Pediobius cassidae Erdös, 1958

Cao, Huan-Xi, Salle, John La & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2017, Chinese species of Pediobius Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Zootaxa 4240 (1), pp. 1-71 : 17-18

4. Pediobius cassidae Erdös, 1958

( Fig. 4 )

Pediobius cassidae Erdös, 1958: 282 –284; ♀. Holotype ♀, HNHM, not examined.

Diagnosis. Three funicular segments freely separated by narrow petioles ( Fig. 4 c). Mesoscutum and scutellum broadly reticulate. Notauli distinct anteriorly. Meshes on scutellum weakly elongate anteriorly, fine to coarse from anterior to posterior. Space between submedian carinae of propodeum groove-like. Tibia with pale apex ( Figs 4 a, 4e).

Material examined. CHINA, Beijing: 1♂, Badaling , 29.VIII.1975, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; 1♀ 1♂, Mentougou, Xiaolongmen , 03.VIII.2002, coll. Wen-Quan Zhen ; 1♂, Mentougou, Tanzhe Temple , 19.V.1984, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; Guangxi: 1♀, Jingxi, Nanpo Diding water source protection zone, 23.VI.2000, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Heilongjiang: 4♀, Mudanjiang, Jingbo Lake , 16.VIII.1995, coll. Ju-Xian Lou ; 1♀, Yichun, Dailing , 11.VI.1962 ; Hubei: 1♀, Lichuan, Xingdou Mountains , 21.VII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; Inner Mongolia : 3♀, Bayan Nur, coll. Lian Zhang ; Jilin: 2♀, Changbai Mountains , 24.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 2♀ 1♂, Changbai Mountains, Er-Daobaihe , 01.VIII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 3♀, Gongzhuling , 28.V.1956, coll. Tai-Lu Chen ; 3♀ 2♂, Jilin, 21.VIII.1995, coll. Ju-Xian Lou ; 1♀, Jilin, Songhua Lake , 19.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 5♀ 1♂, Siping, Yehe , 28.V.1998, ex. Epinotia rubiginosana (Herrich-Schäffer) ; Jiangsu : 1♂, Dantu, Shiqiao , 18.VIII.1999, coll. Chao- Dong Zhu. Determined specimens compared ( ANIC) : 1♀, MOLD SSR: Kishinew Khneum coci, VII.1968, coll. Talitzki, det. Bouček.

Biology. In China, five females and two males were reared from Epinotia rubiginosana (Herrich-Schäffer) ( Lepidoptera : Tortricidae ).

Distribution in China. Beijing, Guangxi, Heilongjiang, Hubei, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Jiangsu.

Remarks. Newly recorded from China. Species of the cassidae -group are characterized by antenna with three freely separated funicular segments and tibia with pale apex. Although P. cassidae is polyphagous ( Noyes 2016), it appears to be well associated with beetles in Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera) as P. grisescens . Here, we include P. cassidae along with P. grisescens in the cassidae -group, not only because of their similarities in biology but also because of their similarities in morphology as given in the diagnosis of cassidae -group. They can be separated from each other by characters given in the key (couplet 32). Besides, P. cassidae often has body metallic green, and P. grisescens has body metallic blue. However, sometimes few females of P. cassidae in IZCAS have body metallic green slightly with blue reflections (e.g., one female from Inner Mongolia).

Bouček (1965a) stated that P. cassidae was close to the pyrgo -group, because of their similarities in the structure of antenna, the form of head and the sculpture of mesosoma. Instead, we think they are different in above characters. We agree with the statement of Bouček (1965a) that P. cassidae is similar to P. facialis in the form of head, the sculpture of mesoscutum and the pale apex of tibia. The cassidae -group has a possible close relationship with the facialis -group. Based on our observations, P. cassidae appears also similar to P. abraxasis Yang & Cao , P. orientalis (Crowford) and P. moldavicus Bouček in the antennal formula, sculpture of mesosoma and the pale apex of tibia. Species in the cassidae -group probably close to the vicinity of P. moldavicus , which the latter species can be separated from the cassidae -group by pale yellow tibia. However, it still needs more evidence to discuss the possible relationships among these species. Regarding the discussions on differences between P. iwatai and P. cassidae , see discussions of Kamijo (1983).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Pediobius cassidae Erdös, 1958. a: female, body in dorsal view; b: male, body in dorsal view; c: female, antenna; d: female, fore wing; e: female, hind leg. Scale bar: a – b, 0.5 mm; c, e, 0.2 mm; d, 0.4 mm.