Konowia megapolitana Brauns, 1884

(Figs 1E, 3H, K, 4P, Q, 8D)

Konowia megapolitana Brauns, 1884, 220; Enslin, 1918: 709; Gussakovskij, 1935: 46; Semenov Tian-Shanskij & Gussakovskij, 1935: 121; Zombori, 1969: 247; Verzhutskij, 1973: 55; Smith, 1978: 108; Verzhutskij, 1981: 55; Jansen, 1987: 10; Zhelochovtsev & Zinovjev, 1996: 376; Taeger et al., 1998: 90; Lelej & Taeger, 2007: 960; Shcherbakov, 2008: 210; Shinohara, 2019a: 4.

Xiphydria megapolitana: Taeger et al., 2006: 471; Taeger et al., 2010: 120; Sundukov & Lelej, 2012: 115; Taeger et al., 2018.

See Smith (1978) for more references.

Summary of taxonomic characters (Tables 1, 2) (data partly taken from Jansen 1987). Female (Fig. 1E): Length without ovipositor 5.0–9.0 mm. Head black. Mouth parts blackish brown to black; ligula mostly whitish and mandible largely brownish gray. Antenna black. Thorax black. Legs black; tibiae partly and tarsi except apices dark brownish. Wings weakly uniformly darkened; veins and stigma blackish brown. Abdomen black; last tergum and ovipositor sheath each with very narrow apex pale brown. Vertex fairly smooth, only sparsely punctate (Fig. 3H, K). Antenna with 12–14 antennomeres (n=2[+8, Jansen 1987]); flagellomere 2 about 3.2–4.4 (fig. 1, Jansen 1987)× longer than broad (Fig. 4P, Q). Mesoscutellum with distinct surface microsculpture, mat all over. Hind tarsomere 1 about 1.0× length of tarsomeres 2–4 combined. Forewing with crossvein 2r-m usually interstitial with crossvein 2m-cu on vein M and vein 1A fused with vein 2A+3A for a long distance; hindwing with crossvein 2r-m absent. Valvula 3 (apical sheath) about 0.8–1.0× length of valvifer 2 (basal sheath) (n=1[+?12, Jansen 1987]) (Fig. 8D).

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Europe, East Siberia, Primorskij kraj (Zhelochovtsev & Zinovjev 1996; Lelej & Taeger 2007).

Material examined. POLAND: 1♀, “ Łódż, Skierniewice Gluchow 3 km S 160 m, 30. V. 2015, N51.750 E20.085, leg. Liston, Prous, Taeger” “ PL001 ” “DEI-GISHym 31222 (see ethanol coll.)” “ Xiphydria megapolitana (l./Brauns), det. A. Liston, 2015” (NSMT) .

Host plant. Unknown. Probably on birch (Verzhutskij 1974).

Remarks. Konowia megapolitana is a small species, characterized by the fairly smooth and sparsely punctate vertex (Fig. 3H, K), the very thin antenna (Fig. 4P, Q), the entirely distinctly microsculptured and mat mesoscutellum, and the short valvula 3 (apical sheath) (Fig. 8D) (see the key for more details). The male is unknown. Enslin (1918) referred to the males of K megapolitana but we agree with Jansen (1987) to regard them as males of K. betulae .

We were not able to find any published collection records of this species from the Far East, though Zhelochovtsev & Zinovjev (1996) listed the Southern Far East and Lelej & Taeger (2007) listed Primorskij kraj in the distribution of this species.