Mesoneura opaca (Fabricius, 1775)

Prous, Marko, Liston, Andrew, Kramp, Katja, Savina, Henri, Vardal, Hege & Taeger, Andreas, 2019, The West Palaearctic genera of Nematinae (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), ZooKeys 875, pp. 63-127 : 63

Mesoneura opaca (Fabricius, 1775)

Tenthredo opaca Fabricius, 1775: 323. Syntype(s) ♀, Suecia, lectotype ♀ here designated (ZMUC-GISHym1061), in ZMUC. Type locality: Sweden. Remarks. Lectotype labeled " opaca ", " ZMUC-GISHym1061". Right antennal flagellomeres 6-7 and fore tarsomere 5 missing. In the lectotype the distal section of the posterior anal vein (2A) is absent on the hind wing and thus the anal cell (A) widely open distally. Otherwise it corresponds with the current concept of Mesoneura opaca , which is quite variable in coloration. This specimen has the median mesoscutal lobes red on both the medial and the lateral edges, and the mesoscutellum black.

Tenthredo (Allantus) verna Klug, 1816: 55-56. Syntypes ♀, Berlin, in ZMHB. Type locality: Berlin (Germany). Synonymy with Tenthredo opaca Fabricius, 1775 by Klug (1819: 81). Remarks.In ZMHB are 7 ♀ with the collection catalog number 13747 (GBIF-GISHym2504 to 2510). This number means: [identification:] Tenthredo opaca Fabr.; [specimens:] 8.; [locality, collector:] German. Kl.; Dania - Drewsen. Therefore, these specimens were collected in Germany or Denmark, and their unequivocal identification as syntypes (from Germany) is impossible. Images of GBIF-GISHym2504: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4774588).

Tenthredo punctigera Serville, 1823: 103. Lectotype ♀, designated by Lacourt (2000: 103) not examined, in MNHN. Type locality: Paris (France). Synonymy (for Tenthredo punctigera Lepeletier, 1823) with Dineura opaca (Fabricius, 1775) by Hartig (1837: 229).

Tenthredo punctigera Lepeletier, 1823: 110. Lectotype ♀, designated by Lacourt (2000: 103) not examined, in MNHN. Type locality: Paris (France). Synonymy with Dineura opaca (Fabricius, 1775) by Hartig (1837: 229). Primary homonym of Tenthredo punctigera Serville, 1823.

Selandria biloba Stephens, 1835: 54. Syntype(s) ♀, not examined, in BMNH. Type locality: London (United Kingdom). Synonymy by Kirby (1882: 157).

Dineura (Mesoneura) pallipes Hartig, 1837: 229. Syntype(s) ♀, most likely lost. Type locality: Harz (Germany). Synonymy by Cameron (1875: 252). Remarks. There are three females under Dineura pallipes Hartig in the collection of Saxesen, one labelled “Hartig!”. However, these specimens do not fit Hartig’s description.

Dineura dorsalis Förster, 1844: 263. Holotype ♀, most likely lost. Type locality: Aachen (Germany). Synonymy by Cameron (1875: 252).

Mesoneura opaca var. nigerrima Enslin, 1914: 271. Syntype(s) ♀, no data, lectotype ♀ here designated (GBIF-GISHym3158, images: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4775329), in ZSM. Type locality: Südtirol (Italy).

Mesoneura opaca var. lucida Enslin, 1914: 271. Syntype(s) ♀, no data, most likely lost. Type locality: Europe.

Mesoneura opaca var. obscuriventris Enslin, 1914: 271. Syntype(s) ♀, no data, lectotype ♀ here designated (GBIF-GISHym3160, images: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4775341), in ZSM. Type locality: Erlangen (Germany).

Description.

