Allantus viennensis (Schrank, 1781)

Tenthredo viennensis Schrank, 1781: 331-332. Syntypes assumed, sex not stated [probably lost]. Type locality: Austria, Vienna.

Material examined

[full data given only for specimens figured, or referred to in the text]. Germany: 1♀ (DEI-GISHym81400), Hessen, Wetzlar, Weinberg, 230 m, 50.539°N, 8.473°E, 13.05.2000, H-J Flügel leg. (SDEI) . Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece: 20♀ 6♂ (SDEI) .

Notes.

The coloration of this species is highly variable, as described by Enslin (1914). Consequently, this has led to the description of a number of “varieties”, listed as synonyms of A. viennensis by Taeger et al. (2010). In view of the historical confusion about species limits in Allantus sensu stricto, it is reasonable to question whether these names are correctly placed as synonyms of A. viennensis . In all cases, the descriptions are inadequate and do not allow a confident determination of the species, while potential type specimens are either unknown or not available for study. On the other hand, the descriptions do not contain characters which unequivocally contradict conspecifity with A. viennensis .

Within the range of variability, we observed that the postspiracular sclerite of some A. viennensis specimens is pale, as is always so in A. enslini (Fig. 7D) but never so in A. togatus (Fig. 7E) or A. calliblepharus . Paler specimens of A. viennensis also resemble A. enslini in their rich yellow pattern of the head, but the pair of yellow flecks next to the midpoint of the lateral postocellar furrow are always present in A. viennensis (Fig. 7A) and never in A. enslini (Fig. 7B, C). Although the antennae of some specimens of both species are tricoloured, particularly the females, the distribution of colour is different: in A. viennensis basally yellow, then red-brown, and finally black (Fig. 7I), and in A. enslini basally yellow, then black, and apically red-brown (Fig. 7J).

Allantus viennensis is widely distributed in southern and central Europe, east through Turkey to Iran, reaching central Asia (Sundukov 2017), and introduced to North America (Smith 2003). The host plants are Rosa species (Scheibelreiter 1973).