Meteorus punctifrons Thomson, 1895

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 : 66

Meteorus punctifrons Thomson

Fig. 55 , 119

Meteorus punctifrons Thomson, 1895:2166 . Holotype ♀, Sweden: Åreskutan i Jämtland (MZLU, Lund)—examined.

Meteorus varinervis Tobias, 1986:339 , Holotype ♀, Russia: ‘City Archangelsk, [ Pityogenes chalcographus and Pityophthorus micrographus ] 6.VII.1964 ’ (Pryakhina), (ZIN. St. Petersburg)—examined. Syn. n.

Diagnosis: This is a small, slender species, and it is rare, at least in collections. It is easily recognized by the characteristic frontal punctuation, the subcubic head and the minute ocelli. Similar small species are M. brevicauda and M. micropilosus , but neither of them has a subcubic head with large frontal punctures.

Studied specimens: ~ 10 specimens.

Description: Size small. Antennal articles 26–27. Head subcubic. Ocelli very small OOL=4 times OD. Eyes small, only slightly convergent. Face about twice as broad as high; frons with a short groove in front of ocellus. There is a patch, between ocelli and eye, of large punctures separated at most by a distance equal to their diameter. Mandible stout, slightly twisted. Propodeum short, with distinct carinae, excavate apically. Petiolar tergum short and wide, with small but distinct dorsal pits. Ovipositor short, about 1 5 times length of petiolar tergum, downcurved. Legs very long, slender; hind coxa only slightly rugose at the base; tarsal claws long, slightly swollen at base. Colour brownish black with testaceous parts. Male same as female.

Distribution: Western Palearctic. Country records: France; Norway; Russia; Sweden.

Biology: Meteorus punctifrons is a parasitoid of Corticeus longulus ( Coleoptera , Tenebrionidae ) ( 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 80–133. Anterior view of the head of Meteorus species (except for M. politutele, which is depicted in lateral view).