Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844)

Trietsch, Carolyn, Mikó, István & Deans, Andrew R., 2019, A photographic catalog of Ceraphronoidea types at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris (MNHN), with comments on unpublished notes from Paul Dessart, European Journal of Taxonomy 502, pp. 1-60 : 33-35

Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844)

Fig. 17

Ceraphron formiceti Erichson in Märkel, 1844: 265 , ♂. ZMHB.

Megaspilus Wasmanni Kieffer, 1904: 38 , ♂, ♀. NHME, MNHN. Synonymized by Dessart (1975).

Megaspilus antennalis Kieffer, 1904: 40 , ♀. NHME. Synonymized by Dessart (1975).

Megaspilus crassinervis var. testaceipes Kieffer, 1904: 40 , ♀. Synonymized with reservations by Dessart (1975).

Megaspilus lasiophilus Kieffer, 1905: 5 , ♀. Synonymized with reservations by Dessart (1975).

Conostigmus Tricolor Kieffer, 1907a: 140 , ♀. MCSN. Synonymized by Dessart (1975).

Conostigmus myrmecobia Kieffer, 1913a: 198 , ♂. NHMUK. Synonymized by Dessart (1975).

Conostigmus formicarum Kieffer, 1914a: 141 , ♂, ♀. NHMUK. Synonymized by Dessart (1975).

Conostigmus wasmanni nidorum Kieffer, 1914c: 205 , ♂, ♀. Synonymized by Dessart (1975).

Conostigmus Testaceipes – Kieffer 1907a: 134, 167. Description, generic transfer, change to species status.

Conostigmus Wasmanni – Kieffer 1907b: 151, 160. Description, generic transfer. –– Maneval 1937: 6. Variation.

Conostigmus Antennalis – Kieffer 1907b: 163. Description, generic transfer.

Conostigmus Lasiophilus – Kieffer 1907b: 167. Description, generic transfer.

Conostigmus Formiceti – Kieffer 1907b: 170. Description, generic transfer.

Conostigmus testaceipes – Kieffer 1914c: 173, 177, 198. Description, keyed. –– Dessart 1975: 57. Junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) . –– Alekseev 1978: 678, 679. Description.

Conostigmus tricolor – Kieffer 1914c: 174, 201. Description, keyed. –– Dessart 1975: 57, 61, 63. Type information, junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) . –– Alekseev 1978: 678. Description.

Conostigmus wasmanni – Kieffer 1914c: 175, 176. Keyed. –– Alekseev 1978: 679. Description.

Conostigmus wasmanni wasmanni – Kieffer 1914c: 204. Description. –– Dessart 1975: 57. Junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) .

Conostigmus myrmecobius – Kieffer 1914c: 175, 207. Description, emendation, keyed. –– Masner 1965: 16. Type information. –– Dessart 1975: 57, 61, 63. Description, type information, junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) .

Conostigmus formicarum – Kieffer 1914c: 176, 177, 209. Description, keyed. –– Masner 1965: 15. Type information. –– Dessart 1975: 57, 61, 63. Type information, junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) .

Conostigmus antennalis – Kieffer 1914c: 176, 210. Description, keyed. –– Dessart 1975: 57, 61, 63. Type information, junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) . –– Alekseev 1978: 678. Description.

Conostigmus lasiophilus – Kieffer 1914c: 177, 211. Description, keyed. –– Dessart 1975: 57. Junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) .

Conostigmus formiceti – Kieffer 1914c: 213. Description. –– Dessart 1975: 56. Description, synonymy, type information.

Megaspilus wasmanni – Kelner-Pillault 1958: 149. Type information. –– Dessart 1975: 59, 61, 62. Description, lectotype designation.

Ceraphron formiceti – Dessart 1972a: 236. Lectotype designation.

Conostigmus wasmanni nidorum – Dessart 1975: 57. Junior synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844) .

Conostigmus wasmanni var. nidorum – Dessart 1975: 63. Type information.

Material examined

Paralectotype

FRANCE • ♂, paralectotype of Megaspilus wasmanni ; “PATRIE. Dans les colonies de Formica rufa a Exaeten, en Hollande, en mars et août” ( Kieffer 1904: 39); MNHN EY25344 .

Distribution

Palearctic.

Comments

Kieffer (1904) described Megaspilus wasmanni from a syntype series of males and females collected at several locations. The male specimen at the MNHN was collected in Leche, and was reportedly found at the university in Bitche where Kieffer used to teach and subsequently donated to the MNHN ( Kelner-Pillault 1958). Dessart viewed the specimen in 1972 and determined it was a paralectotype of Megaspilus wasmanni , which he later published ( Dessart 1975).

The male specimen is point mounted (MNHN EY25344), with the ant it parasitized point mounted underneath it. The antennae, one fore wing, one hind wing, and several portions of the legs are missing. The abdomen is detached and glued to the point. There is a label from Dessart indicating that there was at least one slide preparation associated with the specimen (prép. no. 6605/253), but CT was unable to locate any corresponding slides at the MNHN. Several months later, MNHN collection manager Agnièle Touret-Alby was able to locate two slides, one of the male genitalia and one containing two legs and wings. The slides were originally borrowed with other material by Dessart.A colleague returned the bulk of the material to the MNHN after Dessart’s death, including the dried specimen but not the associated slides. Upon contact, the colleague generously located the slides and mailed them to the MNHN. Both slides were imaged by Agnièle Touret-Alby © MNHN.

Figures

Fig. 17. Megaspilus wasmanni Kieffer, 1904, synonym of Conostigmus formiceti (Erichson, 1844), paralectotype, ♂ (MNHN EY25344). A. Labels B. Lateral view of the male genitalia, imaged by Agnièle Touret-Alby © MNHN. C. Lateral habitus.