Bracon (Glabrobracon) colpophorus Wesmael, 1838

Papp, Jenő & Xviii, Budapest, 2012, A revision of the Bracon Fabricius species in Wesmael’s collection deposited in Brussels (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 21, pp. 1-154 : 6-10

Bracon (Glabrobracon) colpophorus Wesmael, 1838

Figs 1 A-K, 2A-D

Braco colpophorus Wesmael, 1838: 46 ♀ (type material: 1 ♀), type locality: “près de Bruxelles ” ( Belgium), ♀ holotype (“J’ai pris une seule femelle de cette espèce...”, Wesmael l.c.) in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels; examined.

Bracon mokrzeckii Niezabitowski, 1927: 166 ♀♁ (number of type material?), type locality: “Poznania ( Polonia)”, syntype series in Zakład Ekologii i Ochrony Srodowiska WSP, Kielce; not examined, synonymized by Papp l.c.

Bracon colpophorus – Szépligeti 1901: 267 (in key, in Hungarian); 1904 (1901): 185 (in key, in German) ♀ ♁.

Bracon (Glabrobracon) colpophorus – Fahringer 1927: 290 (♀), 304 (♁) (in key) and 447 (redescription), assigned to “Section Glabrobracon ”. — Telenga 1936: 145 (♀), 157 (♁) (in key), 191 (redescription) (in Russian) and 347 (♀), 359 (♁) (in key and in German). — Shenefelt 1978: 1563 (literature up to 1972). — Papp 1997: 115 (synonyms, redescription, type designation).

Bracon mokrzeckii – Ruszkowski 1927: 167-171 (life history). — (Fahringer 1928: 317 (as uncertain species). — Shenefelt 1978: 1514 (as valid species, literature up to 1953).

Designation of the ♀ holotype of Bracon colpophorus

(After Papp l.c.) (first label, handwriting) “5.11.”, (second label, printed) “ Coll. Wesmael ”, (third label, printed) “2059”, (fourth label) “ Braco ♀ colpophorus mihi” (handwriting) “dét. C. Wesmael ” (printed), (fifth label with my handwriting) “ Belgique / Bruxelles / leg. Wesmael ” (above on label) “teste J. Papp 1987” (reverse on label), sixth label is the holotype card. Holotype is in fairly good condition: (1) pinned by mesosoma (posterior half of notaulix invisible); (2) both antennae deficient, right flagellum missing, left middle leg (except coxa + trochanter) missing.

Material examined

10 ♀♀ + 3 ♁♁ from seven countries: GERMANY: 1 ♀. SWITZERLAND: 1 ♀. POLAND: 1 ♀ + 2 ♁♁ from two localities. HUNGARY: 3 ♀♀ from three localities. SPAIN: 1 ♀ + 1 ♁ from one locality. SERBIA: 1 ♀. BULGARIA: 2 ♀♀ from two localities.

Redescription of the ♀ holotype of Bracon colpophorus ( Figs 1 A-H; 2A)

(after Papp l.c., text and figures somewhat modified).

BODY. 3 mm long.

ANTENNAE. Damaged: right antenna with scape and pedicel (flagellum missing), left antenna with 16 antennomeres. First flagellomere 1.9 times and 14th flagellomere 1.3 times as long as broad.

HEAD. In dorsal view it is less transverse ( Fig. 1A ), 1.7 times as broad as long, eye one-third longer than temple, temple clearly rounded, occiput moderately excavated. Ocelli middle sized and almost round, OOL twice length of POL. Eye in lateral view 1.8 times as high as wide and somewhat wider than temple, temple ventrally slightly narrowing ( Fig. 1B , see arrows). Oral opening large, its horizontal diameter almost twice as long as shortest distance between opening and compound eye ( Fig. 1C ). Head polished.

MESOSOMA. In lateral view stout, 1.2 times as long as high. Notaulix almost indistinct. Meso-soma polished.

LEGS. Hind femur four times as long as broad distally ( Fig. 2A ). Claw moderately downcurved as in Fig. 1D.

WINGS. Forewing somewhat longer than body. Pterostigma ( Fig. 1E ) 2.5 times as long as wide and issuing r proximally from its middle, r already shorter than width of pterostigma, second submarginal cell long, 3-SR nearly twice as long as 2-SR, SR1 1.6 times as long as 3-SR and reaching tip of wing. 1-R1 nearly twice as long as pterostigma. First discal cell subquadrate, 1-M 1.8 times as long as m-cu, 1-SR-M almost straight and 1.2 times as long as 1-M ( Fig. 2B ). Hindwing. cu-a clearly incurved ( Fig. 1F , see arrow).

TERGITES ( Fig 1G ). First tergite 1.2 times longer than broad behind, pair of spiracles before middle of tergite, beyond spiracles tergite parallel-sided, smooth and shiny. Tergites 2-3 ( Fig. 1G ) distinctly transverse, second tergite 3.3 times as broad behind as long laterally, suture between tergites 2-3 bisinuate, deep and smooth. Every tergite polished. Ovipositor sheath in lateral view as long as hind tibia + half basitarsus combined. Posterior part of ovipositor as in Fig. 1H.

COLOUR. Ground colour of body black. Palpi yellow. Tegula black. Sternites brownish black. Fore femur distally and fore tibia entirely, femora 2-3 apically and tibiae 2-3 basally yellow. Tarsi brownish fumous. Wings brownish fumous, pterostigma and veins opaque light brownish.

