Illidops dauricus Kotenko, 2007

Höcherl, Amelie, 2025, Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 1031, pp. 1-121 : 33-34

Illidops dauricus Kotenko, 2007

Fig. 17

Illidops dauricus Kotenko, 2007: 180–181 , pl. 79 figs 8–9.

Type material

Holotype

RUSSIA – Zabaykalsky Krai • ♀; Borzinsky District, 30 km SW of Borzya, Mt. Odon-Cholon; 50.55° N, 116.19° E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 17 Jul. 1990; A. Kotenko leg.; meadow; SIZK.

Species concept

Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Kotenko (2007) → ***.

Ecology / host information

Host unknown.

Distribution

PAL: Russia (ZAB).

Molecular data

No molecular data available.

Remarks

This species is part of the I. naso complex of morphologically cryptic species (more detailed information in the remarks for I. naso ). As characters to distinguish this species from I. naso, Kotenko (2007: 179) used the T2 shape. We analyzed the T2 shape of various specimens of barcoding clusters morphologically matching these very similar species; more details can be found above discussing this character. In addition to the holotype, there are 2 male paratypes stored at SIZK ( Kotenko et al. 2014).

Original description sensu Kotenko (2007) (translated from Russian and with updated morphological terminology and comments in brackets when our observations did not match Kotenko’s)

[Diagnosis: Similar to I. kostjuki , but differs in the following characters:] T1 longer and narrower, 1.6 to 1.7× as long as than maximum width. Metatibiae dark brown or almost black, in basal third very light, reddish yellow or light brown. Ovipositor sheaths length equal to hind tibia length. 2.4–2.6 [mm, this potentially refers to body length in mm].

Width of head 1.8–1.9× its length, slightly less than width of mesosoma; head roundly narrowed behind eyes, looking triangular in frontal aspect. Gena 1.4 × as short as eye width (laterally). Ocelli in obtuse triangle [ocelli in high triangle], its base 1.8× OOL. POL 1.3× OD [POL 2.7× OD]. Tangent to anterior edge of the posterior ocelli slightly going behind the posterior edge of anterior ocellus [imaginary tangent posterior to the anterior ocellus does not touch or cross the posterior ocelli]. Eyes slightly converging downwards, their longitudinal diameter 1.7–1.8× more than their transverse diameter and 1.9× more than face height. Upper face width 1.1× lower face width and 1.6 × face height. Anterior margin of clypeus almost straight, 2.7× less high than face height. Genae height 3.7–3.8 × less than longitudinal eye diameter. Labiomaxillary complex forming a prominent proboscis. Antennae shorter than body, F15 slightly elongated. Mesosoma 1.1 × as short as metasoma. Length of mesosoma 1.6 × its height. Fore wing 1.2–1.3× as long as hind wing, and approximately equal in length to body. Pterostigma 2.7–2.8 × as long as wide, slightly longer than vein R1; R1 barely longer than the distance from it to the apex of the marginal cell. Vein r shorter than vein 2 RS. Vein 1cu-a arising at approximately half of 1st discal cell. Hind wing vein cu-a of the hind wing slightly curved. Length of metafemur almost 4.0× more than its width and 1.2× less than the length of the metatibia. Metatarsus 1.2 × as long as metatibia. Ratio of holotype metatarsomere lengths as follows 4.2: 2.5:1.8: 1.0: 1.1. T1 almost parallel-sided from base, noticeably narrowed in the apical third of its length. T2 about 2.0 × as short as T3. Hypopygium protruding far beyond the apex of the metasoma. Ovipositor sheaths slightly widened posteriorly and slightly curved downwards.

Sculpture. Head softly punctated dorsally, with a satin sheen. Gena on a narrow strip along the posterior margin of the eye with sparser punctation, more or less shiny, rest of gena densely punctated, almost matte. Face and clypeus finely punctate, with weak satin sheen. Face in median part with a noticeable tuberous longitudinal keel. Mesoscutum anteriorly more densely punctated with weak satin sheen, its horizontal part more sparsely punctated, shining. Scuto-scutellar sulcus narrow, crenulated. Scutellum in the anterior and median parts with sparser punctation, shiny. Entire propodeum densely wrinklypunctated, matte, in the posterior half the sculpture is rougher than in anterior. Outer side of the metacoxal with sparse punctures, shiny. Posterior half of T1 and T2 lightly sculptured, matte. Subsequent abdominal tergites almost smooth, shiny.

Coloration. Body black. Antennae and tegulae black. Palps darkened. Wings smoky. Pterostigma, vein R1 and most other veins dark brown. Legs darkly colored, mostly black or dark brown.

“ Holotype – ♀, Chit.[Chitinsky District, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia]: 30 km SW Borzi, Mt. [Mountain range] Odon-Cholon, 1100 m, meadow, 17.VII, 1990 (A.K[otenko]) [SIZK]. Paratypes. 1♂, with label like holotype; Chit.[Chitinsky District, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia]: 1♂, Daursky Researve, N shore of the lake Zun-Torey, tract Irel’zhin, beam, 7.VII.1990 (A.K[otenko]).”