Bracon (Palpibracon) delibator Haliday 1833

Bracon (Palpibracon) delibator Haliday, 1833

Figs 54 A-M, 55A-G, 56G-I

Bracon delibator Haliday, 1833: 263 (in key). Further data after Van Achterberg (1997: 31): type locality: Portmarnock, near Dublin, Ireland; ♀ lectotype (designated by Van Achterberg) in National Museum of Ireland, Dublin; not examined.

Bracon anthracinus Nees, 1834: 81 ♀ (type material: at least two ♀♀, destroyed), type locality: “prope Sickershausen” (Germany).

Bracon delibator – Shenefelt 1978: 1479 (as valid species, literature up to 1904).

Braco anthracinus – Wesmael 1838: 54 ♀♁ (first reviser, according to Wesmael: “Je possède l8 femelles et 6 mâles...”), locality: “environs de Bruxelles ” (17 ♀♀ + 6 ♁♁) and “environs de Liège” (1 ♀) (Belgium), material currently existing: 17 ♀♀ + 5 ♁♁ in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, one ♀ specimen designated as the neotype (present designation) of Bracon anthracinus Nees sensu Wesmael. Further specimens represent the following species (det. J. Papp 2006): (1) 14 ♀♀ (1 ♀ missing metasoma; however, on name label by Wesmael with the sign “ ♀ ”) + 4 ♁♁: B. anthracinus jun. name = B. delibator sen. name; (2) 1 ♀: B. variator Nees, 1811; (3) 1 ♁: B. parvulus Wesmael, 1838; (4) 1 ♀: Dolichogenidea sp ?, D.?gracilariae Wilkinson, 1940.

Bracon anthracinus – Szépligeti 1901: 270 (in key, in Hungarian); 1904 (1901): 190 (in key, in German). Bracon (Glabrobracon) anthracinus – Fahringer 1927: 300 (♀), 310 (♁) (in key) and 436 (redescription), assigned to “Section Glabrobracon ”. — Telenga 1936: 143 (♀), 153 (♁) (in key), 180 (redescription) (in Russian) and 345 (♀), 355 (♁) (in key, in German). — Papp 1968: 375 (in key) and 380 (redescription). — Tobias 1986: as valid species 130 (in key, in Russian). — Tobias & Belokobylskij 2000: as valid species 139 (in key, in Russian).

Designation of the ♀ neotype of Bracon anthracinus

(First label, printed) “Coll. Wesmael”; (second small label, printed) “2076”; (third label) “ Braco anthracinus ♀ (handwritten) / dét. C. Wesmael” (printed); fourth label is the neotype card and fifth label is with the actual name B. delibator Haliday. The neotype is in good condition: micropinned by mesosoma (pin fairly thick).

Material examined

111 ♀♀ + 67 ♁♁ from twenty-seven countries: Palaearctic Region. IRELAND: 1 ♁. ENGLAND: 2 ♀♀ +1 ♁ from three localties. SCOTLAND: 1 ♁. SWEDEN: 1 ♀. FRANCE: 2 ♀♀ from two localities. GERMANY: 10 ♀♀ from 9 localities. SWITZERLAND: 1 ♀ + 2 ♁♁ from three localities. CZECH REPUBLIC: 2 ♀♀ from two localities. SLOVAKIA: 3 ♀♀ from three localities. HUNGARY: 41 ♀♀ + 30 ♁♁ from 67 localities. ROMANIA (Transsylvania): 6 ♀♀ + 4 ♁♁ from seven localities. SPAIN: 4 ♀♀ + 3 ♁♁ from five localities. ALGERIA: 1 ♀. ITALY: 3 ♀♀ + 1 ♁ from four localities. CROATIA: 4 ♀♀ + 1 ♁ from four localities. MACEDONIA: 2 ♀♀ + 2 ♁♁ from three localities. SERBIA: 3 ♀♀ + 2 ♁♁ from three localities. BULGARIA: 4 ♀♀ + 3 ♁♁ from five localities. GREECE: 7 ♀♀ + 5 ♁♁ from 10 localities. TURKEY: 2 ♀♀ + 2 ♁♁ from four localities. SYRIA: 1 ♀ + 1 ♁ from two localities. UKRAINE: 1 ♀. ARMENIA: 4 ♀♀ + 4 ♁♁ from four localities. MONGOLIA: 2 ♀♀ from two localities. KOREA: 2 ♁♁ from one locality. — Nearctic Region. CANADA: 2 ♀♀ + 1 ♁ from three localities. U.S.A.: 3 ♀♀ + 1 ♁ from four localities.

