Aleiodes curticornis, van Achterberg, Cornelis & Shaw, Mark R., 2016

van Achterberg, Cornelis & Shaw, Mark R., 2016, Revision of the western Palaearctic species of Aleiodes Wesmael (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae). Part 1: Introduction, key to species groups, outlying distinctive species, and revisionary notes on some further species, ZooKeys 639, pp. 1-164 : 61-65

Aleiodes curticornis nom. n. & stat. rev. Figs 138, 139-151

Aleiodes ochraceus Hellén, 1927: 24, 32 (not Rogas ochraceus Curtis, 1834); Shenefelt 1975: 1179; Papp 1985a: 154 (as possible synonym of Aleiodes gastritor (Thunberg, 1822); Koponen and Tobias 1989: 24 (lectotype deposition) (examined).

Rhogas ochraceous ; Fahringer 1932: 305.

Type material.

Lectotype of Aleiodes ochraceus Hellén here designated (FMNH), ♀, "[Finland,] Jomala", “Hellén”, “829”, "Coll. Hellén: Aleiodes ochraceus Hellén”, “http://id.luomus.fi./GL3421”; one ♀ paralectotype (topotypic, GL3420) and one ♂ paralectotype (Nystad, GL3419).

Additional material.

*Austria, Finland, France (*mainland and *Corsica), *Hungary, Italy (*mainland and *Sicily), *Romania, *Spain, *Slovakia, *Slovenia, *Turkey. Specimens in NMS, BMNH, RMNH, MTMA, FMNH, ZSSM, FC, JLC.

Molecular data.

MRS056 (Corsica JF962825, CO1), MRS336 (Italy JF973341, CO1), MRS338 (Italy KU682235, CO1]), MRS342 (Italy KU682236, CO1), MRS343 (Italy JF962826/KU682237, CO1).

Biology.

Unknown. Most specimens have been collected at night in July and August in open situations. It may be univoltine and have hosts in low vegetation.

Diagnosis.

Head subglobose (Fig. 150); antennal segments of ♀ 28-35, and stout (Fig. 147), of ♂ 39-42; antenna of ♀ 0.8-1.1 × as long as fore wing, longer in ♂; OOL of ♀ 1.2 × diameter of posterior ocellus; occiput coriaceous-rugose or -rugulose (Fig. 150); second submarginal cell of fore wing rather narrow (Fig. 139); dorsal face of propodeum long and (slightly) angularly protruding postero-laterally (Fig. 142); fore femur stout (Fig. 145); hind femur rather wide (Fig. 143); sexes strongly dimorphic, the ♂ having larger ocelli, and slender and more numerous antennal segments; body completely yellowish brown, except black stemmaticum.

Description.

Redescribed ♀ (RMNH) from Agri (Turkey), length of fore wing 3.2 mm, of body 3.7 mm.

Head. Antennal segments 28, length of antenna 0.8 × as long as fore wing, its subapical segments slightly longer than wide (Fig. 147); head subglobose in dorsal view (Fig. 150); frons granulate-rugulose and slightly shiny; OOL 1.2 × diameter of posterior ocellus and very finely rugulose as is vertex, with satin sheen; clypeus moderately convex and coriaceous; ventral margin of clypeus thick and depressed (Fig. 148); width of hypoclypeal depression 0.4 × minimum width of face (Fig. 148) and face mainly transversely rugulose and with medium-sized setae; length of eye 2.2 × temple in dorsal view and temple subparallel-sided behind eye; occiput behind stemmaticum rugulose and occipital carina present ventrally and widely interrupted dorsally; clypeus near lower level of eyes (Fig. 148); length of malar space 0.5 × height of eye in lateral view (Fig. 149); eyes somewhat protruding (Figs 148-150).

Mesosoma. Pronotum medio-anteriorly distinctly convex; mesoscutal lobes largely coriaceous, matt and medio-posteriorly rugulose, notauli narrow and sparsely finely crenulate and posteriorly absent; prepectal carina narrow lamelliform medio-ventrally, not reaching anterior border of mesopleuron; precoxal area of mesopleuron finely rugose; mesopleuron above precoxal area (except partly smooth and shiny speculum) superficially granulate, but dorsally rugose; medially metapleuron granulate and matt; mesosternal sulcus narrow and rather shallow, without carina posteriorly; mesosternum rounded posteriorly; scutellum slender, moderately convex, mainly granulate and non-carinate laterally; dorsal face of propodeum largely rugose, long and (slightly) angularly crest-like or tuberculate protruding postero-laterally, median carina present but irregular and similar to surrounding sculpture.

Wings. Fore wing: r 0.5 × 3-SR (Fig. 139); 1-CU1 horizontal, 0.4 × as long as 2-CU1; r-m 0.6 × 2-SR, and 0.4 × 3-SR; second submarginal cell rather slender (Figs 138-139); vein M+CU1 of fore wing apically at same level as vein 2-CU1 (Fig. 139); vein 1-SR of fore wing short and linear with vein 1-M (Fig. 139); cu-a subvertical, not parallel with CU1b, straight; 1-M nearly straight posteriorly. Hind wing: apical half of marginal cell slightly widened apically (Fig. 140); 2-SC+R narrow and longitudinal; m-cu present, but unpigmented.

Legs. Tarsal claws setose; hind coxa coriaceous, with some oblique striae and satin sheen and about reaching apex of first tergite; hind trochantellus 2.4 × longer ventrally than wide; length of fore and hind femora 4.5 and 4.2 × their width, respectively (Figs 143, 145); inner apex of hind tibia without comb; length of inner hind spur 0.4 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. First tergite 0.9 × as long as wide posteriorly, rather flattened medially and latero-posteriorly non-lamelliform; first–second tergites longitudinally rugose and with median carina (Fig. 142); medio-basal area of second tergite absent; second suture narrow, deep and finely crenulate; third tergite without median carina; third–fourth tergites finely coriaceous; fourth tergite flat medially and apically truncate; fourth tergite without sharp lateral crease; remainder of metasoma largely retracted; ovipositor sheath truncate apically and moderately setose.

Colour. Yellowish brown; palpi, tegulae, pterostigma, veins (but parastigma and part of basal veins dark brown) and legs yellow; stemmaticum and ovipositor sheath black; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation. Sexual dimorphism is unusually pronounced in this species, in respect of the large ocelli and the slenderer and much higher number of antennal segments of the male. Antennal segments of ♀ 28(2), 30(6), 31(2), 32(1), 33(1), 34(3), 35(1) and of ♂ 39(2), 40(1), 41(5), 42(1); antenna of ♀ 0.8-1.1 × as long as fore wing; stemmaticum black or brown; hind femur of ♀ moderately robust (Fig. 143) to rather swollen.