Meteorus versicolor (Wesmael)

Stigenberg, Julia & Ronquist, Fredrik, 2011, Revision of the Western Palearctic Meteorini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), with a molecular characterization of hidden Fennoscandian species diversity 3084, Zootaxa 3084 (1), pp. 1-95 : 73-74

Meteorus versicolor (Wesmael)

Fig. 26 , 33 , 132

Perilitus versicolor Wesmael, 1835:43 . Lectotype ♀, Belgium: Charleroy (IRSNB, Brussels), designated by Marsh (1979).

Perilitus bimaculatus Wesmael, 1835:45 . Lectotype ♀, Belgium: Charleroy (IRSNB, Brussels), designated by Marsh (1979), synonymized by Muesebeck, 1923:36.

Perilitus unicolor Hartig, 1838:245 . Lectotype ♀, Germany (ZSBS, Münich), (Junior primary homonym of unicolor Wesmael 1835 ).

Perilitus brevicornis ratzeburg, 1844:77. Holotype ♀, Germany: Ratzeburg coll ( IP, Eberswalde), synonymized by Köningsmann, 1964:654.

Perilitus rugator Ratzeburg, 1852:59 . Lectotype ♀, Germany:’741/neust Br./Peril rugator and 30 art’, Ratzeburg coll. (IP, Eberswalde), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:52.

Meteorus decoloratus Ruthe, 1862:48 . Lectotype ♀, Germany: Ruthe coll. (BMNH, London), synonymized by Muesebeck, 1923:36 —examined.

Meteorus camptolomae Watanabe, 1939:25 . Holotype ♀, Japan: ‘ Okikuba , Tokyo’ (EI, Sapporo), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:52.

Meteorus ikonomovi Fischer, 1959:5 . Holotype ♀, Yugoslavia: Dalmatien , Gravosa (NHM, Vienna), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:52.

Meteorus hartigi Shenefelt, 1969:69 (Replacement name for unicolor Hartig, 1838 ), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:52.

Diagnosis: This species is most similar to M. obsoletus . The compound eye of M. versicolor is more protruding and the ovipositor is thicker and slightly shorter than that of M. obsoletus . Also, the temples are shorter and more flat in M. versicolor , appearing rather narrow in dorsal view. In M. obsoletus , the temples are longer and more convex, appearing more rounded and less narrow in dorsal view.

Studied material: ~ 100 specimens.

Description: Size about 4.5–5mm. Antennae with 29–33 articles; flagellum thick basally, tapering to apex, all articles of flagellum distinctly longer than broad. Head broad, more or less strongly contracted behind eyes. Ocelli large, OOL=OD, protuberant. Eyes large, protuberant, only slightly convergent. Malar space short, always less than the basal breadth of the mandible. Face about 1,5 times as broad as high, not strongly protuberant but somewhat raised medially. Clypeus protuberant. Mandibles small, delicate, strongly twisted. Precoxal sulcus weakly rugose and foveolate, generally broader. Propodeum short, broad, strongly rugose, often reticulate-rugose with no distinct carinae but with a distinct medial impression posteriorly. Petiolar tergum long, rather slender at the base with no dorsal pits, its ventral borders joined from shortly before the midpoint of the segment to its base, dorsal surface finely striate. Ovipositor short, 1.5–2.0 times length of petiolar tergum, thick, strongly tapered shortly before apex. Legs stout, hind coxa smooth, punctate, often with weak transverse rugae dorsally; tarsal claws strongly curved with a pronounced basal lobe. Colour varies from almost completely testaceous to almost completely brown. The base of petiolar tergum generally pale yellow. Male same as female except that eyes generally are smaller and less protuberant. Pale yellow base of petiolar tergum is easily seen but check also the size of ocelli to be sure.

Distribution: Western and Eastern Palearctic. Country records: Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belgium; Bulgaria; Canada; China; Croatia; Czechoslovakia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Korea; Latvia; Lithuania; Madeira Islands; Moldova; Mongolia; Netherlands; Norway; Palestine; Poland; Portugal Romania; Russia; Slovakia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Tajikistan; Turkey; USA; Ukraine; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Yugoslavia.

Biology: Meteorus versicolor is recorded as a parasitoid of 14 different lepidopteran families. There are also some records indicating that the species parasitizes different families of Chalcidoidea or the Ichneumonidae ( Yu et al. 2005) .

Figures

FIGURES 26–32. Characters used in key to species. 26) ventral view of the petiolar tergum of M. versicolor, 27) head in lateral view of M. rubens, 28) head in lateral view of M. pulchricornis, 30) fore wing of M. colon, 31) habitus of M. acerbiavorus, 32) dorsal view of the head of M. lionotus.

FIGURES 33–40. Characters used in key to species. 33) habitus of M. versicolor, 34) head in lateral view of M. micropterus, 35) fore wing of M. micropterus, 36) habitus of M. micropterus, 37) dorsal view of the mesosoma of M. fialtor, 38) dorsal view of the mesosoma of M. stenomastax sp. nov., 39) fore wing of M. stenomastax sp. nov., 40) antennae of M. filator.

FIGURES 80–133. Anterior view of the head of Meteorus species (except for M. politutele, which is depicted in lateral view).