Aleiodes nobilis (Haliday [in Curtis], 1834)

van Achterberg, Cornelis, Shaw, Mark R. & Quicke, Donald L. J., 2020, Revision of the western Palaearctic species of Aleiodes Wesmael (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae). Part 2: Revision of the A. apicalis group, ZooKeys 919, pp. 1-259 : 1

Aleiodes nobilis (Haliday [in Curtis], 1834) Figs 519-521 , 522-535 , 536 , 537-542

Rogas nobilis Haliday [in Curtis], 1834: 512; Papp 2005: 176 (as syn. of A. ductor ).

Rogas ductor var. nobilis ; Shenefelt 1975: 1227.

Aleiodes (Neorhogas) nobilis ; Papp 1991a: 70 (as synonym of A. ductor ).

Aleiodes (Chelonorhogas) nobilis ; van Achterberg 1997: 62 (both syntypes lost); Belokobylskij et al. 2003: 398.

Aleiodes nobilis ; Bergamasco et al. 1995: 5; O’Connor et al. 1999: 91-92; Papp 2005: 177.

Rogas medianus Thomson, 1892: 1668; Shenefelt 1975: 1237; van Achterberg 1997: 62 (as synonym of A. nobilis ); Belokobylskij et al. 2003: 398 (id.); Papp 2005: 177 (id.) [examined].

Rogas (Rogas) medianus ; Tobias 1976: 85, 1986: 80 (transl.: 133).

Aleiodes (Neorhogas) medianus ; Papp 1991a: 69; Belokobylskij 1996: 13.

Aleiodes medianus ; Papp and Vas 2016: 152.

Aleiodes ductor ; auct. p.p.

Type material.

Neotype of A. nobilis here designated: ♀ (NMS), "[Scotland:] W. Ross, Coppachy, Letterewe Estate, ix.2007, Mal. trap, P. Tinsley-Marshall", "BCLDQR _00123". Lectotype of A. medianus , ♀ (ZIL), "[Sweden:] Scan", " medianus m.", "Funnen vid Esperöd I Skåne, teste Papp J., 1983", "Lectotypus Rogas medianus Thoms., 1891, ♀, Papp, 1983", " Aleiodes medianus Th., ♀, det. Papp J., 1983". The lectotype designation for A. nobilis is necessary for nomenclatural stability, because the type series is lost (van Achterberg, 1997) and the species has been confused with similar species in the past. The specimen from Scotland is selected neotype because it fits well the original description, Scotland is relatively close to both type localities (near Holywood in Ireland and Monk’s Wood in England) and it is in good condition.

Additional material.

Austria, British Isles (Scotland: V.C.s 72, 88, 105; Ireland: V.C. H29), Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Netherlands (LI: Gulpen; St. Pietersberg; Geulle (Bunderbos); NB: Udenhout ("de Brand"), OV: Voorst (Twello), ZH: Lexmond), Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden. Specimens in ALC, ZJUH, BZL, HSC, MTMA, NMS, NRS, RMNH, SDEI, Tullie House Museum Carlisle, USNM, ZSSM.

Molecular data.

MRS401 (Finland), MRS880 (Russia), MRS881 (UK).

Biology.

Collected predominantly in grassy places, June-October. Reared from the noctuid Autographa gamma (Linnaeus) (4 [1 NRS, 2 HSC], Germany, Sweden; H. Schnee) but, in view of its moderately northern areas of occurrence, it seems very likely that other plusiine noctuids would play an important part in its host range. The rearing data indicate that it is plurivoltine, and adult emergence in November from mummies forming in October suggests that it overwinters in the host larva.

Diagnosis.

Maximum width of hypoclypeal depression approx. 0.3 × minimum width of face (Fig. 529 ); OOL of ♀ approx. as long as diameter of posterior ocellus and granulate (Fig. 530 ); ventral margin of clypeus thick and not protruding in lateral view (Fig. 531 ); mesoscutal lobes (as vertex) very finely and densely granulate, with satin sheen; precoxal area smooth; vein 1-CU1 0.7-1.3 × vein 2-CU1 and vein 1-CU1 wider than 2-CU1 (Fig. 522 ); tarsal claws with distinct dark brown pecten (Figs 534 , 535 ); hind femur and basitarsus slender (Figs 519 , 527 ); 1st metasomal tergite comparatively slender (Fig. 525 ); at least basal half of 4th-6th tergites of ♂ usually with long dense setosity (Figs 537 , 538 ); head black; pronotum usually (partly) orange brown; both tegula and humeral plate equally yellowish; base of hind tibia pale yellowish; hind basitarsus brownish yellow, strongly contrasting with dark brown telotarsus; 2nd tergite yellowish or reddish.

Description.

Redescribed ♀ (RMNH) from Slovakia (Kubrica). Length of fore wing 5.1 mm, of body 5.9 mm.

