Pediobius metallicus (Nees, 1834)

Cao, Huan-Xi, Salle, John La & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2017, Chinese species of Pediobius Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Zootaxa 4240 (1), pp. 1-71 : 25-28

10. Pediobius metallicus (Nees, 1834)

( Fig. 9 )

Eulophus metallicus Nees, 1834: 176 –177; ♀♂. Syntypes, lost.

Entedon acantha Walker, 1839: 107 ; ♀. Lectotype, BMNH, not examined. Synonymized by Graham, 1993: 227.

Entedon amyntas Walker, 1839: 111 . Lectotype ³, BMNH, not examined. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Bouček & Askew, 1968: 88.

Entedon caenus Walker, 1839: 113 . Lectotype, BMNH, not examined. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Bouček & Askew, 1968: 88.

Entedon metallicus (Nees, 1834) , Walker, 1848: 136.

Heptomerus caeruleo-nitens Rondani, 1874: 133 ; ♂. Lectotype ♂, not examined; designated by Bouček, 1974: 246. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Bouček, 1974: 246, 279.

Heptomerus caeruleonitens Rondani, 1874: 246 –279. Emendation of Heptomerus caeruleo-nitens Rondani by Bouček, 1974: 246, 279.

Pleurotropis brevicornis Thomson, 1878: 253 ; ♀♂. Lectotype ♂, LUZN, not examined; designated by Hansson, 1991: 35. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Bouček, 1965a: 67.

Pleurotropis rugosithorax Crawford, 1912a: 179 ; ♀♂. Lectotype ♀, USNM, not examined; designated by Burks, 1966: 43. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Peck, 1985: 685.

Pleurotropis kansensis Girault, 1918: 128 ; ♀. Holotype ♀, USNM, not examined. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Peck, 1985: 685.

Pleurotropis metallicus (Nees, 1834) , Gahan, 1933: 133.

Pediobius metallicus (Nees, 1834) , Ferrière, 1953: 400.

Pediobius kansensis ( Girault, 1918) , Burks, 1958: 68.

Pediobius acantha ( Walker, 1839) , Graham, 1959: 191.

Pediobius hellanthemellae Erdös, 1961: 486 . Holotype ♀, HNHM, not examined. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Bouček, 1965a: 67.

Pediobius dorycniella Erdös, 1961: 487 . Holotype ♀, HNHM, not examined. Synonymized with Pediobius acantha by Bouček & Askew, 1968: 88.

Pediobius rugosithorax (Crawford) , Peck, 1963: 230.

Diagnosis. Inner margin of eye more shallowly emarginate than in P. epigonus . Vertex, mesoscutum and scutellum distinctly reticulate, meshes on scutellum turning broad posteriorly. Petiole slightly longer than broad. Female gaster long-ovate (but less slender than that of P. eubius ), with Gt1 occupying about 1/3 dorsal surface of gaster and smooth ( Figs 9 a–b). Compared with P. epigonus , female has F1 mostly stouter than pedicel, C2 at base almost as broad as the preceding segment and terminal spine usually shorter ( Fig. 9 g); and male funicular segments subquadrate to about 1.8× as long as broad ( Fig. 9 f).

