23. Pediobius saulius (Walker, 1839)

(Figs 21, 33 g–h)

Entedon saulius Walker, 1839: 115; ♀. Lectotype, BMNH, not examined.

Entedon linus Walker, 1839: 119 -120; ♀. Lectotype, BMNH, not examined. Synonymized by Bouček, 1965a: 34.

Eulophus obscuripes Ratzeburg, 1844: 165; ♀. Germerny, not examined. Synonymized by Bouček, 1965a: 34.

Elachertus obscuripes (Ratzeburg 1844), Ratzeburg, 1848: 173.

Pleurotropis strigiscuta Thomson, 1878: 254; ♀♂. Lectotype ♀, LUZN, not examined; designated by Hansson, 1991: 35. Synonymized by Bouček, 1965a: 34.

Pediobius grandii Ferrière, 1953: 401 -402; ♀♂. Italy, not examined. Synonymized by Bouček & Askew, 1968: 98.

Pleurotropis obscuripes var. laeta Erdös, 1956: 40 -41; ♀. Synonymized by Bouček, 1965a: 34.

Pleurotropis obscuripes (Ratzeburg, 1844), Erdös, 1956: 40.

Pediobius linus (Walker, 1839), Delucchi, 1958: 260.

Pediobius linus (Walker, 1839), Graham, 1959: 189.

Diagnosis. As for the saulius -group.

Material examined. CHINA, Beijing: 1♀, Changping, Liucun, Wangjiayuan Orchard, VII.2011, coll. Rui Zhang, ex. Lithocolletis ringoniella Mats.; 2♂, Changping, Liucun, Wangjiayuan, 28.V.2011, coll. Rui Zhang, ex. Lithocolletis ringoniella Mats.; 1♂, Changping, Liucun, Wangjiayuan, 06.VII.2012, coll. Ke He, ex. Lithocolletis ringoniella Mats.; 1♂, Changping, Liucun, Wangjiayuan, 25.VII.2012, coll. Ke He, ex. Lithocolletis ringoniella Mats.; 2♀, Changping, Liucun, Wangjiayuan, VI.2013, coll. Ai-Yu Wang, ex. Lithocolletis ringoniella Mats. Jilin : 5♀ 3♂, Jilin, Panshi, Donggouyu, 01.VIII.2013, coll. Huan-Xi Cao, ex. Gracilariidae sp.

Biology. Specimens of this species from Beijing were reared from Lithocolletis ringoniella Mats ( Lepidoptera: Gracilariidae) attacking Malus pumila Mill. And specimens from Jilin were reared from the pupae of Gracilariidae sp. ( Lepidoptera) attacking Tilia mandshurica Rupr. et Maxim.

Distribution in China. Beijing, Jilin.

Remarks. Pediobius saulius seems a species complex with the high degree of intraspecific variations, which is also indicated by molecular analyses by Hernández-López et al. (2012). Variations mainly are in colour, striation of mesosoma, distance between submedian carinae of propodeum, the relative length and dorsal sculpture of Gt1. For instance, specimens of P. saulius from Beijing have body vividly metallic green, strip between submedian carinae of propodeum broad, female Gt1 hardly reaching mid-length of gaster, smooth and polished, and male Gt2–7 almost concealed by Gt1 (Figs 21 c–d); while those from Jilin have body dull, strip between submedian carinae of propodeum narrower than the former, female Gt1 much less than the half length of gaster and with reticulation, and male Gt1 hardly reaching mid-length of gaster. Female Gt6 is about 2× as broad as long (Fig. 21 a) for Chinese specimens examined here, not 3× as described in the study of Bouček (1965a). Apart from P. italicus, all species of the saulius -group seem so similar that only few characters can be found to separate them from each other. Pediobius italicus is distinguished from other species of the saulius -group by strikingly broad Gt6 (at least 5× as broad as long) and Gt6 exceeding mid-length of gaster. Within the saulius -group, P. madas is characterized with sculpture on mesoscutum and scutellum mainly engraved instead of raised and more reticulate rather than striate (Bouček 1976). Based on our observations of determined females of P. saulius and P. coffeicola by Bouček, P. saulius is very similar to P. coffeicola . It is very difficult to find significant differences between both species without further evidence to discuss their respective intraspecific variations.

The depressed area of vertex and deep broad and smooth notaular depressions on mesoscutum of the saulius - group (Figs 21 a, 21c) may suggest it has a possibly close relationship with species allied to P. anomalus . See also remarks under P. anomalus and P. foveolatus .