Meteorus nixoni Huddleston, 1980

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 : 62

Meteorus nixoni Huddleston

Fig. 76 , 111

Meteorus nixoni Huddleston 1980:40 . Holotype ♀, Austria: Tyrol, Oberau , vii.1938 (Nixon) (BMNH, London)—examined.

Diagnosis: Meteorus nixoni is closely related to M. corax and M. sulcatus . All are large and dark species with a wide face. However, M. nixoni has large mandibles that are not twisted and its third abdominal tergum is equipped with only a few striae. M. corax and M. sulcatus both have short, twisted mandibles and they both have the third abdominal tergum densely covered with striae.

Studied material: 4 specimens.

Description: Size up to almost 1 cm. Antennae with 43 articles, long, all articles at least longer than broad. Head broad, contracted behind eyes but not strongly so; temples shorter than eyes. Ocelli small, OOL=2.5 times OD. Eyes small, protuberant, not or very little convergent. Malar space slightly shorter than basal breadth of mandible. Face about twice as broad as high, not strongly protuberant, centrally reticulate-rugose, laterally reticulatepunctate. Clypeus broad, only slightly narrower than face, not strongly protuberant but deeply impressed at the junction with face and with a strongly reflexed apical margin, sparsely punctured; clypeal hair conspicuously longer than facial hair. Tentorial pits deep and large. Mandibles large, not twisted. Pronotum strongly rugose. Mesonotum rather narrow, densely almost reticulately punctate, especially on the central lobe; notaulices thin, deeply impressed. Precoxal sulcus reticulate- rugose; rest of mesopleurae polished, punctate except for a subalar patch of rugosity. Propodeum with basal and medial transverse carinae and a central longitudinal carina, with rugose sculpture between. Petiolar tergum rather broad at base, apically only 2.5 times as broad as at narrowest point, the spiracles distinctly before mid-point; dorsal pits large and deep, behind dorsal pits strongly longitudinally strigose. 3 rd abdominal tergum with distinct thyridia and a trace of longitudinal strigose sculpture. Ovipositor long, about 4 times length of petiolar tergum. Legs long; hind coxa shining, punctured but not densely so; hind femur densely reticulate-punctate; hind tibia swollen, though not as broad as femur, and narrow at base; tarsal claws thick, strongly curved and strongly swollen at base, almost with a basal lobe. Wings large, infumate. Colour: dark reddish-brown; mandibles, palps, fore and mid legs testaceous, hind coxa and femur brown, tibia black except at the base which is light yellow, hind tarsi black except at base and apex which are light yellow; malar space and clypeus slightly lighter in colour than rest of head.

Distribution: Palearctic. Country records: Austria; Japan; Korea; Russia.

Biology: The holotype was caught in July.

Figures

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).