Xylonomus investigator Smith, 1874

Shimizu, So & Broad, Gavin R., 2020, Photographic catalogue of the oldest primary types of Japanese Ichneumonoidea (Hymenoptera), those described by Frederick Smith and Francis Walker in 1874, Journal of Natural History 54 (17), pp. 1115-1198 : 1163-1164

Xylonomus investigator Smith, 1874

( Figure 31 )

Taxonomic history. Townes et al. (1960) transferred this species to Xorides Latreille, 1809 .

Current taxonomy. Xorides investigator ( Smith, 1874) ( Ichneumonidae : Xoridinae ).

Type number. Type 3b.699. Specimen # NHMUK010881026

Type status. Holotype.

Sex. Female.

Type locality. Hyôgo Prefecture, Honshû, Japan.

Label data. First label, ‘ Type /CM’ (round label, with red margin; first line printed and second line handwriting); second label, ‘B.M. TYPE /HYM./3.b.699.’ (square label; first and second lines printed and third line handwriting); third label, ‘ Xylonomus /investigator/ Type Smith.’ (square label; handwriting).

Condition. Good, but the right fore wing is attached only by the hamuli to the hind wing, and the following parts are missing: right antenna after the 15th flagellomere, left antenna after the 17th flagellomere, and the left mid tarsus.

Walker’s 1874 types

Francis Walker described 14 species of Ichneumonidae and six of Braconidae from Japan. Walker’s types are generally not in good condition: his specimens are mounted with the ventral side glued onto a large piece of card, and they are generally extensively covered in glue, so many important characters are difficult or impossible to examine. In most cases, the antennae, legs, and wings are broken and/or lost.

Morley (1913b) reviewed Walker’s Japanese types, although with characteristic lack of taxonomic rigour. Dr Toichi Uchida subsequently revised them ( Uchida 1940b), but his paper contained brief taxonomic notes without any illustrations.

Figures

Figure 31. Holotype female of Xylonomus investigator Smith, 1874 (= Xorides investigator (Smith, 1874)): (a) labels (b) lateral habitus (c) head, frontal view (d) head, dorsal view (e) head, lateral view (f) mesoscutum, dorsal view (g) scutellum and propodeum, dorsal view (h) metasoma, dorsal view (i) mesosoma, lateral view (j) wings.