Pediobius fraternus Motschulsky 1859

29. Pediobius fraternus (Motschulsky, 1859)

(Fig. 26)

Eulophus fraternus Motschulsky, 1859: 118. Syntypes, sex not specified but evidently ♀, ZMMU, not examined. Eulophus mantiechthrus Motschulsky, 1859: 117. Syntypes ³, ZMMU, not examined. Synonymized by Kerrich, 1973: 173. Pleurotropis fraternus (Motschulsky, 1859), Gahan, 1925: 102.

Pediobius mantiechthrus (Motschulsky, 1859), Bouček, 1965b: 553.

Pediobius fraternus (Motschulsky, 1859), Baltazar, 1966: 116.

Diagnosis. In dorsal view, head very thick and semicircular (Fig. 26 a). Antenna stout with terminal spine long, strongly broadened in side view (Fig. 26 e). Notauli poorly indicated, almost absent. Scutellum finely and longitudinally striate-reticulate throughout, striation slightly indistinct along median line. Fore wing with speculum widely open below (Fig. 26 f). All tibiae often pale apically (Figs 26 g–i). Metatibial spur longer than basal tarsomere (Fig. 26 i).

Material examined. China, Guangxi: 1♀, Jinxiu, Shengtang Mountains, 19.X.1999, coll. Hui Xiao; Hainan: 1♀, Lingshui, Diaoluo Mountains, 14.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li; Jiangxi: 6♀ 1♂, Nanchang, Meiling, 28.V.1987, coll. Shen Xu, ex. the ootheca of Hierodula patellifera Serville; Yunnan: 2♀, Xishuangbanna, 17.VII.2014, coll. Xiu-Wei Liu. Determined specimens compared (ANIC): 1♀, QLD 2km S Cape York (10.43S, 142.32E); 3♀, INDIA: KT Bangalore, V.1999, det. John La Salle; 2♀, Sways of Mt. Baird Q (15.10S, 145.07E, 3.5km), 03–05.V.1981, coll. I. D. Nauman, det. C. J. Burwell; 3♂, INDIA: KT Bangalore, V.1999, det. John La Salle.

Biology. Few host records have been known to P. fraternus so far, and it has been only recorded as a primary parasitoid (Noyes 2016). In China, P. fraternus was recorded from the ootheca of Hierodula patellifera Serville (Orthoptera: Mantidae).

Distribution in China. Guangxi, Hong Kong (Husain & Khan 1986), Jiangxi, Hainan, Yunnan, Taiwan (Husain & Khan 1986).

Remarks. Kerrich (1973) explained well why P. fraternus (Motschulsky) instead of mantiechthrus Motschulsky, 1859 is the valid name of this species. Pediobius fraternus is close to the African species P. modestus (Masi), with which it has in common in the small squat body, semicircular head in dorsal view and the sculpture of mesosoma (e.g., Fig. 26 a). Both species appear to be in the same species group. See also the key and comments by Kerrich (1973). Although P. fraternus is similar to P. atamiensis in the semicircular head in dorsal view (Figs 23 a, 23c, 26a–c), they are different in antennal formula (Figs 23 e–f, 26e), mesosoma sculpture (Figs 23 a, 23c, 26a–c) and color of tibiae (Figs 23 g–i). In addition, P. fraternus seems similar to P. pyrgo, basing on the short and stout antenna (Figs 20 h, 26e), striation on scutellum (Figs 20 a, 26a) and the prolonged metatibial spur (Figs 20 k, 26i), but differs from P. pyrgo by semicircular head in dorsal view (Figs 26 a–c) and sculpture of mesoscutum (Figs 26 a– c). Pediobius fraternus and P. saulius have similar fore wing with speculum largely open (Figs 21 g, 26f). However, it is hard to discuss their relationships only based on morphology because P. fraternus has quite few similarities with those species.