Material examined. China, Beijing: 1♀ 1♂, Changlingxiao , 05.IX.1984, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Changping , 28.V.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 2♀, Changping, Qinglongqiao , 26.IX.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Huairou , 14.VIII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 5♀ 3♂, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 12.IV.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Institute of Vegetables and flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , 09.VI.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀ 1♂, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 25.IV.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Jiuxianqiao , 13.V.1957, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; 5♀ 5♂, Qinghua University , 01.VII.1957, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; 1♀, Songshan , 26.VIII.1984, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀ 3♂, Summer Palace , 21.V.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 5♀ 5♂, the Olympic Forest park, V. 2014, coll. Huan-Xi Cao, ex. Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) ; 3♀ 8♂, Tiantan Park , 15.IV.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Xiangshan , 24.V.1961, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; 1♀, Xiangshan , 22.IX.1983, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; 1♀ ♂, Xishan , 15.V.1957, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; 3♀, Yanqing , 01.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 5♀ 2♂, Yanqing , 02.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Zhongguancun , 17.V.1957, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; 1♀, Zhongguancun , 14.VII.1957, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; 1♀, Zhongguancun , 14.VII.1969, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; Fujian: 1♀ 1♂, Chongan, Xingcun, Sangang , Jianyang , Ao-Tou , 20.V.1960, coll. Cheng-Lin Ma ; 1♂, Jiangle , 07.VIII.1991, coll. Chang-Ming Liu ; 1♂, Qiaonan , 22.IV.1964, coll. Xiu-Fu Zhao ; 2♀, Shekou , 02.XI.1974, coll. Huang, ex. a pupa of leafmining fly ; Gansu: 1♀ 1♂, Gangu, Wujia , 20.IX.1973, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; 2♀ 2♂, Kangxian, Qinghe Forest , 07.VII.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 4♀ 10♂, Zhouqu, Shatan Forest , 17.VII.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Wenxian 20.VII.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Guangxi: 1♀ 1♂, Napo, Defu Reserve , 04.IV.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Napo, Baidu, Xiaobaihe , IV.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Guizhou: 1♀, Guiyang, Huaxi, 10.X.1083, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; Hainan: 1♀, Lingshui, Diaoluo Mountains , 15.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; Hebei: 1♀ , Hebei, 08.V.1985, coll. Hua-Shi Mi ; 1♀, Laiyuan , 13.VI.1985, coll. Hua-Shi Mi ; 1♀ 1♂, the North Mountain of Xiaowutai , 16.VIII.1964 ; 2♀, Weichang , 13.VIII.1985, coll. Hua-Shi Mi ; 1♀, Zhangbei , 01. VII.1 985, coll. Hua-Shi Mi ; Henan: 4♀, Luanchuan, Longyuwan , 11.VII.1996, coll. Hui Xiao ; 10♀ 2♂, Songshan, Baiyun Mountains , 15.VII.1996, coll. Hui Xiao ; Hubei: 5♀ 6♂, Badong , 11.VIII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Hefeng , 30.VII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Hefeng , 01.VIII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 2♀ 1♂, Lichuan, Xingdou Mountains , 24.VII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 2♀ 1♂, Xuanen , 04.VIII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; Jiangxi: 4♀ 2♂ , Jiangxi, 18-24.V.1987 ; Jilin: 8♀ 2♂, Baicheng, 1980, coll. Hong-Wei Zheng, ex. a dipterous fly ; 1♀, Changbai Mountains , 24.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀ 2♂, Changbaishan, Er-Daobaihe , 01.VIII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 2♀, Changbai Mountains , 26.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 2♀, Gongzhuling , 03.VI.1957, coll. Tai-Lu Chen ; 5♀, Jilin, 21.VIII.1995, coll. Ju-Xian Lou ; 2♀ 1♂, Songhua Lake , 19.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; Ningxia: 1♀, Tianshui, Zaojiao , 22.IX.1973, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; Qinghai: 1♀, Delinghabangeduo , 16.IX.2001, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀ 1♂, Huzhubeishan , 08.VI.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Tongren, Maixiu , 14.VI.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Xining , 03.VI.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Shaanxi: 1♀, Liuba, Shibandian, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 2♀ 2♂, Wugong, Institute of Plant Protection, Shaanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, coll. Guo-Jun Qi Station, ex. dipterous flies ; 2♀ 1♂, Yanji , 23.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Zhouzhi, Houzhenzi , 24.VI.1999, coll. Chao- Dong Zhu ; Shanxi: 1♀, Guxian , 12.VI.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀ 2♂, Taiyuan , 19.VI.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Shanyin, Anxiangsi , 20.VI.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; Sichuan: 1♀, Cejing, Siping , 25.VI.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; Tibet: 1♀ , Bomi, Tongmai , 12.VII.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Bomi, Tongmai , 14.VII.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀ 1♂, Langxian , 30.VI.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Qusong , VII.1981, coll. Bao-Hai Wang ; 1♀, Yadong , 03.VI.1989, coll. Cheng-Yu Deng ; Xinjiang: 1♀, Xinhe , 03.VI.2000, coll. Rong-Hua Lin ; 1♀1♂, 30.VI.2000, coll. Rong-Hua Lin; Yunnan: 1♀, Lanping , 21.VIII.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; 1♀ 3♂, Lijiang, Yushu , 24.VII.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; 1♀, Xinmanyu , 14.V.1958, coll. Yi-Ran Zhang ; Zhejiang: 1♀, Linan, Tianmu Mountains , 06.VI.1999, coll. Huixiao . Determined specimens compared ( ANIC): 1♀, ITALY: Cogoleto (Genova), 12.VIII.1972, coll. Bouček, det. Bouček ; 2♀, ENGLAND: Burnham Beeches Bucks , 25.VIII.1974, coll. Bouček, det. Bouček .

