Polyaulon paradoxus (Zetterstedt, 1838)

Verheyde, Fons, Hoekstra, Paul, Libert, Pierre-Nicolas, Meijer, Hilco, Ketelaere, Augustijn De, Vandaudenard, Thibaud, Belgers, Dick & Brosens, Edwin, 1880, Two hundred and five ichneumonid wasps reported for the first time in Belgium and the Netherlands (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 122, pp. 1-142 : 100

Polyaulon paradoxus (Zetterstedt, 1838) (Fig. 51 A–B)

An extraordinary genus comprising ichneumonids which have the second and third tergite fused into a single large sclerite, often forming a very smooth area as in for example Proctotrupidae . Additionally, the mandibular outlines are not convex and have no transverse furrow at the base ( SCHWARZ, 1995; HORSTMANN, 1998b). Polyaulon paradoxus has apterous females and is completely testaceous, except for the somewhat darker head (Fig. 51 A–B). This species is rarely reported, which could be due to its ecology connected to arachnids.

First report of the species and the genus for Belgium; confirmed in the Netherlands.

MATERIAL EXAMINED:

BELGIUM: • 1 ♀; Somal (NA); 19/vi/2014; P-N. Libert leg.; coll. PNL; field observation; M. Schwarz det. • 1 ♀; Snellegem, Waterwinning; 20/vii/ 2018; W. Dekoninck et al. (KBIN) leg.; coll. KBIN/RBINS (project Bruges heathlands); pitfall trap (6-20); F. Verheyde det.; Fig. 51 A–B.

THE NETHERLANDS: • 1 ♀; Eempolders (UT); 52°15’56”N 5°20’50”E; 10/vi/2015; MITOX leg.; coll. MITOX; pitfall trap; P. Hoekstra det. (ObsID: 211726236) .