Empria magnicornis (Eversmann, 1864)

Macek, Jan & Kula, Emanuel, 2015, Revisionary study on European species of the Empria candidata complex (Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Tenthredinidae), Zootaxa 3946 (2), pp. 251-260 : 258-259

Empria magnicornis (Eversmann, 1864) spec. rev., comb. nov.

(Figs. 3, 5, 6)

Tenthredo magnicornis Eversmann in Kawall, 1864: 297, ♂, type locality: Russia, Kazan.

Type material examined. Tenthredo (Macrophya) magnicornis Eversmann, 1864 . Lectotype (here designated), ZIN. Labelled: ‘‘ magnicornis Eversm [white label, handwritten] // Kas. in V [white label, handwritten] // DEI-GISHym 30007 [white label, printed] // Syntype Tenthredo (Macrophya) magnicornis Eversmann, 1864 vide A. Taeger 2014 [red label, printed]’’.

Tenthredo (Allantus) repanda Klug, 1816 . Three paralectotypes (here designated), ZMHB. Labelled: ‘‘13840 [white labels, printed] // GBIF-GISHym 2389, 2390, 2391 [white labels, printed]’’.

Other material examined. Czech Republic: Bohemia: Český kras PLA, Doutnáč (hill), 49°56'53"N, 14°9'18"E; 26.iv.2007, MT, 1 ♂, J. Macek lgt.; Černé Voděrady, 49°56'39"S, 14°47'34"V; 1.v.1995, 1 ♀, swept, J. Macek lgt.; Děčínský Sněžník mt., 50°46'38"N, 14°11'4"E: 29.iv.1993, 1 ♀; 29.4.1994, 1 ♀; 6.v.1994, 1 ♂; 13.v.1994, 2 ♀; 27.v.1994, 1 ♀; 5.v.1995, 2 ♀ 4 ♂; 12.v.1995, 2 ♀ 1 ♂; 18.v.1995 1 ♀; 26.5.1995, 2 ♀ 2 ♂; 16.v.1997, 1 ♂; 15.v.1998, 1 ♀; 2.v.2008, 1 ♀; 16.v.2008 1 ♀; 4.v.2007, 1 ♀; 24.iv.2009, 2 ♀; 20.4.2007, 1 ♀;, 27.iv.2007 1 ♀; 4.v.2007, 2 ♀; 24.iv.2009, 1 ♀; 27.iv.2009, 3 ♀; 30.iv.2010, 1 ♀ 1 ♂; 7.v.2010 ,1 ♀; 29.4.2011, 2 ♀; 12.v.2011, 1 ♀; 27.iv.2012, 1 ♂; 5.v.2012, 3 ♀; all YPT, E. Kula lgt.; České Švýcarsko NP, Vlčí potok (brook), 50°56'29"N, 14°26'57"E, 15.vi.2006, 1 ♂, MT, M. Trýzna lgt.; Sokolov distr., Lomnice, 50°12'21.36"N, 12°38'9.78"E, 19.v.2003, 1 ♀ 1 ♂, MT, J. Macek lgt.; Krušné hory, Horní Nivy, 50°14'54"N, 12°37'22"E, 19.v.2004, 1 ♀ 1 ♂, MT, J. Macek lgt.; Železné hory PLA: Vratkov, 49°47'43"N, 15°42'11"E, 8.v.2005, 1 ♂, MT, F. Bárta lgt.; Slávická obora (game preserve), 49°51'49"N, 15°46'58"E, 31.v.2006, 1 ♂, MT, F. Bárta lgt. Moravia: Bystrc, 49°13'44"N, 16°31'34"E, 1.v.1937, 1 ♀, swept, F. Gregor lgt.; Bílé Karpaty PLA, Ploščiny NR, 49° 8'17.82"N, 18° 3'39.89"E, 11.v.2006, 1 ♂, MT, J. Macek lgt. All J. Macek det., all NMPC.

Variability. The length of females varies between 6–8 mm, in males 5–7 mm; in females the number of the pale paired patches on abdominal terga varies in shape, size and number from four to six, two posterior patches becoming more or less obliterated and coalescent with pale strip on the posterior margin of terga; the pale patches in males vary from two to three; in some male specimens the posterior patches becoming obliterated to absent; in female the pale spot on the posterior part of mesepisternum of variable size, large or small, triangular to suboval, often expanded forwards to form a large triangular patch; the hind femora in females black with pale apices, to pale with dark interior side.

Bionomics. Habitat: deciduous and mixed forests with birch, birch stands from colline to montane zone; flight period April to mid May; larval period from June to mid July. Host plants: Betula pubescens (new record), B. carpatica (new record).

Distribution. Europe: Czech Republic (new record), Germany, Russia: Kasan (Eversmann in Kawall 1864).

Discussion. The name Tenthredo magnicornis was published by Kawall (1864), based on the description of a male in an unaltered manuscript in Eversmann´s legacy. Konow (1890) placed this name as a synonym of Macrophya albicincta ( Schrank, 1776) without any comments or explanation. Since then, the taxon had been neglected until A. Taeger visited the ZIN collection in St. Petersburg in order to revise types in Eversmann´s collection. The examination of the type revealed that this taxon belongs to Empria , not Macrophya . Morphological comparison of images of the distinct penis valves (Figs 4f, 5g) confirmed the status of this species as valid and enabled its separation from the closely similar E. candidata . Empria magnicornis and E. candidata are also clearly distinguishable by their different larvae (Figs. 6, 7). Both species are associated with birch stands and in most places they occur syntopically.