Bracon (Bracon) scutellaris 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 : 94-97

Bracon (Bracon) scutellaris Wesmael, 1838

Fig. 45 A-J

Braco scutellaris Wesmael, 1838: 14 ♀ (type material: 2 ♀♀), type locality: “environs de Bruxelles ” ( Belgium), ♀ lectotype (and one ♀ paralectotype, present designations) in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels; examined.

Bracon scutellaris – Szépligeti 1901: 184 (in key, in Hungarian); 1904 (1901): 160 (in key, in German) ♀.

Bracon (Bracon) scutellaris – Fahringer 1927: 237 (in key) and 337 (redescription) ♀, assigned to “Section Striobracon ”. — Telenga 1936: 163 (in key), 251 (redescripion) (in Russian) and 365 (in key, in German) ♀. — Shenefelt 1978: 1536 (literature up to 1971).

Designation of the ♀ lectotype of Bracon scutellaris

( First label, printed) “ Coll. Wesmael ”; (second label, printed) “2026”; (third label) “ Braco ♀ / scutellaris mihi” (handwritten) “dét. C. Wesmael ” (printed); (fourth label, printed red) “Type”; (fifth label with my handwriting) “ Belgique / Bruxelles / V, leg. Wesmael ” (above) “teste J. Papp / 1987” (reverse); sixth label is the lectotype card. (Fifth and sixth labels attached by me.) Lectotype is in good condition: (1) micropinned, micropin thick hence mesoscutum invisible; (2) right antenna deficient, i.e. with 13 antennomeres; (3) tarsomeres 3-5 of left middle leg missing.

Designation of the ♀ paralectotype of Bracon scutellaris

Labels 1-4 identical to those of the lectotype; (fifth label with my handwriting) “ Belgique / Liège / leg. M. Robert” (above) “teste J. Papp / 1987” (reverse); sixth label is the paralectotype card. (Fifth and sixth labels attached by me.) Paralectotype is in fairly good condition: (1) micropinned; (2) fore pair of legs missing; (3) left middle leg glued finely to mesosoma left laterally.

Material examined

19 ♀♀ from ten countries: ENGLAND: 1 ♀. FRANCE: 1 ♀. DENMARK: 1 ♀. GERMANY: 6 ♀♀ from five localities. ITALY: 1 ♀. SWEDEN: 1 ♀. HUNGARY: 3 ♀♀ from two localities. ROMANIA (Transsylvania): 1 ♀. TURKEY: 1 ♀. KOREA: 1 ♀.

Redescription of the ♀ lectotype of Bracon scutellaris ( Fig. 45 A-G)

LENGTH. Body 3 mm long.

ANTENNAE. Slightly shorter than body and with 21 antennmeres (left antenna); right antenna deficient: with 13 antennomeres. First flagellomere almost three times and penultimate flagellomere 1.5 times longer than broad.

HEAD. In dorsal view transverse ( Fig. 45A ), 1.8 times as broad as long, eye 1.5 times longer than temple, temple rounded, occiput weakly excavated. Horizontal diameter of oral opening 1.4 times longer than shortest distance between opening and compound eye ( Fig. 45B ). Head polished, face finely granulose.

MESOSOMA. In lateral view 1.5 times as long as high. Propodeum polished, around lunule with short rugulae.

LEGS. Hind femur 3.8 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 45C ). Claw of hind leg downcurved and its basal lobe fairly large ( Fig. 45D ).

WINGS. Forewing one-sixth longer than body. Pterostigma ( Fig. 45E ) wide, 2.8 times as long as wide and issuing r proximally from its middle, r 0.6 times as long as width of pterostigma. Second submarginal cell long, 3-SR 1.4 times as long as 2-SR, SR1 1.4 times as long as 3-SR, just bent and reaching tip of wing; 1-R1 somewhat less than 1.5 times longer than length of pterostigma. First discal cell as in Fig. 45F , 1-M 2.3 times as long as m-cu, 1-SR-M faintly bent and 1.2 times as long as 1-M.

TERGITES. First tergite ( Fig. 45G ) 1.25 times as long as broad behind, beyond pair of spiracles parallelsided, margin of scutum crenulated, scutum with posteriorly converging striolae. Second tergite somewhat longer than third tergite, suture between them biconcave, deep and crenulate ( Fig. 45G ). Tergites medially widely sculptured, second tergite rugo-rugulose, further tergites gradually with weakening sculpture, tergites laterally smooth. Ovipositor sheath long, as long as hind tibia + tarsomeres 1-2 combined.

