversity 3084, Zootaxa 3084 (1), pp. 1-95 : 47-48

Meteorus breviantennatus Tobias

Fig. 87

Meteorus breviantennatus Tobias, 1986:345 . Holotype ♀, Russia: (ZIN. St. Petersburg)—examined.

Diagnosis: Meteorus breviantennatus is similar to M. cis but the clypeus of M. breviantennatus is almost as wide as the face while the clypeus of M. cis is narrower. Also the malar space (shorter than mandibular base on M. breviantennatus , as wide as mandibular base on M. cis ) and the face (slightly transverse in M. breviantennatus , round in M. cis ) should separate these species.

Studied material: 11 specimens.

Description: Size about 3mm. Antennae 20–22 articles, the basal articles lighter in colour. Head slightly transverse. Ocelli small, OOL=3–3.5. Eyes small, slightly protuberant, convergent. Malar space shorter than basal breadth of mandible. Face about 1.3 times as broad as high, punctate, not strongly protuberant. Clypeus almost as wide as face, protruding, in some specimen with a notch similar to M. cis . Tentorial pits distinct. Mandibles short and moderately twisted. Precoxal sulcus rather wide. Propodeum with carinae, otherwise reticulate. Dorsal pits of the petiolar tergum small, dorsal surface rugose with longitudinal striae laterally. Ovipositor about twice the length of petiolar tergum. Legs slender; hind coxa punctuate with small punctures. Tarsal claws long and slender. Colour dark brown; clypeus, mandibles and usually third abdominal tergum of lighter colour than the rest of body; coxa and legs brownish-yellow.

Distribution: Western and Eastern Palearctic. Country records: Austria; China; France; Germany; Ireland; Japan; Korea; Netherlands; Russia; Sweden; United Kingdom.

Biology: According to Tobias (1986) it is a parasitoid of Ips acuminatus (Gyllenhal, 1827) and Tomicus minor (Hartig, 1834) (Coleoptera) .

Figures

FIGURES 80–133. Anterior view of the head of Meteorus species (except for M. politutele, which is depicted in lateral view).