Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael)

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 : 65-66

Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael)

Fig. 23 , 28 , 50 , 72 , 118

Perilitus pulshricornis Wesmael, 1835:42 . Lectotype ♀, Belgium: Brussels, coll. Wesmael (IRSBN, Brussels).

Meteorus striatus Thomson, 1885:2157 . Lectotype ♀, Sweden: Skåne, Pålsjö (MZLU, Lund) synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:45 —examined.

Meteorus thomsoni Marshall, 1899: 301 .

Meteorus japonicus Ashmead, 1906:190 . Lectotype ♀, Japan: Gifu, viii.1902 (USNM, Washington), synonymized by Marsh (1979).

Meteorus nipponensis Viereck, 1912:624 . Holotype ♀, Japan (USNM, Washington) synonymized by Watanabe , 1939

Meteorus macedonicus Fischer, 1957a:104 . Holotype ♀, Yugoslavia: Macedonia, treskaslucht (NHM, Vienna), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:45

Meteorus graeffei Fischer, 1957a:107 . Holotype ♀, Italy:’Triest’ (NHM, Vienna), synonymized with macedonicus by Fischer, 1970b:287.

Meteorus tuberculifer Fischer, 1957a:108 . Holotype ♀, Italy:’Trieste Küstenland, coll Graeffe (NHM, Vienna), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:45.

Meteorus baicalensis Telenga, 1950 , synonymized by Belokobylskij 2000:209.

Diagnosis: The dense, short and erect setae on the clypeus along with the indications of dorsope on the petiolar tergum are good characters for distinguishing M. pulchricornis . It is closest to, and easily confused with M. abscissus . M. abscissus has the ventral sides of the petiolar tergum not closed, contrary to M. pulchricornis which have the ventral sides of the petiolar tergum closed. The dorsal pits on the petiolar tergum of M. abscissus are sometimes small and complicates the identification with M. pulchrichornis that has no true dorsal pits.

Studied material: ~ 80 specimens.

Description: Size about 5mm. Antennae with 29–33 articles, long, slender; all articles distinctly longer than broad. Ocelli large, OOL=1.5. Eyes large, protuberant, moderately convergent. Malar space slightly shorter than basal breadth of mandible. Face not strongly protuberant but slightly raised medially. Clypeus strongly protuberant, evenly convex with a dense pile of erect setae. Mandibles small and strongly twisted. Precoxal sulcus reticulaterugose with emphasis on reticulate. Propodeum without distinct carinae, strongly reticulate-rugose. Petiolar tergum longitudinally striate, usually with no dorsal pits but with indications of pits. Ovipositor 1.5–2.0 times length of petiolar tergum. Legs long, slender; hind coxa generally completely rugose, this sculpture always fine, never reticulate though sometimes transverse. Tarsal claws with a strong basal lobe. Colour mostly yellow. Completely pale specimens sometimes occur. Male same as female except antennae slightly longer; face occasionally strongly raised medially; propodeum with greater variation in sculpture, smaller, and more depressed.

Distribution: Palearctic, Oceanic and Nearctic. Country records: Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bulgaria; Chile; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Czechoslovakia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; India; Iran; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Korea; Lithuania; Macedonia; Moldova; Morocco; Netherlands; New Zeeland; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom; USA; Yugoslavia.

Biology: We found two specimens within the SMTP. They were caught in September, one in a mixed forest and the other in a heather heath. M. pulchricornis is primarily a parasitoid of Noctuidae , although there are records from 17 other lepidopteran families ( Yu et al. 2005). Amongst the studied Meteorus material at Hokkaido University in Japan, we found specimens that was reared from Evergestis forficalis , Leucania separate, Zanclognatha fractalis, and Ilema sorocula . The biology and ecology of this species have been studied extensively (Askari et al. 1977, 1978, Fuester et al. 1993, Berry et al. 2004, Chau et al. 2009).

Figures

FIGURES 18–25. Characters used in key to species. 18) dorsal view of the petiolar tergum of M. filator, 19) dorsal view of the petiolar tergum of M. rubens, 20) ventral view of the petiolar tergum of M. colon, 21) dorsal view of the petiolar tergum of M. hirsutipes, 22) ventral view of the petiolar tergum of M. pendulus, 23) dorsal view of the head of M. pulchricornis, 24) dorsal view of the head of M. filator, 25) ventral view of the petiolar tergum of M. rubens.

FIGURES 26–32. Characters used in key to species. 26) ventral view of the petiolar tergum of M. versicolor, 27) head in lateral view of M. rubens, 28) head in lateral view of M. pulchricornis, 30) fore wing of M. colon, 31) habitus of M. acerbiavorus, 32) dorsal view of the head of M. lionotus.

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 65–72. Characters used in key to species. 65) lateral view of metasomal part with ovipositor of M. salicorniae, 66) lateral view of the head of M. obfuscatus, 67) habitus of M. hirsutipes, 68) lateral view of mesosoma of M. eklundi sp.nov. 69) lateral view of mesosoma of M. subtilisulcus sp.nov., 70) lateral view of petiolar tergum of M. ictericus, 71) dorso-lateral view of the pit in front of the anterior ocelli of M. ictericus, 72) lateral view of petiolar tergum of M. pendulus.

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