COLOUR. Ground colour of body reddish yellow with dark pattern. Antenna dark brown. Blackish to black ocellar field, occiput, three maculae of mesoscutum, propodeum, pro- and mesosternum, first tergite entirely, further tergites widely medially. Tegula and legs yellow. Wings hyaline, pterostigma and veins light brownish.

Redescription of the ♀ paralectotype of Bracon scutellaris ( Fig. 45 H-J)

Body 2.8 mm long. Antenna with 21 antennomeres. Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 45H ) 1.7 times as broad as long, temple slightly more rounded. Suture between tergites 2-3 somewhat more biconcave ( Fig. 45I ). Posterior end of ovipositor sheath and ovipositor as in Fig. 45J .

Variable fatures of the ♀ (17 ♀♀)

Body 2.8-3.2 mm, usually 3-3.1 mm, long. Antenna with 20-22(-24) antennomeres. Penultimate flagellomere 1.8 times as long as broad (2 ♀♀). Hind femur 3.6-4 times, usually 3.8 times, as long as broad either medially or somewhat distally. First tergite 1.15-1.25(-1.3) times as long as broad behind. Blackish to balck pattern on mesosoma and tergites of variable extension, tergites sometimes nearly entirely black.

Male unknown.

Distribution

Europe ( England, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Sweden), Turkey, Korea.

Host

COL. Scolytidae : Hylesinus crenatus Fabricius. Anobiidae : Anobium sp., Ernobius abietis Fabricius. — LEP. Tortricidae : Cydia strobilella Linnaeus , Pammene splendidulana Guenée. — HYM. Tenthredinidae : Nematus viminalis Linnaeus , Pontania bella Zaddach , P. pedunculi Hartig.

Taxonomic position

Within the subgenus Bracon s. str. B. scutellaris is nearest to B. intercessor Nees (Palaearctic Region), their distinction is not easy and covers a few features:

1 (2) First tergite usually broader behind than long (minute deviations feasible) ( Fig. 46A, B ). Sculpture of tergites rougher and extending to their entire surface ( Fig. 46C ). Temple usually receded ( Fig. 46D ). Claw slightly more downcurved, its basal lobe a bit larger ( Fig. 46E ). Tergites yellow to testaceous with usually narrow black to blackish maculae. ♀ ♁: 2.5-6 mm ....... ............................................................................................................... B. (B.) intercessor Nees, 1834

2 (1) First tergite 1.15-1.25 times as long as broad behind ( Fig. 45G ). Sculpture of tergites less rough and laterally distinctly weakening ( Fig. 45G ). Temple receded to rounded ( Fig. 45A, H ). Claw slightly less downcurved, its basal lobe a bit smaller ( Fig. 45D ). Tergites widely blackish to black. Mesosoma black, mesoscutum medially and scutellum frequently reddish yellow to ferrugineous. ♀ ♁: 2.8-3.2 mm ........................................................... B. (B.) scutellaris Wesmael, 1838

Bracon scutellaris is related to B. corruptor Szépligeti ( Hungary) , the two species are very similar to each other, they are separated by a few features:

1 (2) Sculpture of tergites weaker: tergites 1-2 rugulose, tergites 3-6 granulose to subgranulose ( Fig. 46G ). Claw slightly less downcurved ( Fig. 46H ). Pterostigma pale yellow. ♀: 3 mm ........................ ......................................................................................................... B. (B.) corruptor Szépligeti, 1901

2 (1) Sculpture of tergites distinct: second tergite rugo-rugulose, further tergites gradually with weakening scupture ( Fig. 45G ). Claw slightly more downcurved ( Fig. 45D ). Pterostigma light brownish. ♀ ♁: 2.8-3.2 mm .................................................................. B. (B.) scutellaris Wesmael, 1838

Figures

Fig. 45. Bracon (Bracon) scutellaris Wesmael, 1838 (A-G: ♀ lectotype, H-J: ♀ paralectotype). A. Head in dorsal view. B. Head in frontal view. C. Hind femur. D. Claw. E. Distal part of right forewing. F. First discal cell of right forewing. G. Tergites 1-3. H. Head in dorsal view. I. Suture between tergites 2-3. J. Posterior end of ovipositor apparatus.

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. 46. — A-E. Bracon (Bracon) intercessor Nees, 1838 (A-C, E: ♀, D: ♀ / ♁). A-B. First tergite. C. tergites 1-3. D. Hind half of head in dorsal view. E. Claw. — F-H. Bracon (Bracon) corruptor Szépligeti, 1901, ♀ holotype. F. Head in dorsal view. G. Metasoma in dorsal view. H. Claw.