Aleiodes varius ( Herrich-Schaeffer , 1838)

van Achterberg, Cornelis & Shaw, Mark R., 2016, Revision of the western Palaearctic species of Aleiodes Wesmael (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae). Part 1: Introduction, key to species groups, outlying distinctive species, and revisionary notes on some further species, ZooKeys 639, pp. 1-164 : 122-125

Aleiodes varius ( Herrich-Schaeffer, 1838) Figs 366-367, 368-378

Rogas varius Herrich-Schäffer, 1838: 156-7, fig.; Shenefelt 1975: 1244-1245 (as synonym of Aleiodes procerus ).

Aleiodes varius ; Belokobylskij et al. 2003: 399.

Aleiodes procerus Wesmael, 1838: 104; Papp 1985a: 161 (lectotype designation), 1991: 93 (examined).

Rogas procerus ; Shenefelt 1975: 1244-1245; Tobias 1986: 81 (transl.: 135).

Type material.

Type series of Rogas varius is lost. Lectotype of Aleiodes procerus ♀ (KBIN), "Belgique, Charleroi/teste Papp J. 1983", " Aleiodes procerus ", “dét. C. Wesmael", “Lectotypus”, " Aleiodes procerus Wesm. 1838, ♀, Papp, 1983". One ♀ paralectotype with same label data.

Additional material.

*Austria, *Finland, *Netherlands (Oisterwijk), Russia. There is a specimen in BMNH labelled "British Isles: Devignes Coll. B.M. 1868 –52” but we have seen no other evidence of its occurrence in Britain, and it is probably extinct if indeed it ever occurred. Specimens in NMS, BMNH, FMNH, MSC, I. Kakko collection.

Molecular data.

MRS446 (Russia HQ551275, CO1).

Biology.

The only reared specimen seen is from Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus) ( Lasiocampidae ) (E.O. Peltonen/Finland). The single date (6.vii.1987) on the label does not suggest voltinism or how the winter is passed, but the specimen is accompanied by a mummy (Fig. 367) whose elongate shape is very different from the relatively short stout mummies of the common Aleiodes alternator (Nees) (in the Aleiodes bicolor -group, not treated here) which parasitises the same host (among others).

Diagnosis.

Antennal segments of ♀ 66-71; head (except stemmaticum) entirely brownish yellow; scapus in lateral view distinctly oblique apically; occipital carina reduced ventrally (Fig. 375); length of malar space 0.4 × height of eye in lateral view; vein 2-CU1 of fore wing 1.6-1.8 × vein 1-CU1 (Fig. 368); vein 1-SR slightly angled to vein 1-M and vein 1-M slightly curved (Fig. 368); vein r of fore wing gradually merging into vein 3-SR; fourth metasomal tergite superficially coriaceous; length of fore wing 8.0-8.5 mm.

Description.

Redescribed ♀ (NMS) from Lappeenranta (Finland), length of fore wing 8.2 mm, of body 10.1 mm.

Head. Antennal segments 69, length of antenna 1.4 × fore wing, its subapical segments about 1.9 × as long as wide and scapus in lateral view distinctly oblique apically (Figs 377-378); frons superficially granulate and with oblique rugae, rather shiny; OOL 0.7 × diameter of posterior ocellus and granulate; vertex granulate-rugulose, with satin sheen; clypeus rather high, convex dorsally but flattened ventrally, coriaceous and with long setae; ventral margin of clypeus thick and gradually depressed (Fig. 375); width of hypoclypeal depression 0.5 × minimum width of face (Fig. 374) and face mainly coriaceous dorsally; length of eye 2.4 × temple in dorsal view and temple directly narrowed behind eye (Fig. 376); occiput behind stemmaticum finely rugose and occipital carina arched and complete medio-dorsally and reduced ventrally (Figs 375-376); clypeus partly above lower level of eyes (Fig. 374); length of malar space 0.6 × height of eye in lateral view; eyes distinctly protruding (Figs 374-376).

Mesosoma. Mesoscutal lobes very finely coriaceous, with satin sheen, but medio-posteriorly with some rugae; notauli narrow, shallow and mainly coriaceous; prepectal carina rather lamelliform medio-ventrally, reaching anterior border of mesopleuron and latero-ventrally angulate; precoxal area of mesopleuron with some fine rugae medially (Fig. 369); mesopleuron above precoxal area (including hardly shiny speculum) superficially coriaceous, but dorsally coarsely rugose; medially metapleuron superficially granulate, rather shiny; mesosternal sulcus narrow and rather deep, without carina posteriorly; mesosternum angulate posteriorly; scutellum coriaceous-rugulose and carinate antero-laterally; dorsal face of propodeum rather long and densely moderately rugose, posterior face with some carinae and smooth in between, median carina complete, without tubercles, but somewhat angulate postero-laterally.

Wings. Fore wing: r 0.3 × 3-SR (Fig. 368); 1-CU1 horizontal, 0.55 × as long as 2-CU1; r-m 0.8 × 2-SR, and 0.5 × 3-SR; second submarginal cell stout (Fig. 368); 1-SR slightly angled to 1-M; cu-a oblique, not parallel with CU1b, straight; 1-M slightly curved posteriorly. Hind wing: marginal cell slightly narrowed submedially and slightly widened apically (Fig. 368); 2-SC+R short and longitudinal; m-cu present as slightly pigmented vein; M+CU:1-M = 17:15; 1r-m 0.6 × 1-M.

Legs. Tarsal claws with fine brownish pecten; hind coxa superficially finely coriaceous, with satin sheen; hind trochantellus 2.2 × longer ventrally than wide; length of fore and hind femora 7.5 and 5.3 × their width, respectively (Figs 371-372); inner apex of hind tibia without comb; length of inner hind spur 0.35 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. First tergite 1.3 × as long as wide posteriorly, flattened and latero-anteriorly distinctly lamelliform; first–second tergites and base of third tergite densely finely regularly rugose and with median carina; second tergite slender, 1.1 × longer than wide basally and 1.4 × as long as third tergite (Fig. 370); medio-basal area of second tergite absent; second suture rather deep and distinctly crenulate; apical half of third tergite mainly rugulose-coriaceous, remainder of metasoma superficially coriaceous and rather shiny; fourth tergite largely without sharp lateral crease; ovipositor sheath largely densely setose and apically truncate.

Colour. Yellowish brown; apical 0.6 of antenna dark brown; stemmaticum, mesosoma (except largely brownish pronotum, mesoscutum medio-posteriorly, scutellum, metanotum posteriorly) and base of first tergite black or nearly so; pterostigma pale yellowish but apical third infuscate (Fig. 368); medial veins dark brown and other veins brownish yellow; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation. Length of fore wing 8.0-8.5 mm, of body 10.1-10.3 mm; antennal segments of ♀ 67(1), 68(1), 69(1), 70(1), 71(2), of ♂ 65(2), 66(1), 68(2), 69(1); marginal cell of hind wing parallel-sided or slightly narrowed submedially.

Note.

Females have on average 1-2 more antennal segments than males.