Gasteruption nigritarse (Thomson, 1883)

Bogusch, Petr, 2021, The genus Gasteruption Latreille, 1796 (Hymenoptera: Gasteruptiidae) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: distribution, checklist, ecology, and conservation status, Zootaxa 4935 (1), pp. 1-63 : 42

Gasteruption nigritarse (Thomson, 1883)

Figs. 167–178 .

For synonymy see Johansson & van Achterberg (2016).

Diagnosis: A smaller species, with the body length of females 8–11 mm, males 7–10 mm. Ovipositor 1.5–2.4 mm long. The ovipositor sheath is 0.7–1.5× as long as third tibia, with dark apex. This species was recently resurrected from the synonymy with G. assectator ( Johansson & van Achterberg 2016) . From G. assectator and G. boreale the species differs by the wider hypostomal bridge, and females’ ovipositor sheath with elongated bristles. Sculpture of the head and mesonotum is similar, very finely rugose, with a slight greenish shine. Third tibia and basitarsus are usually darker than those of the related species.

Distribution: ( Fig. 178 ): Recorded from most of Europe: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine, and in Jordan in Asia ( Johansson & van Achterberg 2016, Özbek 2020, and personal records), and in Lithuania ( Orlovskyté et al. 2018).

Šedivý (1958; 1989) did not distinguish this species from G. assectator . Thus, we are bringing the first records of this species for both countries. A common and widespread species in both countries with a similar number of recent and old records. Occurs more frequently in warmer regions but also in higher altitudes, although much less frequently than G. assectator ( Tab. 2). A new species for the Czech Republic (both Bohemia and Moravia) and for Slovakia.

Biology: Recorded from May to September. Hylaeus communis , H. difformis and Hylaeus pictipes Nylander have been recorded as hosts of this species ( Johansson & van Achterberg 2016; Orlovskyté et al. 2018), while G. nigritarse is also frequent in loess and sand walls and likely attacks the nests of both species nesting in cavities and in ground. Adults visit flowers of plants of the family Apiaceae .

Conservation: Common and widespread species in both countries. LC—least concern ( Tab. 2).

Figures

FIGURE 178. Distribution map of Gasteruption nigritarse in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Full circles represent distribution after 1990 and empty circles distribution until 1990.

FIGURES 167–177. Gasteruption nigritarse (Thomson, 1883). 167—female, lateral habitus, 168—male, lateral habitus, 169— female, lateral head, 170—female, frontal head, 171—female, dorsal head, 172—female, lateral mesosoma, 173—female, dorsal mesosoma, 174—female, third leg, 175—male, third leg, 176—female, hypostomal bridge, 177—female, ovipositor apex. Scale bars represent 1 mm.