Meteorus abdominator (Nees von Esenbeck)

Stigenberg, Julia & Ronquist, Fredrik, 2011, Revision of the Western Palearctic Meteorini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), with a molecular characterization of hidden Fennoscandian species diversity 3084, Zootaxa 3084 (1), pp. 1-95 : 43-44

Meteorus abdominator (Nees von Esenbeck)

Fig. 60 , 80

Perilitus abdominator Nees von Esenbeck, 1811:24 . Syntypes ♂ and ♀, Germany destroyed.

Perilitus brunnipes Ruthe, 1862:37 . Lectotype ♀, Germany: Ruthe coll. (BMNH, London) examined.

Meteorus brevipesalis Shenefelt, 1969:55 . Holotype ♀, Belgium: Wesmael coll. (IRSNB, Brussels)

Diagnosis: Meteorus abdominator is similar to M. consimilis and M. longipilosus but the size of ocelli and length of ovipositor separate them. The OOL in M abdominator is 3.5–4.0 and the ovipositor length 2.0–2.5 times the length of the petiolar tergum. In M. consimilis the OOL is 1.5 and the ovipositor is short, thick and downcurved; at most equal in length to the petiolar tergum. M. longipilosus is very similar to M. abdominator but has an OOL of 2.5 and an ovipositor length of 3.1 times the length of the petiolar tergum.

Studied material: ~ 100 specimens.

Description: Size about 4–5mm. Antennal articles 22–25; flagellum thick and at apex as broad as long, in some specimens the basal flagellar articles is lighter in colour. Head and face distinctly transverse, about twice as broad as high. Ocelli small, OOL=3.5–4.0. Eyes not so large, converging slightly. Malar space slightly shorter than basal breadth of mandible. Tentorial pits deep. Clypeus strongly protuberant. Mandible stout, twisted. Precoxal sulcus broad. Propodeum reticulate-rugose and carinae distinct, sometimes obscured. Petiolar tergum stout, with distinct dorsal pits. Ovipositor 2.0–2.5 times length of petiolar tergum and down-curved. Legs stout, hind coxae dorsally punctuate to rugose, tarsal claws not strongly bent but swollen at base. Wings short, infumate; second submarginal cell of fore wing more or less strongly contracted anteriorly. Colour dark - black; Male antennae longer, 25–31 articles.

Distribution: Palearctic. Country records: Armenia; Azerbaijan; Belgium; Bosnia Hercegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czechoslovakia; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Kazakhstan; Korea; Latvia; Lithuania; Moldova; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Romania; Russia; Sweden; Switzerland; Ukraine; United Kingdom; Yugoslavia.

Biology: Parasitizes on Lepidoptera , mostly Geometridae ( Huddleston 1980, Yu et al. 2005). We found 48 specimens within the SMTP and they were caught from June to November. Based on these records, M. abdominator seems to prefer deciduous forests.

Figures

FIGURES 57–64. Characters used in key to species. 57) for wing of M. alborossicus, 58) for wing of M. vexator, 59) dorsal view of the petiolar tergum of M. politutele, 60) fore wing of M. abdominator, 61) antennae of M. consimilis, 62) fore wing of M. consimilis, 63) lateral view of the metasoma of M. vexator, 64) lateral view of mesosoma and metasoma of M. longipilosus.

FIGURES 80–133. Anterior view of the head of Meteorus species (except for M. politutele, which is depicted in lateral view).