Laboulbenia metableti Scheloske

MB#332780

Fig. 37E–I

Parasitologische Schriftenreihe 19: 124 (Scheloske 1969). –

Type: “Auf den Elytren sowie der Unterseite von Thorax und Abdomen von Metabletus (= Blechrus) foveatus und M. truncatellus, zwei kleinen, auf sandingen, trockenen Wiesen und Feldern lebenden Laufkäfern (Col. Carabidae), die ich bei Schwand/ Nürnberg und Erlangen erbeutete. Deutschland. Holotypus Abb. 29”. [Germany]

Diagnostic features

Cell V obtriangular, minute, usually paler than its surroundings, half or less of the length of cell IV, not connected with cell III. Outer appendage unbranched, with the 4–5 lower cells (including the basal) slightly bulging, darkened towards the dorsal and upper margins. Inner appendage consisting of two branches directly arising from the basal cell; each branch with 5–6 superposed cells which, pointing towards the same side, bear each simple 2–3 celled branches terminated with elongated slender antheridia (Fig. 37H–I). Basal cell of inner appendage half the length of the outer. Cell VII typically protuberant under the perithecium (Fig. 37E–G, arrows).

Distribution and hosts

This species occurs on species of Syntomus (= Metabletus Schmidt-Goebel, 1846, = Blechrus Motschulsky, 1847) (Col. Carabidae) from Germany (type), Poland (Majewski 1972a), Italy (Rossi & Cesari Rossi 1976), Finland, Russia (Huldén 1983), France (Balazuc 1990), Belgium (De Kesel & Rammeloo 1992), and the Netherlands (Haelewaters & De Kesel 2020). Records referring of Laboulbenia notiophili Cépède & Picard or Laboulbenia casnoniae Thaxt. from Metabletus and Syntomus should be included here; this concerns records from Hungary (Bánhegyi 1950), Andorra (Balazuc et al. 1982), Spain (Santamaria 1989), United Kingdom (Weir 1996), Austria, Morocco (Rossi & Santamaria 2006), Switzerland (Hoess & Senn-Irlet 2009), and Sweden (Huggert 2010).

Collections examined from Denmark

On Syntomus foveatus (Geoffroy, 1785) (Col. Carabidae) DENMARK – Fyn (F) • Bagenkop; 54°45.201′ N, 10°40.616′ E; PF06; 5 Oct. 2016; JP 147; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122626 • Knudshoved Marina; 55°17.781′ N, 10°50.542′ E; PG12; 18 Oct. 2017; JP 586; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123072 . – Lolland, Falster, Møn (LFM) • Bøtø Plantage; 54°37.629′ N, 11°57.661′ E; PF95; 17 May 2017; JP 416; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122900 • Gedser Odde; 54°33.588′ N, 11°58.187′ E; PF95; 19 Jul. 2011; JP 152; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122632 • Krenkerup Haveskov; 54°46.408′ N, 11°39.955′ E; PF77; 29 Nov. 2014; JP 458; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122943 • Nykøbing; 54°46.279′ N, 11°52.845′ E; PF87; 17 May 2017; JP 410; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122894 • Ulvshale; 55°2.301′ N, 12°16.244′ E; UB20; 25 Sep. 2016; JP 144; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122622 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Nordøst for Bispebjerg Station; 55°42.508′ N, 12°32.786′ E; UB47; 18 Aug. 2016; JP 116; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122593 . – Nordvestsjaelland (NWZ) • Sandflugtsplantage ved Rørvig; 55°57.126′ N, 11°43.060′ E; PH60; 4 Nov. 2017; JP 712; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123202. – Sydsjaelland (SZ) • Gammel Kalvehave; 54°59.745′ N, 12°8.232′ E; UA19; 24 Mar. 2018; JP 1006; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123513 .

On Syntomus truncatellus (Linnaeus, 1761) (Col. Carabidae) DENMARK – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Stenholtsvang; 55°57.439′ N, 12°21.204′ E; UC30; 28 Oct. 2017; JP 615; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123103 . – Nordvestsjaelland (NWZ) • Bognaes Skov på Tuse Naes; 55°44.966′ N, 11°45.817′ E; PG78; 10 Dec. 2013; JP 886; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123384 • Sonnerup Skov; 55°56.525′ N, 11°33.988′ E; PH60; 1 Apr. 2017; JP 259; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122739 .

Remarks

First record from Denmark.After the review of Laboulbenia casnoniae Thaxt. (Rossi & Santamaria 2006), L. metableti was included among the synonyms of L. notiophili . Reported as a separate species by De Kesel & Rammeloo (1992), it was later neglected, being included within the scope of L. casnoniae or L. notiophili even though in most references it was mentioned as a peculiar, perhaps separate species. De Kesel et al. (2020) reinstated L. metableti as a separate species. We agree with this judgement after the study of the abundant material from Denmark. Certainly, it is well-characterized by several features as the arrangement of the appendage system, especially by the inner appendage (Fig. 37H–I), which matches that described and illustrated by De Kesel et al. (2020). Even at the low magnification of a dissecting microscope the species stands out because of the characteristic way the inner set of appendages appears to wrap the perithecia (Fig. 37F).