Meteorus corax Marshall, 1898

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 : 51-52

Meteorus corax Marshall

Fig. 51 , 77 , 94

Meteorus corax Marshall, 1898:220 . Lectotype ♀ Switzerland: Val Somvix / 25.vii.1891 / Marshall det. (NMB, Bern)

Meteorus monachami Fischer, 1957c:17 . Holotype ♀ Austria: Lunz (Haberfelner), ex Monochamus saltuarius Gebl. (ZSBS, Munich) Synonymized by Fischer, 1966:395.

Diagnosis: This is one of the larger species of Meteorus , at least in the Palaearctic Region, averaging about 9 mm in body length. It is most easily confused with M. nixoni . However, M. corax has twisted mandibles (straight in M. nixoni ), the temples are wider than in M. nixoni , and the 3 rd abdominal tergum is densely covered with striae (only a few striae present in M. nixoni ).

Studied material: ~ 10 specimens.

Description: Size about 6–10mm. Antennae 39–41 articles. Head rather square. Ocelli small, OOL=3. Eyes small, converging only very slightly. Face about twice as long as broad. Clypeus distinctly narrower than face; protuberant. Tentorial pits wide and deep. Mandibles very stout and slightly twisted, with striate-punctate sculpture and long setae. Precoxal sulcus deep, foveolate with, anteriorly, a reticulate-foveolate patch beneath. Propodeum strongly reticulate-rugose with basal and medial transverse carinae. Petiolar tergum with longitudinal sculpture laterally, reticulate-rugose centrally; spiracles distinctly before the middle; large dorsal pits present, borders of petiolar tergum not meeting ventrally. The ovipositor about 4 times length of petiolar tergum. Outer surface of hind coxa and femur densely reticulate - punctate; hind tibia strongly swollen though not as wide as femur; tarsal claws large, strongly curved, not lobed but strongly swollen at base. Colour black or dark brown.

Distribution: Palearctic. Country records: Austria; Finland; Germany; Italy; Japan; Korea; Russia; Sweden; Switzerland.

Biology: Most host records of Meteorus corax involve the coleopteran family Cerambycidae ( Huddleston 1980) .

Figures

FIGURES 49–56. Characters used in key to species. 49) fore wing of M. artocercus sp. nov., 50) metasomal tergites two and three of M. pendulus, 51) metasomal tergites two and three of M. corax, 52) hind leg of M. oculatus, 53) hind leg of M. vexator, 54) fore wing of M. ipidivorus, 55) dorsal view of the head of M. punctifrons, 56) fore wing of M. radialis.

FIGURES 73–78. Characters used in key to species. 73) lateral view of the head of M. abscissus, 74) lateral view of the head of M. ictericus, 75) lateral view of the head of M. limbatus, 76) dorsal view of the head of M. nixoni, 76) dorsal view of the head of M. corax, 78) dorsal view of the petiolar tergum of M. sulcatus.

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