Description of the ♀ neotype of Bracon anthracinus (conspecific with B. delibator Haliday, sen. syn.)

(Fig. 54 A-J)

LENGTH. Body 2.8 mm long.

ANTENNAE. Short, as long as head, mesosoma and tergites 1-2 combined and with 19 antennomeres. Flagellum indistinctly attenuating, first flagellomere 2.25 times and penultimate flagellomere 1.85 times as long as broad (Fig. 54A).

HEAD. In dorsal view transverse (Fig. 54B), 1.8 times as broad as long, eye just longer than temple, temple rounded, occiput weakly excavated. Eye in lateral view twice as high as wide and as wide as temple, temple beyond eye evenly wide (Fig. 54C). Horizontal diameter of oral opening 1.5 times as long as shortest distance between opening and eye (Fig. 54D). Maxillar palp long, its penultimate segment one-fifth longer than ultimate segment (Fig. 54E). Cheek in frontal view slightly more converging (Fig. 54D). Head polished.

MESOSOMA. In lateral view 1.3 times as long as high, polished. Notaulix indistinct. Propodeum polished.

LEGS. Hind femur 3.8 times as long as broad somewhat distally (Fig. 54F). Claw downcurved and with distinct albeit small basal lobe (Fig. 54G).

WINGS. Forewing somewhat longer than body. Pterostigma (Fig. 54H) fairly wide, 2.5 times as long as wide and issuing r proximally from its middle, r 0.85 times as long as width of pterostigma; 3-SR slightly longer than 2-SR; SR1 straight, 2.2 times as long as 3-SR and approaching tip of wing. First discal cell fairly high, 1-M twice as long as m-cu, 1-SR-M 1.3 times as long as 1-M (Fig. 54I).

TERGITES. First tergite (Fig. 54J) 1.25 times as long as broad behind, beyond pair of spiracles subparallelsided, margin of scutum smooth and less narrow. Third tergite almost 1.5 times longer than second tergite, suture between them distinct, bisinuate and smooth (Fig. 54J). Every tergite polished. Hypopygium pointed, ovipositor sheath long, i.e. somewhat shorter than body or as long as hind femur + tibia + tasus combined.

COLOUR. Body and antenna blackish with brownish tint, tergites brownish black. Palpi dark brown. Legs proximo-distally blackish, dark brown to brown. Wings subhyaline, pterostigma and veins light opaque brown.

Variable features of the 14 ♀♀ of Bracon anthracinus identified by Wesmael (in Wesmael’s Collection, Brussels) (Fig. 54 K-M)

Similar to the ♀ neotype. Body 2.8-3 mm long. Antenna with (18-)19-20 antennomeres. Head in dorsal view 1.8-1.9 times as broad as long. Penultimate segment of maxillar palp one-fifth to one-sixth longer than ultimate segment (Fig. 54K). Hind femur 3.6-3.8 times as long as broad distally (Fig. 54L). Pterostigma (2.2-)2.5-2.6 times as long as wide. First tergite 1.2-1.3 times as long as broad, beyond pair of spiracles usually subparallel- to parallel-sided or with converging sides (Fig. 54M). Ovipositor sheath more or less shorter than body. Body black to blackish with faint brownish tint.

Features of the four ³³ of Bracon anthracinus identified by Wesmael (in Wesmael’s Collection, Brussels)

Similar to the ♀. Body 2-2.8 mm long. Antenna with 16-19 antennomeres. Head in dorsal view 1.8-2 times as broad as long. Fore wing: 3-SR 0.9 (1 ♁) as long as to slightly longer than 2-SR (3 ♁♁). First tergite 1.3 times as long as broad behind, beyond pair of spiracles either parallel- (3 ♁♁) or convergingsided (1 ♁).

Variable features of the ♀♀ (111 ♀♀) (Figs 54J; 55 A-D; 56G-I)

Body (2-) 2.2-3 mm long. Antenna with 16-22(-24) antennomeres, flagellomeres 1.8-2 times as long as broad. Temple in dorsal view more rounded (Fig. 56G, 13 ♀♀). Forewing: second submarginal cell either long: 3-SR 1.5 times as long as 2-SR (Fig. 56H, 6 ♀♀) or short: 3-SR as long as 2-SR (Fig. 56I, 2 ♀♀); first discal cell somewhat less high, 1-M 1.8-1.9 times as long as m-cu (Fig. 55A, 3 ♀♀). First tergite long, 1.33 times as long as broad behind (Fig. 55B, 14 ♀♀). Tergites 2-3 variably transverse, usually second tergite 3-3.5 times and third tergite 2.5-3 times wider behind than long (cf. Fig. 54J); exceptionally either tergites more transverse: second tergite 4-4.5 times and third tergite 3.7 times as broad as long (Fig. 55C, 6 ♀♀); or third tergite 1.7-1.9 times longer than second tergite (Fig. 55D, 11 ♀♀). Ovipositor sheath as long as hind femur + half tibia (16 ♀♀).

