Aleiodes cantherius (Lyle, 1919)

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 : 52-54

Aleiodes cantherius (Lyle, 1919) Figs 99-100, 101-112

Rogas cantherius Lyle, 1919: 153-154 (examined).

Aleiodes cantherius ; Shenefelt 1975: 1169; Papp 1991: 112 (as possible synonym of Aleiodes nigricornis ).

Type material.

Lectotype here designated, ♀ (BMNH), “2504” [on card], “cotype”, "[England,] New Forest, 4.v.1914, ex Semiothisa liturata , G.T. Lyle", "G.T. Lyle Coll., B.M. 1930-579", " Rhogas cantherius Lyle". Paralectotypes: 4 ♀ + 3 ♂ (BMNH, CMIM), topotypic and from same host, but one non-reared paralectotype from Harwood collection.

Additional material.

*Austria, British Isles (England: V.C.s 11, 17, 19, 22, 24, 25, 28, 56), *Germany, *Netherlands (Breda; Melissant; Wageningen), *Russia, Slovakia, *Sweden.. Specimens in NMS, BMNH, RMNH, ZISP, FRAH, CC, CMIM, SDEI.

Molecular data.

MRS777 (Sweden KU682249, CO1)), MRS787 (Sweden KU682253, CO1).

Biology.

A parasitoid of conifer-feeding Macaria species ( Geometridae ), overwintering as a mummy. Specimens (in NMS unless specified) reared from Macaria liturata (Clerck) (22 [6 are BMNH, 3 CMIM, 2 SDEI, 1 FRAH]; P.E. Hatcher, G.T. Lyle, M.R. Shaw/England); Macaria signaria ( Hübner) (2:2 [CC]; M. Čapek /Slovakia). Additionally 5 reared specimens, fortunately accompanied by the host mummy, had been labelled as reared from other conifer-feeding geometrids ( Bupalus piniaria (Linnaeus) (2, ZISP), Eupithecia indigata ( Hübner) (2, FRAH), Hylaea fasciaria (Linnaeus) (1, ZISP)) but in all cases examination of the host remains established that the host was in fact more consistent with a species of Macaria . Plurivoltine, overwintering in a mummy constructed on a conifer needle. The adult occurs in the field from May until well into September, and it is clear from the rearing data that its conifer-feeding Macaria hosts are likely to be sought across all of their foodplants ( Abies cephalonica , Larix decidua , Pinus strobus , Pinus sylvestris and Pseudotsuga menzieseii are indicated on the data labels overall). No experimentation has been undertaken.

Diagnosis.

Antennal segments of ♀ 39-43, of ♂ 40-43; head strongly narrowed behind eyes (Fig. 110), yellowish anteriorly and mainly dark brown dorsally; OOL 0.6 × diameter of posterior ocellus; length of malar space of ♀ 0.2-0.3 × height of eye in lateral view (Fig. 109); scapus in lateral view rather oblique apically; occipital carina interrupted dorsally and complete ventrally (Fig. 109); eye 3.5-6.5 × as long as temple in dorsal view (Fig. 110); mesosternum and precoxal sulcus superficially granulate and with satin sheen; vein 2-CU1 of fore wing about 3 × vein 1-CU1 (Fig. 101); vein 1-SR narrow and linearly connected to vein 1-M and vein 1-M straight (Fig. 101); hind femur stout (Fig. 104); fourth metasomal tergite largely (superficially) coriaceous and shiny; length of fore wing 4-5 mm.

Description.

Redescribed ♀ (NMS) from Santon Downham (England), length of fore wing 4.6 mm, of body 5.0 mm.

