Polysphincta boops Tschek, 1869

Fritzen, Niclas R. & Shaw, Mark R., 2014, On the spider parasitoids Polysphincta longa Kasparyan and P. boops Tschek (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae), with the first host records of P. longa, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 39, pp. 71-82 : 73-74

Polysphincta boops Tschek, 1869

Figures 4 -7

Material examined.

FINLAND: 1♂ (NRF) ex Araniella sp., Al, Sund, Kulla, open moist grassland, coll. vi.2003, (N. R. Fritzén); 1♂ (NRF) ex Araniella sp., Al, Lemland, Jungfruskär (nature reserve), edge between spruce forest and seashore, coll. 26.v.2006, coc. 1.vi.2006, em. 11.vi.2006 (N. R. Fritzén); 1♂ (NRF) ex Araniella sp., Ab: Kaarina, Kuusisto, garden close to forest, beaten from Abies sp., coll. 26.ix.2006, coc. 19.xi.2006, em. 30.xi.2006 (N. R. Fritzén) (Figure 7 ); 1♂ (NRF) ex Araniella sp., Al, Hammarland, Ängessjö (nature reserve), sweeping of vegetation at rich fen, coll. 19.v.2007, coc. 23.v.2007 (N. R. Fritzén); 1♂ (NRF) ex Araniella sp., Ta, Lammi biol. st., mixed grove at lake shore, beaten from spruce, coll. 5.iv.2008, em. <6.v.2008 (I. Österblad); 1♂ (NRF) ex Araniella sp., Obu, Keminmaa, Helkkusenvaara, sweeping of Betula nana at edge of small open bog, coll. 3.vi.2007, 10.vi.2007, em. 20.vi.2007 (N. R. Fritzén) (Figure 6 ); 1♂ (NRF) ex adult ♀ Araniella cucurbitina , Ta, Iitti, Radansuu, in hotel room, coll. 5.vii.2010, coc. <10.vii.2010, em. ~17.vii.2010 (R. Pajarre); 1♀ (NRF) ex Araniella sp., N, Hangö, Tvärminne zool. st., in Artemisia vulgaris at open parking place, coll. 24.vii.2007, coc. 27.vii.2008, em. viii.2008 (I. Österblad); SWEDEN: 1♀ (NRM) Sm, Nybro, Bäckebo, Grytsjön (nature reserve), Malaise trap in old moist haymaking meadow at forest edge (=Trap ID 1001), 12.ix-10.x.2005 (=coll. event ID 1366) (SMTP); 1♀ (NRM) Sm, Gränna, Lönnemålen, Malaise trap in Norway spruce forest with big harvested ashes (= Trap ID 17), 13.vii-20.viii.2004 (=coll. event ID 968) (SMTP); 1♂ (NRM) Bh, Stenungsund, Kolhättan, Malaise trap in broad-leaved deciduous forest (=Trap ID 31), 29.vi-14.vii.2004 (=coll. event ID 1059) (SMTP); 1♂ (NRF) ex Araniella sp. Hls, Söderhamn, Sphagnum -bog, coll. 26.iv.2009 (I. Österblad); POLAND: 2♀ (NMS) Biebrza National Park, Kopciowe, Yellow pan, vii-ix.2002 (J. Hilszczanski); ENGLAND: Surrey, Box Hill, TQ 1852: 1♀ (NMS) ex Araniella [?] cucurbitina , coll. 25.vi.1989, coc. ca 4.vii.1989, em.16.vii.1989 (M. Askins); 1♂ (NMS) ex Araniella sp., Taxus , coll. 25.vi.1989, em. vii/viii.1989 (E. E. Emmett); 1♂ (NMS) ex Araniella sp., bushes, coll. 2.vii.1989, em 1989 (F. M. Murphy); 1♂ (NMS) ex Araniella [?] cucurbitina , Devon, Horrobridge, Denham Wood, SX 475674, coll. 2.v.1990, em. 1990 (P. Smithers); Cumbria, Whitbarrow: 1♂ (NMS) ex Araniella [?] cucurbitina , Corylus , coll. 22.ix.1985, coc. (indoors) 8.iii.1986, em. 4.iv.1986 (M. R. Shaw); 1♂ (NMS) ex Araniella [?] cucurbitina , Taxus , coll. 11.v.1986, coc. 13.vi.1986, em. 4.vii.1986 (M. R. Shaw); 1♂ (NMS) ex Araniella sp., Quercus , Berkshire, Ascot, Silwood Park, coll.29.iv.1994, coc. 30.iv.1994, em. 23.v.1994 (M. R. Shaw); 1♂ (NMS) ex unspecified spider, Leicestershire, Buddon Wood, coll. 13.vii.2011, em. 2011 (A. Godfrey); 1♀ (NMS) ex cocoon on Quercus , Northamptonshire, Castor Hanglands, TF 1201, coll. 17.v.2009, em. 16.vii.2009 (M. R. Shaw); 1♂ (NMS) ex cocoon on Rosa , Warwickshire, Snitterfield, SP 2060, coll. 21.v.1988, em. 30.v.1988 (J. Robbins); 1♀ (NMS) Huntingdonshire, Monks Wood, Rothamsted light trap 17.viii.2005 (G. R. Broad); ESTONIA: 1♀ (RJ) Ösel (Saaremaa), Kaali, 15.viii.1997 (H. Silfverberg).

Distribution.

Trans-Palaearctic ( Yu et al. 2012), reported as new to Estonia in the present paper.

Biological notes.

Koinobiont ectoparasitoid of Araniella spp. (Figures 6 - 7 ), mainly on immatures but occasionally on adult specimens, with the only reliable records of host species based on adult hosts or adult specimens collected together with the parasitised specimen seemingly Araniella cucurbitina (Clerck, 1757) (this study) and A. opisthographa (Kulczyn'ski, 1905) ( Jones 1988). It overwinters as a minute larva on the host in a position similar to P. longa . The cocoon is similar to that of P. longa , with no distinctly modified web construction made by the spider prior to death. The species seems to be mostly arboreal (trees and bushes) in a wide range of habitats.

Figures

Figures 2 - 5. Head in anterior view (2, 4) and anterior part of mesosoma in dorsolateral view (3, 5) of Polysphincta longa (2 - 3) and P. boops (4 - 5). Scale bars 0.2 mm.

Figures 6 - 7. Araniella sp. with larva of Polysphincta boops. Scale bars 1 mm.