Head. Antennal segments of ♀ 48, length of antenna 1.25 × fore wing, its subapical segments slender (Fig. 533 ); frons matt and granulate; OOL equal to diameter of posterior ocellus, and coriaceous-granulate; vertex coriaceous-granulate and rather dull; clypeus punctate-coriaceous; ventral margin of clypeus thick and not protruding forwards (Fig. 531 ); width of hypoclypeal depression 0.3 × minimum width of face (Fig. 529 ); length of eye 2.5 × temple in dorsal view (Fig. 530 ); vertex behind stemmaticum granulate; clypeus near lower level of eyes; length of malar space 0.3 × length of eye in lateral view.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutal lobes densely and finely granulate, rather shiny near tegulae; precoxal area of mesopleuron smooth, surroundings sparsely punctulate; metapleuron mostly granulate; metanotum without median carina; scutellum granulate and with lateral carina; propodeum slightly convex, granulate with spaced rugosity, medio-longitudinal carina only anteriorly present, and no protruding carinae laterally.

Wings. Fore wing: r 0.6 × 3-SR (Fig. 522 ); 1-CU1 straight, 1.2 × 2-CU1; r-m 0.7 × 3-SR; 2nd submarginal cell short (Fig. 522 ); cu-a vertical, nearly straight; 1-M slightly curved posteriorly; 1-SR rather narrow; surroundings of M+CU1, 1-M and 1-CU1 evenly setose. Hind wing: marginal cell linearly widened, its apical width 2.4 × width at level of hamuli (Fig. 522 ); 2-SC+R subquadrate; m-cu absent; M+CU:1-M = 14:13; 1r-m 0.6 × 1-M.

Legs. Tarsal claws with conspicuous and robust dark brown pecten (Figs 534 , 535 ); hind coxa sparsely finely punctate; hind trochantellus robust; length of hind femur and basitarsus 4.7 and 8.0 × their width, respectively; length of inner hind spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. First tergite rather flattened, as long as wide apically; 1st and 2nd tergites rather regularly sublongitudinally striate, without medio-longitudinal carina on 2nd tergite; medio-basal area of 2nd tergite wide triangular and rather distinct (Fig. 525 ); 2nd suture rather deep and narrow; basal quarter of 3rd tergite finely striate, remainder of metasoma smooth; 4th and apical half of 3rd tergite without sharp lateral crease; ovipositor sheath rather long and slender, with long setae and apically rounded (Fig. 520 ).

Colour. Black; pterostigma (except yellowish extreme base and apex), veins (except brown vein C+SC+R), clypeus, apical third of hind tibia and telotarsus dark brown; palpi, tegulae, remainder of tibiae and tarsi, pale yellowish; apex of middle femur and apical half hind femur, black; remainder of legs, antenna (but apical segments and to some degree scapus infuscate) yellowish brown; 1st-3rd metasomal tergites (except black medial patch of 1st tergite), propleuron and pronotum orange; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation. 1-CU1 0.7-1.2 × 2-CU1; striae of 2nd tergite regularly sublongitudinal or somewhat diverging posteriorly (Fig. 525 ), but in male sometimes only granulate; basal third or half of 3rd tergite finely striate, rarely completely smooth; fore and middle femora black or dark brown apically or brownish yellow; pronotal side orange to dark brown dorsally; dark patch of 1st tergite absent (e.g., lectotype of A. medianus ), small, large or occupying most of tergite; posterior half of 3rd tergite orange or black. Antennal segments: ♀ 46(3), 47(8), 48(3), 49(5), 50(5); ♂ 45(2), 46(2), 47(6), 48(5), 49(6); with little difference in the number of antennal segments between the sexes. Males are very similar, but apical tergites type 4, dense setae (making the tergites appear concave) and fringe strong (Figs 537 , 538 ).

Distribution.

*Austria, British Isles (Scotland, Ireland), Bulgaria, *Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Netherlands, *Poland, *Romania, Russia, *Serbia, *Slovakia, Sweden.

Figures

Figure 536. Aleiodes nobilis (Haliday), ♂, Netherlands, Gulpen, habitus lateral.

Figures 519 - 521. Aleiodes nobilis (Haliday), ♀, neotype 519 habitus lateral 520 ovipositor sheath lateral 521 mummy of Autographa gamma Linnaeus (Germany, Lindenhayn).

Figures 522 - 535. Aleiodes nobilis (Haliday), ♀, neotype 522 wings 523 mesosoma lateral 524 mesosoma dorsal 525 1 st- 4 th metasomal tergites dorsal 526 fore femur lateral 527 hind femur lateral 528 hind tibia lateral 529 head anterior 530 head dorsal 531 head lateral 532 base of antenna 533 apex of antenna 534 outer hind tarsal claw 535 outer fore tarsal claw.

Figures 537 - 542. Aleiodes nobilis (Haliday), ♂, Netherlands, Gulpen 537 apex of metasoma dorsal 538 apex of metasoma lateral 539 apex of antenna 540 head anterior 541 head dorsal 542 base of antenna.