Pediobius phragmitis Bouček, 1965

Cao, Huan-Xi, Salle, John La & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2017, Chinese species of Pediobius Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Zootaxa 4240 (1), pp. 1-71 : 41-43

20. Pediobius phragmitis Bouček, 1965

( Fig. 19 )

Pediobius phragmitis Bouček, 1965a: 48 ; ♀. Holotype ♀, PNM, not examined.

Diagnosis. Mesosoma distinctly flat. Pronotum broad, its lateral corners obtuse, rounded, with anterior margin of collar feebly arched. Scutellum subpentagonal, polished except for the lateral margins with longitudinal meshes ( Figs 19 a–c). Metatibial spur very long, exceeding the basal tarsomere more and almost reaching apex of second tarsomere ( Fig. 19 i).

Material examined. CHINA, Inner Mongolia: 3♀, the ecological garden of Engebei , 14.VIII.2013, coll. Fei Xia ; Ningxia: 1♀, Zhongning, Dazhanchang, Huabaowan , the wolfberry production base of Zaokang , 26.VIII.2015, coll. Wei Liu . Determined specimens compared ( BMNH): 1♀, MONTENEGRO Krašiči, near Koror , 19.IX.1984, coll. Bouček .

Biology. Although the host information of P. phragmitis is unknown, it is considered to be associated with the plant, Phragmites communis Trin. (Poaceae) ( Bouček 1965a). One female from Ningxia, China was collected from Lycium barbarum L. ( Solanaceae ) by Malaise trap.

Distribution in China. Inner Mongalia, Ningxia.

Remarks. Newly recorded from China. We follow Bouček (1965a) and include P. phragmitis in the pyrgo - group. Pediobius phragmitis is characterized by the scutellum that is strongly flat and almost totally polished ( Figs 19 a–d), which helps to distinguish it from other species of the pyrgo -group. Within members of the pyrgo -group, P. phragmitis seems more similar to P. furvus , which they are both characterized by the flat and polished scutellum. However, P. furvus can be separated from P. phragmitis by the following combination of characters: the antenna much slender, with three funicular segments elongate in female; the scutellum less flat and polished; metatibial spur shorter, etc.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Pediobius phragmitis Bouček, 1965, female. a: body in dorsal view; b: mesosoma + metasoma in dorsal view; c: mesosoma + metasoma in dorso-lateral view; d: mesosoma + metasoma in lateral view; e: antenna; f: fore wing; g: fore leg; h: mid leg; i: hind leg. Scale bar: a – d, 0.5 mm; f, 0.4 mm; e, g – i, 0.1 mm.