Polynema (Polynema)? gracile (Nees, 1834)

Fig. 12

Eutriche gracilis Nees, 1834: 197. Walker 1846: 52; Foerster 1847: 217–218; Hincks 1950: 181.

= Polynema ovulorum L. (synonymy Graham 1973).

Polynema britteni Hincks, 1950: 185. Synonymy by Graham 1973: 363.

Polynema gracile (Nees): Graham 1973: 363.

Polynema (Polynema) gracile (Nees): Triapitsyn and Fidalgo 2006: 60–61; Schuppenhauer and Triapitsyn 2018: 162, 166–167.

Material examined.

• 1 ♀ (ICXU), China, Xinjiang, Xinyuan, 43°13'24"N, 83°21'17"E, 8.VIII.2017, Hongying Hu et al., sweeping .

Diagnosis.

Female. Body length 1200 μm (n = 1). Antenna (Fig. 12 A) with scape smooth, 2.5 × as long as pedicel; clava with six mps. Mesoscutum (Fig. 12 B) smooth. Forewing with discal microtrichia (Fig. 12 C) very long, irregularly arranged and extending proximally to approximately mid-length of submarginal vein. Metacoxa (Fig. 12 D) in lateral view shorter than petiole; ovipositor (Fig. 12 D) barely protruding beyond apex of gaster.

Male. Unknown.

Hosts.

Unknown.

Distribution.

China (Xinjiang); Europe.

Comments.

The morphological characteristics of this specimen align closely with Schuppenhauer and Triapitsyn’s (2018) redescription of P. gracile, sharing key features including consistent body coloration, similar body length (1200–1400 μm vs 1200–1390 μm), a smooth antennal scape, F 2 being the longest funicular segment, ventral sickle-shaped sensilla on F 5 and F 6, a short propodeal median carina, and a slightly exposed ovipositor. Minor variations include the mesoscutum being smooth (lacking the faint reticulation noted by Soyka), the clavomeres bearing six mps instead of seven (likely due to observational variation), and a slightly higher ratio of longest marginal fringe seta to maximum wing width (0.8 vs 0.63–0.71 in the European specimens). Given the fundamental consistency in the core traits – coloration, antennal segmentation pattern, propodeal structure, forewing proportions, etc. – and the presence of some minor differences, this specimen is tentatively identified as P. gracile .