Bracon (Bracon) obscuricornis SZÉPLIGETI, 1896

Papp, J., 2008, A revision of the Bracon (subgenera Bracon s. str., Cyanopterobracon, Glabrobracon, Lucobracon, Osculobracon subgen. n., Pigeria) species described by SZÉPLIGETI from the western Palaearctic Region (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Braconinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (2), pp. 1741-1837 : 1771-1772

Bracon (Bracon) obscuricornis SZÉPLIGETI ( Figs 243-253 )

Bracon obscuricornis SZÉPLIGETI 1896b: 287 (description, in Hungarian), 361 (description, in German) (syntype series 1), type locality: " Budapest: Sashegy" ( Hungary); 1901: 182 (in key, in Hungarian), 1904 (1901): 158 (in key, in German), female lectotype in Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum, Budapest; examined. - FAHRINGER 1927: 236 (in key), 320 (redescription), assigned to "Section Striobracon". TELENGA 1936: 157 (in key), 229 (redescription) (in Russian), 360 (in key, in German). PAPP 1968: 206 (type designation). SHENEFELT 1978: 1519 (as valid species, literature up to 1968). TOBIAS 1986 (as synonym of B. leptus , in key). TOBIAS & BELOKOBYLSKIJ 2000: 123 (as synonym of B. leptus , in key). PAPP 2004: 179 (as valid scpecies, type depository).

T y p e d e s i g n a t i o n: Designation of the female lectotype of B. obscuricornis :

(first label, printed) " Budapest / Sashegy"; (second label) [1]"895. IX 14." (handwriting)

/ "Szépligeti" (printed); third label is the lectotype card, fourth label is with the inventory

number "359". - Lectotype is in good condition: micropinned by the propodeum.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d (6): Hungary: lectotype + 2 from three localities (Budapest, Gyula, Tompa). Italy: Trieste, 3.

R e d e s c r i p t i o n of the female lectotype of B. obscuricornis: Body 3.2 mm long. Antenna short, as long as head + mesosoma + tergites 1-2 combined and with 25 antennomeres. First flagellomere 2.4 times, further flagellomeres gradually shortening so that penultimate flagellomere 1.7 times as long as broad. - Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 243 ) less transverse, 1.6 times as broad as long, eye somewhat longer than temple, temple moderately rounded, occiput weakly excavated. Eye in lateral view 1.7 times as high as wide, temple as wide as eye at upper part of eye, temple slightly narowing ventrally ( Fig. 244 , see arrows). Oral opening one-quarter wider horizontally than shortest distance between oral opening and compund eye ( Fig. 245 ). Head polished.

Mesosoma in lateral view 1.6 times as long as high, together with propodeum polished. Notaulix faintly distinct. - Hind femur nearly 3.3 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 246 ). Claw clearly downcurved, its basal lobe fairly large and truncate ( Fig. 247 ).

Fore wing somewhat shorter than body. Pterostigma ( Fig. 248 ) 2.7 times as long as wide and issuing r clearly proximally from its middle; r 0.66 times as long as width of pterostigma; second submarginal cell long, 3-SR twice as long as 2-SR, SR1 straight, 1.5 times longer than 3-SR and approaching tip of wing; 1-R1 1.5 times as long as pterostigma ( Fig. 248 ). First discal cell fairly high, 1-M 1.75 times as long as m-cu, 1-SR-M straight and 1.2 times as long as 1-M (Fig, 249).

First tergite ( Fig. 250 ) slightly broader behind than long, beyond pair of spiracles feebly broadening posteriorly, margin of scutum crenulate, scutum longitudinally strio-rugose. Second tergite slightly longer than third tergite, clearly twice as broad behind as long laterally. Suture between tergites 2-3 bisinuate, uneven. Second tergite longitudinally striate, further tergites slightly weakening rugose to rugulose ( Fig. 250 ). Hypopygium clearly projecting beyond last tergite, pointed; ovipositor sheath long, somewhat longer than body, posterior end of ovipositor sheath and ovipositor as in Fig. 251 .

Ground colour of body yellow with dark pattern. Vertex around ocelli and occiput brown. Three maculae of mesoscutum, mesopleuron and mesostenum brown, propodeum light brown. Second and fourth tergites with black maculae rather on their left part (secondary decolouration?). Wings feebly fumous, pterostigma yellow, veins brownish.

Variable features of the female (5): Similar to the female lectotype. Body 3-3.4 mm long. Antenna with 25-26 antennomeres. Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 253 ) 1.57-1.66 times as broad as long, temple less rounded (2). Pterostigma 2.5-2.7 times as long as wide, 3-SR nearly to fully twice as long as 2-SR. Tergites beyond first one with weaker sculpture (3 from Italy, Fig. 252 ). Three maculae of mesoscutum reduced to indistinct, mesosternum dark brown to blackish.

M a l e and h o s t: unknown.

D i s t r i b u t o n: Hungary, Italy.

R e m a r k s: Within the subgenus Bracon s.str. the species B. obscuricornis is nearest to B. leptus MARSHALL viewing their more or less longer second tergite over third tergite, long ovipositor apparatus and the rugulose sculpture with a few striate elements on tergites 2-3; the two species differ from each other by subtle features keyed: 1 (2) Head in dorsal view ( Figs 243 , 253 ) less transverse, 1.57-1.66 times as broad as

long. Second tergite slightly longer than third tergite, second tergite with less strong

striae ( Figs 250, 252 ). Hind femur 3.3 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 246 ).

Basal lobe of claw truncate ( Fig. 247 ). Second submarginal cell slightly narrower,

pterostigma yellow ( Fig. 248 ). Body yellow with more or less brown to blackish

pattern on mesosoma.: 3-3.4 mm .................... B. (B.) obscuricornis SZÉPLIGETI 1896 2 (1) Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 254 ) transverse, 1.7-1.8 times as broad as long. Second

tergite 1.3-1.4 times longer than third tergite, second tergite with somewhat stronger

striae ( Fig. 255 ). Hind femur 3.1 times as long as broad distally ( Fig. 256 ). Basal

lobe of claw pointed ( Fig. 257 ). Second submarginal cell of usual form, pterostigma

brown, exceptionally and proximally more or less yellow ( Fig. 258 ). Body reddish

yellow to testaceous with much black to blackish pattern on head and mesosoma.

: (3-) 3.5-5.5 mm ........................................................... B. (B.) leptus MARSHALL 1897

Figures

Figs 243-252. Bracon obscuricornis SZÉPLIGETI 1896 (lectotype: 243-251): (243) head in dorsal view, (244) head in lateral view, (245) ventral half of head in frontal view, (246) hind femur, (247) claw, (248) distal part of right fore wing, (249) first discal cell, (250) tergites 1- 4, (251) hind end of female metasoma, (252) right half of female tergites 1-3.

Figs 253-259. Bracon obscuricornis SZÉPLIGETI 1896: (253) head in dorsal view:. - Bracon leptus MARSHALL 1897 (lectotype: (254- 258): (254) head in dorsal view, (255) tergites 1-3, (256) hind femur, (257) claw, (258) distal part of right fore wing, (259) pterostigma and r:.