Bracon (Glabrobracon) nigriventris var. indubius ( Szépligeti, 1901 )

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 : 64-66

Bracon (Glabrobracon) nigriventris var. indubius ( Szépligeti, 1901)

Bracon indubius Szépligeti, 1901 a: 264 (in key) and 278 (description) (in Hungarian); 1904 (1901): 178 (in key) and 182 (description) (in German) ♀ ♁, type locality: “ Budapest ” Kincstári erdő (♀ lectotype, Hym. Typ. No. 1433) and “ Budapest ” Gellérthegy (♁ paralectotype, Hym. Typ. No. 1434).

Bracon nigriventris var. flavus Papp, 1969a: 322 (♀), syn. nov.

Bracon indubius – Tobias 1961: 173 (“ type ” designations, redescription as valid species). — Papp 1969a: 322 ♀♁ (in key as B. nigriventris var. indubius comb. n.) and 329 ( indubius “partim” as synonym of B. nigriventris ); 2004: 176 (as “valid species?”).

The var. indubius represent a light coloured form of B. nigriventris :

(a) body entirely brownish yellow (or ochre) with faint brownish suffusion on vertex, mesosternum, propodeum, last tergites and proximally on legs (coxae, trochanters, femori) (♀).

(b) head and mesosoma black, brown to light brown, metasoma anteriorly brownish yellow or ochre, legs brownish yellow to brown (♀ ♁), this form is essentially identical to Tobias’s “light form” of B. indubius (Tobias 1961: 173) .

Taxonomic remarks

1) The species B. nigriventris is highly variable viewing its few morphological and colour features. By the features of the variable length of second submarginal cell ( Figs 28F ; 29 C-D), variable height of first discal cell ( Figs 28G ; 29 D-E), transverse to subcubic form of head ( Figs 28A ; 29A ), variable breadth of hind femur ( Fig. 28D, I ) and variable colour pattern of the body (from almost brownish yellow to blackish / black) the taxonomic position of the species is rather intermediate between the subgenera Lucobracon and Glabrobracon . Earlier I ranged it to the subgenus Lucobracon ( Papp 1969a: 322, 329), as Tobias (1986: 147) did later. Considering in complexity the features characterized B. nigriventris I assign it to the subgenus Glabrobracon .

2) Tobias & Belokobylskij (2000: 162) synonymized the name Bracon (Lucobracon) turolus Papp ( Mongolia) with Bracon (Glabrobracon) nigriventris Wesmael (Palaearctic Region): turolus is but a dark (melanic) form of nigriventris . Re-examining the ♀ holotype of B. turolus and compared it to the ♀ lectotype of B. nigriventris the species B. turolus is not identical with B. nigriventris but representing a valid species, the two species differing by the following features:

1 (2) Mesosoma in lateral view not elongated, 1.4(-1.5) times as long as high. Forewing: marginal cell (M1) at most approaching, usually reaching, tip of wing ( Figs 28F ; 29 B-C); first discal cell (D1) less 1-SR-M 1.3-1.4 times longer than 1-M ( Figs 28G ; 29 D-E) (subgenus Glabrobracon ). Hind femur less thick, (2.8-)3-3.1 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 28D, I ). Female: first tergite as long as broad behind, tergites 2-3 transverse, 2.8-3.1 times as broad behind as long ( Fig. 28H ). Head in dorsal view slightly more transverse ( Figs 28A ; 29A ). ♀: 3-3.5 mm, ♁: (2.8-) 3.1-3.3 mm .................................................................................................... B. (Gl.) nigriventris Wesmael, 1838

2 (1) Mesosoma in lateral view elongated, 1.8 times as long as high. Forewing: marginal cell (M1) ending before tip of wing ( Fig. 30A ); first discal cell (D1) elongated: 1-SR-M almost twice longer than 1-M ( Fig. 30B ) (subgenus Lucobracon ). Hind femur thick, 2.6 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 30C ). Female: first tergite somewhat longer than broad behind, tergites 2-3 less transverse, 2.1- 2.2 times as broad behind as long ( Fig. 30D ). Head in dorsal view slightly less transverse ( Fig. 30E ). ♀: 3 mm ........................................................................................ B. (Lu.) turolus Papp, 1984 , sp. rev.

Figures

Fig. 28. Bracon (Glabrobracon) nigriventris Wesmael, 1838 (A-H: ♀ holotype, I: ♀, J: ♁). A. Head in dorsal view. B. Head in frontal view. C. Propodeum. D. Hind femur. E. Claw. F. Distal part of right forewing. G. First discal cell of right forewing. H. Tergites 1-3. I. Hind femur. J. First tergite.

Fig. 29. — A-F. Bracon (Glabrobracon) nigriventris Wesmael, 1838 (A-B, D-E: ♀, C, F: ♁). A. Head in dorsal view. B-C. Distal part of right forewing. D-E. First discal cell of right forewing. F. Tergites 2-3. — G-I. Bracon (Glabrobracon) conjugellae Bengtsson, 1924, ♀ paralectotype. G. Head in dorsal view. H. Tergites 1-3. I. Hind femur.

Fig. 30. — A-E. Bracon (Lucobracon) turolus Papp, 1984, ♀ holotype. A. Distal part of right forewing. B. First discal cell of right forewing. C. Hind femur. D. Tergites 1-3. E. Head in dorsal view. — F. Bracon (Glabrobracon) orbus Papp, 1981, ♀ holotype, distal part of right forewing.