Lamprotatus simillimus Delucchi (Pteromalidae)

Baur, Hannes, 2001, The Hymenoptera (Chalcidoidea, Ichneumonoidea, Platygastroidea) described by Vittorio Delucchi: an annotated catalogue, Journal of Natural History 35 (1), pp. 55-125 : 92-93

Lamprotatus simillimus Delucchi (Pteromalidae)

Lamprotatus simillimus Delucchi, 1953a: 208 . Holotype m, Austria: Wien, Bisamberg (NMW [examined]).

Material. HOLOTYPE m (cr, left ¯agellum beyond seventh segment, right antenna, and right fore wing lacking) labelled`Bisamberg Au; S. Novicky legit; TYPE [red]; LAMPROTATUS simillimus n. V. Delucchi det.’. One slide (sc) labelled`36; LAMPROTATUS [black underlined] simillimus [red underlined] antenna m; L. simillimus n. sp. Antenna [pasted over by former label]’ with right antenna and one slide (sc) labelled`35; LAMPROTATUS [black underlined] simillimus [red underlined] ala m; L. simillimus n. sp. (stigma DIS) ala. [pasted over by former label]’ with right fore wing ( Delucchi, 1955a: 17, ®gure 14) of holotype.

Remarks. Delucchi described the female and stated` Type im Nat. Museum Wien.’ but did not specify the number of specimens he had. One female (dp) in VD labelled`M. [?] 27.5.17; Memmert Alfken lg.; L. brevicorn. Th det. Ruschka 22; L. simillimus n. sp. V. Delucchi det.’ is not considered as part of the type series, since its data were not mentioned by Delucchi. One slide (sc) with left female antenna probably belongs to this specimen.

Graham (1969: 234) separated the females of simillimus and Lamprotatus brevicornis Thomson based on the number of teeth in the left mandible which either is three ( simillimus ) or four ( brevicornis ) respectively. In addition he mentioned some diOEerences in the sculpture of the propodeum. Re-examination of the name-bearing types and additional material (see Lamprotatus pschorni Delucchi ) raised some doubt concerning the validity of this concept. The sculpture of the propodeum is apparently rather variable, as in all other species of Lamprotatus , and therefore the small diOEerences can hardly be an indication of separate species. More importantly, the holotype of simillimus actually has four teeth in the left mandible (the teeth are not visible in the lectotype of brevicornis ). These ®ndings thus led to the conclusion that there is probably only a single species involved. However, I am not quite sure about the limits of that species which would show both three or four teeth in the left mandible and perhaps would also include pschorni . The problem should be addressed in a more comprehensive study.

Status. Lamprotatus (Lamprotatus) simillimus Delucchi.