Variable features of the ³³ (67 ³³) (Figs 55 E-G; 56G)

Body 2-3 mm long. Antenna with (15-)16-20 antennomeres, flagellomeres 1.9-2.2 times as long as broad. Temple in dorsal view more rounded (Fig. 56G, 4 ♁♁ (♀!)). First tergite long: 1.3 times as long as broad behind and with parallel sides (Fig. 55E, 6 ♁♁) or 1.5 times longer than broad behind (Fig. 55F, 8 ♁♁); pair of spiracles of first tergite exceptionally medially (Fig. 55E, 2 ♁♁). Third tergite hardly longer than second tergite (Fig. 55G, 2 ♁♁). Maxillar palp yellowish (1 ♁), tergites 1-3 brownish (2 ♁♁).

Hosts

COL. Apionidae:! Omphalapion buddebergi (Bedel). Curculionidae: Ceutorhynchus campanulae Fabricius, Hylobius piceus DeGeer, Miarus campanulae Linnaeus. Phalacridae:! Olibrus aeneus Fabricius. — LEP. Tortricidae: Cydia strobilella Linnaeus. — DIPT. Agromyzidae:! Napomyza lateralis Fallén. Tephritidae:! Terellia serratulae Linnaeus, Urophora cuspidata Meigen.

Distribution

Holarctic Region, frequent to common.

Taxonomic position

The four species assigned to the new subgenus Palpibracon are highly similar to each other, they are distinguished by a few and rather subtle features, see key:

1 (2) Tergites 2-3 equal in length (Fig. 56A), tergites usually polished, less usually more or less uneven to (sub-) rugulose. Ovipositor sheath at most as long as metasoma. Forewing: second submarginal cell long, 3-SR 1.4-1.5 times as long as 2-SR (Fig. 56B). Face wide, twice wider than high, cheek in frontal view converging (Fig. 56C, see arrows). Body and legs brownish yellow to yellow, pterostigma opaque yellow. ♀ ♁: (2.1-) 2.5-4 mm............................ B. (P.) mongolicus Telenga, 1936

2 (1) Tergite 3 more or less longer than tergite 2 (Figs 54J; 55H; 56D), first (and second) tergite(s) at most exceptionally uneven to subrugulose. Ovipositor sheath more or less longer than metasoma. Forewing: second submaginal cell short, 3-SR 1.2-1.3 times as long as 2-SR (Figs 54H; 55I; 56E). Face less wide, i.e. less than twice as wide as high. Body and legs black to dark brown.

3 (4) Third tergite 1.8 to 2 times longer than second tergite (Fig. 56D). Forewing: SR1 ending before tip of wing (Fig. 56E). Maxillar palp short, just as long as height of head, its penultimate segment slightly longer than ultimate segment (Fig. 56F). ♀: 2-3 mm................... B. (P.) tenuiceps (Muesebeck, 1925)

4 (3) Third tergite 1.2-1.3 times, exceptionally 1.4 times, longer than second tergite (Figs 54J; 55H). Forewing: SR1 more or less approaching tip of wing (Figs 54H; 55I). Maxillar palp long, as long as to longer than height of head, its penultimate segment clearly longer than ultimate segment (Figs 54E, K; 55J).

5 (6) Maxillar palp long: distinctly longer than height of head, its penultimate segment 1.4-1.5 times longer than ultimate segment (Fig. 55J 1-2). Cheek in frontal view slightly less converging (Fig. 55K). Forewing: SR1 slightly and usually less approaching tip of wing, pterostigma 2.8-3.2 times as long as wide (Fig. 55I). ♀ ♁: 2.5-3.5 mm.................................... B. (P.) atrator Nees, 1834

6 (5) Maxillar palp less long: about as long as height of head, its penultimate segment at most one-fifth (1.25 times) to one-sixth (1.2 times) longer than ultimate segment (Figs 54E; 54K). Cheek in frontal view slightly more converging (Fig. 54D). Forewing: SR1 slightly and usually more approaching tip of wing, pterostigma (2.2-)2.5-2.6 times as long as wide (Fig. 54H). ♀ ♁: (2-) 2.2-3 mm. (= B. anthracinus Nees, 1834)...................................................................... B. (P.) delibator Haliday, 1833