Absyrtus vernalis Bauer, 1961

Verheyde, Fons, Hoekstra, Paul, Libert, Pierre-Nicolas, Meijer, Hilco, Ketelaere, Augustijn De, Vandaudenard, Thibaud, Belgers, Dick & Brosens, Edwin, 1880, Two hundred and five ichneumonid wasps reported for the first time in Belgium and the Netherlands (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 122, pp. 1-142 : 65

Absyrtus vernalis Bauer, 1961 (Fig. 31 A–B)

Belonging to the tribe of Perilissini , the glymmae are present (relatively deep) and the claws are pectinate. Distinguishing this genus from other testaceous Ctenopelmatinae can be done on the basis of the wing venation. The fore wing has the discosubmarginal cell uniformly setose, lacking sclerites, and the fore wing AA is bent downward into this cell ( TOWNES, 1970b; BROAD, 2012; see Fig. 31 A).

In theory A. vernalis can be distinguished from A. vicinator (Thunberg, 1824) by its matt propodeum with a complete carination (Fig. 31 B) and the fore wing vein cu-a, which is widely separated from M. On some of our specimens, however, we noted how the carination of propodeum is variable and sometimes only shallow. This diagnostic feature should thus be treated with care to distinguish the species. Lastly, A. vernalis is a known parasitoid of several common sawflies of the genus Macrophya (Symphyta: Tenthredinidae ) (AUBERT, 2000).

First report for Belgium; unconfirmed in the Netherlands.

MATERIAL EXAMINED:

BELGIUM: • 1 ♂; Beernem (WVL); 51°06’38”N 3°19’33”E; 31/v/2020; A. De Ketelaere leg.; coll. ADK; light trap; G. Broad det. (ObsID: 195372106) . • 1 ♂; Nismes (NA); 50°04’04”N 4°34’17”E; 7/vii/2020; T. Vandaudenard leg.; coll. TV; light trap; G. Broad det. (ObsID: 202473592) . • 1 ♂; Doische (NA); 50°07’26”N 4°44’52”E; 10/vii/2020; T. Vandaudenard leg.; coll. TV; light trap; G. Broad det. (ObsID: 202496749); Fig. 31 A–B .