Calameuta variabilis ( Mocsary , 1886) Liston & Mutanen & Heidemaa & Blank & Kiljunen & Taeger & Viitasaari & Vikberg & Wutke & Prous, 2022

Liston, Andrew, Mutanen, Marko, Heidemaa, Mikk, Blank, Stephan M., Kiljunen, Niina, Taeger, Andreas, Viitasaari, Matti, Vikberg, Veli, Wutke, Saskia & Prous, Marko, 2022, Taxonomy and nomenclature of some Fennoscandian Sawflies, with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera, Symphyta), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 69 (2), pp. 151-218 : 151

Calameuta variabilis ( Mocsary, 1886) comb. nov.

Fig. 5

Cephus quadriguttatus Costa, 1882: 198. ♂. Syntypes. Type locality: Sardinia. Synonymy with C. haemorrhoidalis auct. by Ghigi (1905). Primary homonym of Cephus quadriguttatus Westwood, 1874. syn. nov.

Cephus variabilis Mocsáry, 1886a: 101, 103. ♀, ♂. Syntypes. Type locality: Kecskemétnél, Herkulesfürdõ, Nagyváradnál, Szilágymegyében Tasnádon, Tasnád-Szántó, and S.-A.- Ujhelynél ( Mocsáry 1886b). Lectotype, ♀, designated below.

Cephus quadriguttulatus Dalla Torre, 1894: 412. Replacement name for C. Cephus quadriguttatus Costa. syn. nov.

Cephus quadrisignatus Costa, 1894: 252. Replacement name for C. Cephus quadriguttatus Costa. syn. nov.

Cephus haemorrhoidalis var. signifer Konow, 1896b: 317-318. ♀. Holotype. Type locality: Syria, Akbes. syn. nov.

Cephus pseudotabidus Kokujev, 1910: 136-137. ♀, ♂. Syntypes. Type locality: Transcaspia. Synonymy with C. haemorrhoidalis auct. by Gussakovskij (1935). syn. nov.

Cephus diversipes Ghigi, 1915: 308-309. ♂. Holotype. Type locality: Greece, Rhodos. Synonymised with C. haemorrhoidalis auct. by Gussakovskij (1935). syn. nov.

Trachelus syriacus Pic, 1917: 1-2. ♀. Syntypes. Type locality: Syria, Alexandrette. Synonymised with C. haemorrhoidalis auct. by Gussakovskij (1935). syn. nov.

Calameuta haemorrhoidalis : Gussakovskij (1935), Benson (1946), and most subsequent authors.

Type material examined and taxonomic notes.

Lectotype of Cephus variabilis Mocsáry, 1886, hereby designated: ♀, id nr.017651 HNHM Hym.coll. (Fig. 5A ); labels (Fig. 5A ). Type locality: Romania, Herkulesfürdõ (HNHM). Paralectotypes (all HNHM): 5♂ and 2♀ also belong to the type series and have been labelled as paralectotypes: details of their sexes and localities were given by Zombori (1978). Note that the type series is heterogeneous, and contains specimens of Calameuta punctata as well as C. variabilis . Zombori noted the heterogeneity of the type series, but did not publish a lectotype designation, although the specimens were labelled by him as lectotype and paralectotypes. The types were found by Z. Vas in the HNHM, grouped as stated by Zombori. We do not follow Zombori’s intention according to his labels, but designate the female from Herculesfürdö (= Baile Herculane, Romania) (id nr. 017651 HNHM Hym. coll., labelled by Z. Vas) as lectotype (Fig. 5A ). Thus, Calameuta variabilis ( Mocsáry, 1886) comb. nov. can be used as a valid name for Calameuta haemorrhoidalis sensu Gussakovskij et auct.

Cephus atripes Stephens, 1835 has sometimes been listed as a synonym of C. variabilis , e,g. by Taeger et al. (2010, under Calameuta haemorrhoidalis ). The type specimen, or specimens, is probably lost. The description is short, and does not state the sex of the described specimens(s). de Dalla Torre (1894) treated C. atripes as a synonym of C. pygmeus (Linnaeus, 1767) and Konow (1905a) as a synonym of C. haemorrhoidalis . The color pattern described by Stephens does not fit very well with either of these, in either sex, nor with any other known north-west European cephid species. Stephens’ name is best treated as a species inquirendae.

Biology and distribution.

According to Macek et al. (2020, under Calameuta haemorrhoidalis ) the host plants of C. variabilis are various Poaceae, including cereals such as rye ( Secale cereale ) and wheat ( Triticum ). According to our personal experiences, adults occur in dry places, mostly on or near wild grasses. The taxon to which the name C. variabilis is now applied has so far been found only in the West Palaearctic, and has an essentially Mediterranean distribution, summarized by Gussakovskij (1935) as comprising southern Europe, Crimea, Caucasus, western Turkmenia (Kopet-Dagh) and Syria. In Central Europe, it reaches at least as far north as Hungary ( Zombori 1978), but specimens recorded from Austria and the Czech Republic (see Taeger et al. 2006) should be checked.

Figures

Figure 5. Calameuta variabilis (Mocsary, 1886). A. Lateral habitus and labels, lectotype ♀ Cephus variabilis Mocsary, 1886; B. Maxillary palp ♀ (DEI-GISHym 14072). Palpomeres 5 and 6 (arrows); C. Thorax, dorsal ♀ (DEI-GISHym 14072). Mesoscutum (arrow).