Macrosiagon cf. punctulaticeps (Blackburn, 1899)

Batelka, Jan & Hoehn, Patrick, 2007, Report on the host associations of the genus Macrosiagon (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae) in Sulawesi (Indonesia), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 47, pp. 143-152 : 147

Macrosiagon cf. punctulaticeps (Blackburn, 1899)

Material examined. Host species Chalybion sp. ( Sphecidae : Sceliphronini): Jun, E2U5, 1, 78 ( JBCP; host species PHCG).A total of 827 cells of Chalybion sp. were examined. Host species Pison sp. ( Crabronidae : Trypoxylonini): Feb, F4U5, 2, 94 ( JBCP, PHCG; host species PHCG).

Observations. We found all three individuals of Macrosiagon cf. punctulaticeps (Blackburn, 1899) inside the host’s cocoon. In five breeding cells of one Pison sp. nest, we found two cells occupied by the parasitoid. Chalybion sp. usually has one breeding cell per nest; hence we found one parasitoid in one nest and no surviving host.

Remarks. The species is recorded from Sulawesi for the first time. No previous host associations for M. punctulaticeps have been made.

The species belongs to the Macrosiagon ‘ bifasciata ’ species-group sensu BATELKA (2004). In this group, however, two ‘subgroups’ can be identified. The first one is characterized by a shortened and robust metatarsomere 2, and includes two species in the Oriental Region, M. bipunctata (Fabricius, 1801) and M. dohertyi Pic, 1949 . The former species is widely distributed in the Afrotropical Region; it has been recorded from Yemen and it is known from all over the Indian subcontinent. The latter species, described from Bali, is known only from the type specimen deposited in coll. M. Pic (MNHN). The type was examined to prove its possible conspecificity with the reared specimens; it is a male labeled: ‘Bali [hw] / Doherty [p] // type [hw] // type [p – red label] // Dohertyi / mihi [hw]’. However, M. dohertyi is not similar to the reared species. Moreover, no difference between M. bipunctata and M. dohertyi were observed; further research may show that these species are identical.

The second ‘subgroup’ includes all other Palaearctic and Oriental species related to the ‘ bifasciata ’ group, i.e. M. bifasciata (Marseul, 1876) , M. medana Pic, 1910 , M. medvedevi Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1973 , M. meridionale (Costa, 1859) , and M. raffrayi (Fairmaire, 1873) . Surprisingly, the second Macrosiagon species reared in this study is identical with a species occurring in Australia and the Solomon Islands. This species differs from other Oriental and Palaearctic members of this group by the strongly acute elytra and poorly visible light markings on a dull black background. We examined the following specimens of this species deposited in BMNH: four females labeled ‘ Australia: N. Q. / Redlynch, 21.x.1938 / R. G. & J. Ch. Wind. / B. M. 1939 – 572 [p]’ and one female labeled: ‘Solomon Is. / Guadalcanal / Gold Ridge / 1-2000 ft / P. G. Fenemore / C. I. E. Coll. 16348 [p] / 21.ix.1958 [hw] // Solomon Is. / Pres. / P. J. M. Greenslade / B. M. 1966 – 477 [p] // Macrosiagon / sp. nr. punctulaticeps / Blackb. [hw] / E. A. J. Duffy det. 1959 [p]’. For the purpose of this paper we accept Duffy’s determination. However, examination of the type of M. punctulaticeps is needed. In any case, it is the first record of an Australian Macrosiagon species in the Oriental Region.