Bracon (Glabrobracon) nigriventris var. indubius (Szépligeti, 1901)

Bracon indubius Szépligeti, 1901 a: 264 (in key) and 278 (description) (in Hungarian); 1904 (1901): 178 (in key) and 182 (description) (in German) ♀ ♁, type locality: “ Budapest ” Kincstári erdő (♀ lectotype, Hym. Typ. No. 1433) and “ Budapest ” Gellérthegy (♁ paralectotype, Hym. Typ. No. 1434).

Bracon nigriventris var. flavus Papp, 1969a: 322 (♀), syn. nov.

Bracon indubius – Tobias 1961: 173 (“ type ” designations, redescription as valid species). — Papp 1969a: 322 ♀♁ (in key as B. nigriventris var. indubius comb. n.) and 329 ( indubius “partim” as synonym of B. nigriventris); 2004: 176 (as “valid species?”).

The var. indubius represent a light coloured form of B. nigriventris:

(a) body entirely brownish yellow (or ochre) with faint brownish suffusion on vertex, mesosternum, propodeum, last tergites and proximally on legs (coxae, trochanters, femori) (♀).

(b) head and mesosoma black, brown to light brown, metasoma anteriorly brownish yellow or ochre, legs brownish yellow to brown (♀ ♁), this form is essentially identical to Tobias’s “light form” of B. indubius (Tobias 1961: 173) .

Taxonomic remarks

1) The species B. nigriventris is highly variable viewing its few morphological and colour features. By the features of the variable length of second submarginal cell (Figs 28F; 29 C-D), variable height of first discal cell (Figs 28G; 29 D-E), transverse to subcubic form of head (Figs 28A; 29A), variable breadth of hind femur (Fig. 28D, I) and variable colour pattern of the body (from almost brownish yellow to blackish / black) the taxonomic position of the species is rather intermediate between the subgenera Lucobracon and Glabrobracon . Earlier I ranged it to the subgenus Lucobracon (Papp 1969a: 322, 329), as Tobias (1986: 147) did later. Considering in complexity the features characterized B. nigriventris I assign it to the subgenus Glabrobracon .

2) Tobias & Belokobylskij (2000: 162) synonymized the name Bracon (Lucobracon) turolus Papp (Mongolia) with Bracon (Glabrobracon) nigriventris Wesmael (Palaearctic Region): turolus is but a dark (melanic) form of nigriventris . Re-examining the ♀ holotype of B. turolus and compared it to the ♀ lectotype of B. nigriventris the species B. turolus is not identical with B. nigriventris but representing a valid species, the two species differing by the following features:

1 (2) Mesosoma in lateral view not elongated, 1.4(-1.5) times as long as high. Forewing: marginal cell (M1) at most approaching, usually reaching, tip of wing (Figs 28F; 29 B-C); first discal cell (D1) less 1-SR-M 1.3-1.4 times longer than 1-M (Figs 28G; 29 D-E) (subgenus Glabrobracon). Hind femur less thick, (2.8-)3-3.1 times as long as broad medially (Fig. 28D, I). Female: first tergite as long as broad behind, tergites 2-3 transverse, 2.8-3.1 times as broad behind as long (Fig. 28H). Head in dorsal view slightly more transverse (Figs 28A; 29A). ♀: 3-3.5 mm, ♁: (2.8-) 3.1-3.3 mm .................................................................................................... B. (Gl.) nigriventris Wesmael, 1838

2 (1) Mesosoma in lateral view elongated, 1.8 times as long as high. Forewing: marginal cell (M1) ending before tip of wing (Fig. 30A); first discal cell (D1) elongated: 1-SR-M almost twice longer than 1-M (Fig. 30B) (subgenus Lucobracon). Hind femur thick, 2.6 times as long as broad medially (Fig. 30C). Female: first tergite somewhat longer than broad behind, tergites 2-3 less transverse, 2.1- 2.2 times as broad behind as long (Fig. 30D). Head in dorsal view slightly less transverse (Fig. 30E). ♀: 3 mm ........................................................................................ B. (Lu.) turolus Papp, 1984, sp. rev.