Meteorus ruficeps (Nees)

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 : 68

Meteorus ruficeps (Nees)

Fig. 122

Meteorus ruficeps Nees, 1834:39 . Type material lost. Synonymized by Papp 1983:318.

Perilitus pallipes Wesmael. 1835:29 . Lectotype ♀, Belgium: coll. Wesmael (IRSNB, Brussels). Synonymized by Papp 1983:318.

Meteorus nigritarsis Ruthe, 1862:21 . Holotype ♀, Germany: Ruthe coll. (BMNH, London), synonymized with pallipes by Huddleston, 1980:43 —examined.

Diagnosis: Meteorus ruficeps and M. ictericus are quite similar morphologically. The main differences between them involve the size of the ocelli and the convergence of the eyes. Meteorus ruficeps has converging eyes, the face is higher than broad, and the ocelli are slightly smaller (OOL=1.5–2.0). The eyes of M. ictericus are not so converging, the face is as wide as high, and the ocelli are larger (OOL=1.0–1.5).

Studied material: ~ 30 specimens.

Description: Size about 4–5mm. Antennal articles 26–31, all articles slightly longer than broad. Head strongly rounded behind eyes. Ocelli large, OOL=1.5–2 times OD. Eyes strongly convergent. Malar space short, about half basal breadth of mandible. Face with a slightly raised medial longitudinal area. Tentorial pits deep. Mandibles stout, moderately twisted. Precoxal sulcus foveolate. Propodeum rugose with usually only the medial transverse carina developed. Petiolar tergum stout with distinct dorsal pits and glymmae. Ovipositor 2.5–3.0 times length of petiolar tergum. Hind coxa smooth, punctate; tarsal claws with distinct basal lobe. Colour black, legs always yellow; head at least in part yellow. Male same as female except antennae longer, eyes not strongly convergent.

Distribution: Western Palearctic. Country records: Austria; Bulgaria; Czechoslovakia; France; Germany; Hungary; Japan, Latvia; Macedonia; Norway; Poland; Slovakia; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom; Yugoslavia.

Biology: We found 11 specimens within the SMTP. They were caught from July to September, mostly in coniferous forests. M. ruficeps is primarily a parasitoid of Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) but it has also been recorded as attacking Gelechiidae , Geometridae , Noctuidae and Tineidae ( Huddleston 1980, Yu et al. 2005).

Figures

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