Body length: female 5.5-9.0 mm, male 6.5-8.0 mm. Female ( Fig. 113 ): head including antenna black, except for white clypeus and labrum, and sometimes brown flecks on interantennal area / just dorsal of toruli / lower outer orbits. Thorax black. In darkest specimens only pronotum and tegula pale. Palest specimens with yellow-brown whole median mesoscutal lobe, parts of lateral lobes, mesoscutellum and appendage, upper mesepisternum, and parts of metanotum. Fore wing pterostigma completely pale, to pale in middle with darkened edges. Legs pale, with coxae, femora and apical tarsomeres more or less darkened. Abdomen from completely black, to completely pale on underside with lateral parts of terga more or less pale, and pale tergum 10 and cerci. Lancet: Fig. 115 . Male (only four examined): Black; only ventral parts of clypeus pale, labrum pale to nearly completely dark. Thorax at most with pale edges of pronotum, and more or less tegulae. Leg colour similar to female, but darkest males with apex of metatibia darkened, and palest with tarsi completely pale. Abdomen black except for brownish narrow distal margin of sternum 9 and more or less harpes, and sometimes around the depressed parts of terga 5-8. Penis valve: Liston (2012: fig. 4) [not distinguishable from that of lanigera ].

Similar species.

In the West Palaearctic, only Mesoneura lanigera Benson, 1954 (south-east Europe, Transcaucasus and Cyprus) could be mistaken for opaca : see key.

Life history.

Host plants: Quercus species, including robur ( Pschorn-Walcher and Altenhofer 2000), pubescens , and rubra ( Liston 2011). Univoltine species. Oviposition in the leaf midrib or side-veins; maximum two eggs per leaf. Larva ( Fig. 69 ) solitary. Normally entirely parthenogenetic in most of central and northern Europe, where males have so far only been found in the Netherlands (Ad Mol, pers. comm.), but males are apparently more frequent in Greece ( Liston 2012, Liston et al. 2015).

Distribution.

Widespread in central and southern Europe, from the British Isles, north to Finland ( Taeger et al. 2006) and southern Norway ( Kiaer 1892); Caucasus ( Sundukov 2017); North Africa (Morocco, Middle Atlas: see below).

Occurrence in Sweden.

Based on published records: Skåne, Småland ( Thomson 1871). Material was examined from Skåne, Halland, Småland, Uppland.

Specimens examined.

Bulgaria: 10♀ (SDEI). Germany: 72♀ (SDEI, ZMHB, ZSM). Greece: 4♀ (including DEI-GISHym17935 and 17936), 4♂ (including DEI-GISHym17937) (SDEI). Morocco: Meknes-Tafilalet Region: 1♀, Khénifra 16 km E, 1500 m, 32.93200N, 5.49900W, 18.04.2015, leg. Liston & Prous (SDEI). 3♀, Ifrane 7 km NW, 1590 m, 33.55200N, 5.17500W, 20.04.2015, leg. Liston & Prous (SDEI). Sweden: Skåne: 1♀, Skäralid, 25.05.1965, leg. H. Andersson (MZLU). Halland: 1♀, Kungsbacka kommun, Särö Västerskog, 57.50521N, 11.92572E, 28.04.-14.05.2004, leg. SMTP (NHRS). Småland: 2♀ (NHRS-HEVA000006560 & 6562), no exact locality or date, leg. Boheman (NHRS). Uppland: 1♀ (NHRS-HEVA000003430), Djurgården, 11.05.1937, leg. R. Malaise (NHRS). 1♀, Uppsala kommun, Ekdalens naturreservat, southern hillside, 59.97153N, 18.35495E, 03.-17.05.2004, SMTP (NHRS). 1♀ (NHRS-HEVA000006561), Eknäs, Värmdö, 15.05.1920, leg. Unknown (NHRS).

Figures

Figures 113 - 118. Mesoneura 113 opaca ♀ DEI-GISHym 17936 114 lanigera ♀ DEI-GISHym 17933 115 opaca DEI-GISHym 17935 lamnium of lancet 116 lanigera DEI-GISHym 17933 lamnium of lancet 117 opaca ♂ DEI-GISHym 17937 abdomen apex 118 lanigera ♂ DEI-GISHym 17934 abdomen apex.

Figures 69 - 76. Larvae of Nematinae 69 Mesoneura opaca 70 - 71 Pseudodineura clematidis; ventral, dorsal 72 - 73 Platycampus luridiventris 74 Pristiphora malaisei from Dryas octopetala 75 Cladius compressicornis 76 Cladius pectinicornis.