Head. Antennal segments 43, length of antenna 1.3 × fore wing, its subapical segments about 2.3 × as long as wide (Fig. 112) and scapus in lateral view rather oblique apically; frons granulate and rather shiny; OOL and POL 0.6 and 0.8 × diameter of posterior ocellus, respectively and granulate; vertex granulate, dull; clypeus rather high, convex, coriaceous; ventral margin of clypeus thick (Fig. 108); width of hypoclypeal depression 0.3 × minimum width of face (Fig. 108) and face mainly transversely rugose and granulate; length of eye 6.5 × temple in dorsal view and temple directly narrowed behind eye; occiput behind stemmaticum mainly granulate and occipital carina interrupted medio-dorsally and complete ventrally (Fig. 109); clypeus above lower level of eyes (Fig. 108); length of malar space 0.3 × height of eye in lateral view; eyes protruding (Fig. 109).

Mesosoma. Mesoscutal lobes very finely coriaceous, with satin sheen, but medio-posteriorly with some rugae; notauli narrow, shallow and largely smooth; prepectal carina rather lamelliform medio-ventrally, nearly reaching anterior border of mesopleuron and latero-ventrally curved; precoxal area of mesopleuron granulate; mesopleuron above precoxal area (except large smooth and shiny speculum) superficially granulate, but dorsally rugulose; medially metapleuron superficially granulate, rather shiny; mesosternal sulcus narrow and rather deep, micro-crenulate, without carina posteriorly; mesosternum rather angulate posteriorly; scutellum finely coriaceous and non-carinate laterally; dorsal face of propodeum medium-sized, convex and rugulose, but posteriorly with some carinae and smooth in between and anteriorly mainly granulate, median carina complete, without tubercles.

Wings. Fore wing: r 0.5 × 3-SR (Fig. 101); 1-CU1 horizontal, 0.4 × as long as 2-CU1; r-m 0.7 × 2-SR, and 0.4 × 3-SR; second submarginal cell elongate (Fig. 101); 1 -SR slightly angled to 1-M and slender; cu-a rather inclivous, not parallel with CU1b, straight; 1-M slightly curved. Hind wing: apical half of marginal cell parallel-sided or nearly so (Fig. 101); 2-SC+R longitudinal; m-cu present as fold, unpigmented; M+CU:1-M = 3:2; 1r-m 0.7 × 1-M.

Legs. Tarsal claws yellowish setose; hind coxa superficially finely coriaceous, rather shiny; hind trochantellus 2.4 × longer ventrally than wide; length of fore and hind femora 6.2 and 4.0 × their width, respectively (Figs 104, 111); inner apex of hind tibia without comb; length of inner hind spur 0.3 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. First tergite 1.2 × as long as wide posteriorly, flattened and latero-anteriorly narrowly lamelliform; first–second tergites and base of third tergite densely finely longitudinally rugose and with median carina; second tergite stout, 0.8 × longer than wide basally and 1.2 × as long as third tergite (Fig. 103); medio-basal area of second tergite minute; second suture deep and distinctly crenulate; remainder of metasoma largely superficially coriaceous and rather shiny; apical half of third and fourth tergite without sharp lateral crease; ovipositor sheath largely densely setose and apically truncate.

Colour. Black or dark brown; palpi, pronotum postero-dorsally and tegulae pale yellowish; scapus and pedicellus ventrally (but dorsally more or less darkened), orbita, two stripes on mesoscutum, legs (but hind coxa more or less dark brown), first tergite medio-apically, second tergite (except postero-lateral corners), third and following tergites mainly yellowish brown (Figs 99, 103); pterostigma and veins dark brown, but base of pterostigma and vein 1-R1 of fore wing brownish yellow; wing membrane slightly infuscate.

Variation. Length of fore wing 3.6-4.5 mm, of body 3.8-4.6 mm; antennal segments of ♀ 39(1), 40(2; one is lectotype), 41(6), 42(2), 43(4), of ♂ 39(1), 40(6), 41(8), 42(3), 43(3); specimens have a characteristic pair of more or less obscure dorsal orange brown marks on the otherwise dark mesoscutum. Males examined have the metasoma dark brown apically, hind tibia (except ivory base) and tarsus more or less infuscated.

Note.

The two sexes have about the same number of antennal segments.