Pristiphora (Lygaeonematus) robusta KONOW 1895

Beneš, Karel, 2014, A new species of Pristiphora (Lygaeonematus) KONOW, 1890 on spruce from East Siberia (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 64 (1), pp. 39-46 : 44-45

Pristiphora (Lygaeonematus) robusta KONOW 1895

KONOw (1895) described this species from a single female, without any other data except that it comes from Bohemia. The only other specimen from Central Europe was found in Hradec Králové, i.e. in the lowland region of Eastern Bohemia, beyond area of natural distribution of its host plant with only scarce spruce plantations. The only other records of this species are known mostly from the northern tajga belt only with natural stands of spruce and based on specimens reared from larvae living gregariously on spruce. However, the mention by NIGITZ (1974) who regarded Enslin´s data on its distribution in Bohemia as doubtful and noted that this species is restricted to the Northern Europe only, is probably based on overlooking the type locality given by Konow. FORSIUS (1911) shortly described a male, larva and life history. Though the species is structurally very closely related to other species of the compressa –complex of the abietina – group, it was mentioned neither by LINDQVIST (1968) nor by WONG (1975) in their revisions of this group. From other species of the abietina – group, P. (L.) robusta can be safely separated on its size (9–11 mm in female, 7.5–8.5 mm in male), mostly black colour, posterolaterally nearly straight hypopygium and whitish proximal part of hind tibia in female, in male by entirely reddish yellow antennae, mesobasisternum, legs and sternites. Also the genital characters are distinct: female sawsheath is in dorsal aspect distinctly wider than in P. (L.) compressa , penis valve in male with long and narrow, slightly curved valvispina.

Larva (described by FORSIUS 1911: 83): Length 18–22 mm, body green, head brownish black; thoracic legs mostly black; body with three longitudinal dark stripes, the dorsal one is half as wide as lateral ones; two black spots above each proleg, anterior one located more dorsally; segment 9 with one, apical segment without black spot. Pupation in moss. From other species of the abietina – group it can be separated on its entirely blackish head and size.

Host: Picea abies KARST. , P. obovata LEDEB.

Distribution: Eurosiberian species widely but scarcely distributed throughout northern Eurosiberia in the tajga–belt but recorded also from Central Europe. Czech Republic ( KONOw 1895; GREGOR & BAŤA 1942; HOLUŠA & ROLLER 2000), Slovakia ( ROLLER 1999), Finland ( FORSIUS 1911; HELLÉN 1975), Sweden ( CONDE 1940, OLOFSSON 1989), Estonia ( HEIDEMAA 2006), N.W. Russia ( HELLÉN 1975), Eastern Siberia (Yakutia, approx. 62°N, 129°E, KAJMUK, 1988).

Material examined (7 , 5 ): Holotype (studied in vii.1990 through the courtesy of Dr. A. Taeger):  labelled: „ Lygaeonematus robustus Knw. Bohem. (handwritten); Coll. Konow (printed); Type; Holotypus (red printed label). Slide labelled: Prep. Symphyta No. 172, Conde 1940; Lygaeonematus robustus Knw ,  Type, säge, Bohem; 3897 GBIF –GISHym“; Deposited in SDEI, Müncheberg. GBIF 3897. In good condition but abdomen dorsally gnawed (by dermestids?) and right hind tibia missing (see photo in TAEGER & BLANK (2011).

Bohemia or., Hradec Králové, 1  sine data, lgt. Uzel, coll. NMPC; Sweden, Lapland, Station Kåbdalis (66°15N', 20°E) 2 , 2  ex larvae in colony on Picea exc ., 28.vii.1939, ecl. in lab. ii.–iii.1940, lgt. O. Conde (handwritten), coll. ZMHUB; ditto  labelled: Suec. Station Kåbdalis, larva 28.vii.1939 on Picea exc . in colony, ecl. ii.–iii.1940, No: 1; O. Conde; Pristiphora robusta Knw. conf. c. Type, Conde 1940, (male „im Leben rotgelb“), coll. SDEI; Russia, East Siberia, Yakutia, river Lena, village Edey, 200 km SW of Yakutsk,  Yanulska and Kaimuk, larva 12.vii.1980, cocoon 13.–22.vii.80, imago 13. and 6.iv.1981, coll. NMPC; ditto,  Kharyyalakh island, Lena river and Pokrovsk (62°N, 129°E) lgt. Kaimuk, coll. ZMP.

Variability: There are only slight structural and colour variations: frontal wall can be slightly but broadly notched, colour of female can be nearly entirely black, only with labrum pale, abdomen ventrally dark brown with pale median stripe, apex of C and R light brown, pterostigma light to dark brown, blackish centrally, middle and hind femur mostly black, tegula blackish brown. No differences were found between populations from Sweden and Yakutia except for slightly darker color of the Siberian specimens.