Pediobius eubius

Cao, Huan-Xi, Salle, John La & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2017, Chinese species of Pediobius Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Zootaxa 4240 (1), pp. 1-71 : 23-25

9. Pediobius eubius species complex

( Fig. 8 )

Diagnosis. Body large and slender. Vertex, mesoscutum and scutellum with fine reticulation. Scutellum elongate, narrow anteriorly, at least with reticulation fine and slightly elongate anteriorly ( Fig. 8 a). Petiole transverse, sometimes subquadrate, but never longer than broad. Female gaster elongate with Gt1 very short and only approximately covering the basal one fifth of gaster ( Fig. 8 a).

Material examined. CHINA, Beijing: 1♀ , Beijing, 11.VII.1986, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; 1♀, Yanqing , 01.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Changping , 28.V.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; Fujian: 1♀, Er-Li Ping , 29.IV.1981, coll. Lin-Na Kong ; Gansu: 1♀, Kangxian, Qinghe Forest , 07, VII.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Wenxian, Qiujiaba , 25.VII.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Guangxi: 1♀, Napo, Defu Reserve , 04.IV.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Hebei: 1♀ 1♂, Changli , 27.VII.1957, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; Heilongjiang: 1♀, Daxinganling , 23.VII.1970, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; 1♀, Haerbin , 07.IX.1970 ; Henan: 1♀, Luanchuan, Longyuwan , 111. VII.1996, coll. Hui Xiao ; Jilin: 4♀, Changbai Mountains , 26.VII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 2♀, Gongzhuling , 30.V.1957, coll. Tai-Lu Chen ; 1♀, Jilin, 21.VIII.1995, coll. Ju-Xian Lou ; 1♀, Shancheng , 16.VI.1962, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; Liaoning: 1♀, Shenyang , 12.VI.1986, coll. Yu-Zhi Niu ; 4♀, Shenyang , 10.VII.1991, coll. Ju-Xian Lou ; Shandong: 2♀, Yashan , 15.II.1964, coll. Zi-Qing Wang ; Qinghai: 2♀, Huzhubeishan , 08.VI.1997, coll. Chao- Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Qilian , 19.IX.2001, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♂, Tongren, Mailin , 14.VI.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Shaanxi: 1♀, Poping, Longcaoping , 07.VIII.1973, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; 1♀, Huangling , 04.VI.1963, coll. Jin-Long Mao ; 1♀, Liuba, Shibandian , 02.VI.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Sichuan: 1♀, Baoxing, Hepinggou , 17.VI.2001, coll. Yan Chen ; Xinjiang: 1♀, Xinhe , 20.VII.2000, coll. Rong-Hua Lin ; Yunnan: 1♀, Dingqing, Tuguan , 07.VIII.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li . Determined specimens compared ( ANIC): 1♀, SCOTLAND: Perths Ballintuim , 19.VII.1977, coll. Noyes, Rogers & Huddleston, det. Bouček.

Biology. Species separated from Pediobius eubius complex have been recorded as both primary parasitoids and secondary parasitoids of various insects ( Noyes 2016).

Distribution in China. Widely distributed in CHINA: Beijing, Gansu, Guangxi, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Yunnan.

Remarks. Graham (1959) recognized P. eubius , P. alaspharus (Walker) and P. planiventris (Thomson) as three separate species mainly by the ratio of F3 length to width and the relative length of female gaster. Although Bouček (1965a) found they could be differentiated by the metrical method basing on the ratio of Gt6 to gaster, he was still uncertain whether the three species could represent definitely independent species. At the same time, he recognized an independent species, P. polanensis Bouček , from P. eubius complex, based on its pointed gaster in female. However, Peck (1985) proposed that the gastral ratio might be related to adult age. On this point, it is necessary to get additional freshly reared specimens from hosts in different life period to test the effects of adult age to gastral shape. Besides, Dawah (1988) and Dawah et al. (2002) recognized other 7 distinct species from P. eubius complex basing on evidence from multiple methods, including morphological studies, mate-choice experiments, olfactometer tests and electrophoresis experiments. However, we do not get a chance to examine their type specimens, and we neither have material to repeat those tests. Although we noticed broad variations among specimens available to us, we regard them as a species complex and do not divide them into subunits before we get additional evidence.

Pediobius eubius complex is very similar to P. metallicus by sculpture on mesosoma (both finely and distinctly reticulate), but they are distinctly different in gaster. Pediobius eubius complex has long and slender female gaster with Gt1 very short and only approximately covering the basal one fifth of gaster ( Fig. 8 a), whereas P. metallicus has female gaster less slender with Gt1 occupying at least 1/3 dorsal surface of gaster ( Figs 9 a–b). Their males are so similar that only epipleura on gaster and funicle can be helpful to separate them ( Figs 8 d, 9d) (see couplet 33 of the key). Other differences are given in the key. See also discussions by Bouček (1965a).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Pediobius eubius complex. 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: female, antenna; g: male, antenna; h: female, fore leg; i: female, mid leg; j: female, hind leg. Scale bar: a – d, 0.5 mm; e, 0.4 mm; f – j, 0.2 mm.

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.