Variable features of the ♀ (8 ♀♀) ( Figs 1 I-J; 2A-C)

Similar to the ♀ holotype. Body 2.8-3.2 mm long. Antenna about as long as body and with 24-25 antennomeres. First flagellomere 1.7-1.9 times and penultimate flagellomere 1.6-1.5 times as long as broad. Head in dorsal view 1.7-1.8 times as broad as long. Hind femur (3.2-)3.8-4.1 times as long as broad ( Fig. 2A ). First discal cell as in Fig. 2B . First tergite 1.2-1.3 times as long as broad behind and more narrowing posteriorly ( Fig. 1I ). First discal cell as in Fig. 2B . Third tergite somewhat longer than second tergite and suture between them less bisinuate ( Fig. 2C ). Ovipositor sheath long, in lateral view as long as hind tibia + tarsus combined. Hindwing: cu-a less incurved ( Fig. 1J , see arrow).

Description of the ³ (3 ³³) ( Figs 1K ; 2A , C-D) Similar to the ♀, body less strong. Body 2-2.5 mm long. Antenna with 23 antennomeres (2 ♁♁). Hind

femur (almost) four times as long as broad just distally ( Fig. 2A ). Second submarginal cell short, 3-SR 1.6 times as long as 2-SR, SR1 1.8 times as long as 3-SR ( Fig. 2D ). First tergite twice as long as broad behind, beyond pair of spiracles with feebly converging sides ( Fig. 1K ). Third tergite somewhat longer than second tergite and suture between them less bisinuate ( Fig. 2C ).

Hosts

HYM. Tenthredinidae (Selandriinae) :! Hoplocampa minutae (Christ) (= H. fulvicornis Fabricius ). — COL. Bruchidae : Bruchidius villosus Fabricius , Bruchus pubescens Germar , B. sparthii Erichson ; Apionidae : Apion genistae Kirby , Exapion difficile Herbst , Oxystoma craccae (Linnaeus) . — NOTE: The bruchid, apionid and curculionid hosts are in need of confirmation.

Distribution

England, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Italy and former Yugoslavia ( Shenefelt 1978: 1563; Yu et al. 2005); Russia (European part, Kuznetzk) ( Telenga 1936: 191).

Taxonomic position

The general appearance of B. (Gl.) colpophorus relegates it to the relationship of B. (Gl.) instabilis Marshall ( England, Germany, Bohemia, Bulgaria) and B. (Gl.) obscurator Nees (Palaearctic Region). The distinction of the three species is restricted to a few features; however, of solid specific value as shown (after Papp 1997: 128-129):

1 (2) Temple in dorsal view ( Fig. 2E ) strongly rounded or fairly constricted. Antenna usually as long as body and with 28-30 antennomeres. Second tergite rather longitudinally rugulose with some striolate elements ( Fig. 2F ). Ovipositor sheath in lateral view about as long as hind tibia. ♀: 2.2-3 mm ........ ........................................................................................................... B. (Gl.) instabilis Marshall, 1897

2 (1) Temple in dorsal view rounded (i.e. never constricted, Figs 1A ; 2G ). Antenna usually more or less shorter than body and with 20-25 antennomeres. Second tergite polished, at most exceptionally and rarely with weak to very weak sculpture medially.

3 (4) Fore wing: CU2 long, 3-SR nearly twice as long as 2-SR, SR1 about one-third to one-and-a-half times as long as 3-SR ( Figs 1E ; 2D ). Suture between tergites 2-3 bisinuate ( Figs 1G ; 2C ). Ovipositor sheath in lateral view about as long as hind tibia + half basitarsus combined. Legs black, fore femur and tibia almost entirely and tibiae 2-3 basally yellow, reddish yellow. ♀: 2.8-3.2 mm, ♁: 2-2.5 mm ...................................................................................................... B. (Gl.) colpophorus Wesmael, 1838

4 (3) Fore wing: CU2 less long, 3-SR somewhat to 1.5 times longer than 2-SR, SR1 about twice as long as 3-SR ( Fig. 2H ). Suture between tergites 2-3 almost straight ( Fig. 2I ). Ovipositor sheath in lateral view about twice and at least 1.5-1.6 times as long as hind tibia. ♀ ♁: 1.7-3 mm, usually 2-2.8 mm .............................................................................................................. B. (Gl.) obscurator Nees, 1834

Figures

Fig. 1. Bracon (Glabrobracon) colpophorus Wesmael, 1838 (A-H: ♀ holotype). A. Head in dorsal view. B. Head in lateral view. C. Head in frontal view. D. Claw. E. Distal part of right forewing. F. cu-a of hindwing. G. Tergites 1-3. H. Hind end of ovipositor. I. First tergite of ♀. J. cu-a of hindwing of ♀ + ♁. K. First tergite of ♁.

Fig. 2. — A-D. Bracon (Glabrobracon) colpophorus Wesmael, 1838. A. Hind femur of ♀ + ♁. B. First discal cell of forewing of ♀. C. Tergites 2-3 of ♀ + ♁. D. Distal part of right forewing of ♁. — E-F. Bracon (Glabrobracon) instabilis Marshall, 1885 ♀. E. Head in dorsal view. F. tergites 1-2. — G-I. Bracon (Glabrobracon) obscurator Nees, 1811, ♀. G. Head in dorsal view. H. Distal part of right forewing. I. Tergites 1-2.