Biology. Pediobius metallicus has been recorded mainly as a primary parasitoid and occasionally as a secondary parasitoid ( Noyes 2016). Among its host records, a sawfly, Syringophila chomnei Her. ( Hymenoptera : Tenthredinidae ) in Bouček (1965a), as Syringophilus lhommei Her. ( Hymenoptera : Tenthredinidae ) in Bouček & Askew (1968), probably is invalid and needs further confirmation. A few specimens from China were reared from Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) ( Diptera : Agromyzidae ), and some others were reared from some undetermined dipteran leafminers.

Distribution in China. Widely distributed in CHINA: Beijing, Fujian, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Jilin, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Zhejiang. Remarks. Pediobius metallicus shows a much wider range of variation in reticulations on mesoscutum and scutellum for specimens available to us. The interpretation of P. metallicus here is rather general for most populations of P. metallicus , as discussed also by Bouček (1965a), who stated that P. metallicus represented a species complex. Bouček (1965a) stated that most females available to him have Gt1 smooth and hardly reaching mid-length of gaster and some have Gt1 with weak reticulation on dorsal surface and slightly surpassing mid-length of gaster. Most females of P. metallicus available to us have Gt1 only covering basal 1/3 dorsal surface of gaster and also have basal three tarsomeres infuscate in fore legs and white in mid and hind legs. Only few females have Gt1 reaching mid-length of gaster. Few females have basal three tarsomeres pale in fore legs. We still need further evidence from biology, molecular and even more reliable morphological characters to test if this species complex should be divided into several independent species.

The epigonus -group is really a difficult species group to study, not only because of the broad intraspecific variations but also because of difficulties in delimiting its member species, especially to P. epigonus and P. metallicus . The two species are so similar in morphology and biology that several researchers have ever considered them as one single species ( Gahan 1933). When we determined our specimens from China, we used some characters proposed by Graham (1959) and Bouček (1965a) to distinguish them. However, P. metallicus sometimes also has face with metallic green reflections. So, the coloration of face is not always useful to separate them, but characters from antenna seem to be more reliable (see the key of Bouček (1965a)). Besides, inner margin of eye of P. metallicus more shallowly emarginate than that of P. epigonus . Based on this, P. epigonus is not yet found in China. See also remarks under P. eubius .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Pediobius metallicus (Nees, 1834). a: female, body in dorsal view; b: female, body in lateral view; c: male, body in dorsal view; d: male, body in lateral view; e: female, fore wing; f: male, antenna; g: female, antenna; h: female, fore leg; i: female, hind leg. Scale bar: a – d, 0.5 mm; e: 0.4 mm; f – i, 0.2 mm.