Monoctonus cerasi (Marshall, 1896)

Čkrkić, Jelisaveta, Petrović, Andjeljko, Kocić, Korana, Kavallieratos, Nickolas G., Hebert, Paul D. N. & Tomanović, Željko, 2019, Review of the world Monoctonina Mackauer 1961 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae): key for their identification and descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 4691 (4), pp. 359-385 : 375-376

Monoctonus cerasi group

( Figs 7e, f , 8e, f , 9e, f )

Aphidius cerasi Marshall 1896: 607–608

Note: Specimens identified as M. ligustri and M. mali correspond to the original description of M. cerasi morphologically and do not differ from each other. However, since we have not examined holotypes of those species, we refrain from synonymising them at this time and provide a redescription of the M. cerasi group s.s., based on specimens identified as M. ligustri and M. mali .

Material examined. Serbia, Surčin, 6 V 2006, 1 male reared from Myzus ligustri (Mosley) on Ligustrum vulgare ; Slanci, 8 V 2007, 2 females reared from Myzus ligustri on Ligustrum vulgare ; Kragujevac, 2 V 2017, 1 female reared from Myzus ligustri on Ligustrum vulgare ; Gornji Milanovac, Savinac, 9 IV 2017, 1 female, 1 male, reared from Myzus ligustri on Ligustrum vulgare ; Ljig, Ivanovci, 1 male reared from Myzus ligustri on Ligustrum sp., Surčin, 11 V 2017, 38 females, 12 males reared from Myzus ligustri on Ligustrum vulgare ; Šar planina, Brezovica, 20 VII 1995, 1 female reared from Dysaphis sp. on Malus domestica ; Zemun, 22 IV 2014, 2 males reared from Dysaphis devecta (Walker) on Malus sp; Prokuplje, Gornja Konjuša, 1 female, 1 male, reared from Aphis pomi De Geer on Malus domestica ; Lebane, Konjino, 1 female, unknown aphid from Pyrus communis ; Slovenia, Ljubljana, 10 IV 2012, 14 females, 7 males, reared from unknown aphid on Crataegus nigra ; 1 male reared from Dysaphis sp. on Pyrus communis ; Russia, St. Petersburg, 6 X 2011, 5 females, 2 males, reared from Rhopalosiphum insertum on Crataegus sp; Wales, Cardiff Bay, April 2011, 1 female reared from Rhopalosiphum padi on Prunus padus .

Female. Head. Eyes oval, medium sized, sparsely setose. Malar space equal to 0.2 of longitudinal eye diameter. Tentorial index about 0.5 (ranging from 0.4–0.6). Clypeus oval with 7–10 setae. Maxillary palps with four palpomeres, labial palps with three palpomeres. Antenna with 13 antennomeres, filiform, setae on flagellomeres semierect, subequal to flagellomere diameter. Flagellomere 1 (F1) about 3.5 (2.9–4.2)× as long as wide, without longitudinal placodes. F2 about 2.6 (2.4–3)× as long as wide, with 0–5 longitudinal placodes. F3, F4 and F5 with 1–5, 3–7 and 2–4 longitudinal placodes, respectively. F1 length equal to F2.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutum without notaulices, dorsal surface scarcely setose. Head width/mesoscutum width ratio 1.4. Propodeum areolated, with narrow central pentagonal areola ( Fig. 7e, f ).

Fore wing ( Fig. 8e, f ). Wing length about 1.7 (1.5–2.3) mm, width about 0.7 (0.6–0.9) mm. Stigma narrow, about 5.5 (4.5–6.7)× as long as wide and about 3.7 (2.6–4.9)× as long as distal abscissa of R1. Veins m-cu and 2RS absent. Veins r and 3RS distinct.

Metasoma. Petiole about 2 (1.8–2.2)× as long as wide at spiracles. Dorsal disc of petiole distinctly rugose, with 3–6 long setae on each side. Ovipositor sheath distinctly ploughshare shaped. Ovipositor sheath length/width ratio about 2.4 (2.1–2.9) ( Fig. 9e, f ).

Colour. Head brown, eyes black, mouthparts yellow. Scapus, pedicel and F1 yellow to light brown, remainder of antenna brown. Mesonotum and propodeum brown, legs light brown. Wings hyaline with brown venation. Petiole, rest of metasoma and ovipositor sheath yellow to light brown. Body length 2 mm.

Male. Head. Eyes oval, medium sized, sparsely setose. Malar space equal to about 0.2 of longitudinal eye diameter. Tentorial index about 0.4 (0.3–0.5). Clypeus oval with 7–10 setae. Maxillary palps with four palpomeres, labial palps with three palpomeres. Antenna with 15–17 antennomeres, filiform, setae on flagellomeres semierect, subequal to segment diameter. Flagellomere 1 (F1) about 2.3 (1.9–2.9)× as long as wide, with 7–8 longitudinal placodes. F2 about 1.9 (1.8–2)× as long as wide, with 7–9 longitudinal placodes. F3, F4 and F5 with 7–9, 6–9 and 6–7 longitudinal placodes, respectively. F1 1.2× longer than F2.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutum without notaulices, scarcely setose in lower half. Head width/mesoscutum width ratio 1.3. Propodeum areolated, with narrow central pentagonal areola.

Fore wing. Wing length about 1.8 (1.7–1.9) mm, width about 0.8 (0.7–0.9) mm. Stigma about 4.8 (4.3–5.2)× as long as wide and about 2.7 (2.5–3.1)× as long as distal abscissa of R1. Veins m-cu and 2RS absent. Veins r and 3RS distinct.

Metasoma. Petiole 2.1× as long as wide at spiracles. Dorsal disc of petiole moderately rugose, with one irregular median carina and with 3–5 long setae on each side.

Colour. Head and antenna brown, mouthparts light brown. Mesonotum and propodeum brown, legs light brown. Wings hyaline with brown venation. Petiole and rest of metasoma brown. Body length 2 mm.

Hosts: Myzus cerasi (Fabricius) on Prunus avium ; Myzus ligustri on Ligustrum sp.; Rhopalosiphum insertum on Crataegus sp., Malus domestica , Pyrus communis ; Rhopalosiphum padi on Prunus padus ; Dysaphis sp. on Malus domestica , Pyrus communis .

Distribution. West Palaearctic

Figures

FIGURE 7. Propodeum, females. a—F. pseudoplatani; b—H. angustivalva; c—M. caricis; d—M. crepidis; e—M. ligustri; f—M. mali; g—M. nervosus; h—M. paulensis.

FIGURE 8. Fore wing, females. a—F. pseudoplatani; b—H. angustivalva; c—M. caricis; d—M. crepidis; e—M. ligustri; f—M. mali; g—M. nervosus; h—M. paulensis.

FIGURE 9. Ovipositor sheaths. a—F. pseudoplatani; b—H. angustivalva; c—M. caricis; d—M. crepidis; e—M. ligustri; f—M. mali; g—M. nervosus; h—M. paulensis.