Microctonus aethiops, (Nees von Esenbeck)

Pucci, Thomas M., 2013, Contributions to the classification of North American Microctonus (Braconidae, Euphorinae), Zootaxa 3725 (1), pp. 1-150 : 12-13

M. aethiops (Nees von Esenbeck)

Figures 5–10

Perilitus aethiops Nees von Esenbeck, 1834, p 32 .

Microctonus spurius Ruthe, 1856, p 297 .

Microctonus aethiopoides Loan, 1975, p 33 .

? Euphorus brevispina Thompson, 1892, p 1747 .

Distribution: Established in U.S. and Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan ( Haeselbarth, 2008); native to Europe, northern Africa and south-central Asia.

Specimens examined (North America only): Approximately 1,122 from 125 collection events; questionable female identifications: eight from six collection events.

Flight period: Over 95% from May through July.

Remarks: There are two major biotypes of M. aethiops , parasitoids of Hypera and those of Sitona ( Vink et al. 2003) . Adler & Kim (1985) documented the morphological differences between the “European biotype” (originally from France, on Hypera ) and the “Moroccan biotype” (on Sitona ). The females were separated with little overlap—the European specimens have 20–22 flagellomeres (verses 18–20), two labial palpomeres (versus three), are larger, more setose, darker, and have more areolation on the mesoscutum ( Adler & Kim 1985). Sundaralingam et al. (2001) found a mating preference for like strains in the laboratory and noted that although the European biotype preferred Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) as a host, it produced viable offspring on Sitona while the Moroccan biotype was restricted to Sitona .

The European biotype has been established in North America ( Radcliffe & Flanders 1998) and is the only form considered in other sections of the present work. The Moroccan biotype has been released in Kentucky (Yeargan 1985 (cited in Vink et al. 2003)) and Manitoba ( McLeod 1962) but has apparently not been established ( Sundaralingam et al. 2001). Although the material cited in McLeod (1962) came from France, the voucher specimens conform to the “Moroccan biotype” sensu Adler & Kim (1985). No field-collected Moroccan biotypes were observed from the North American material.

The question mark associated with Euphorus brevispina comes from Haeselbarth (2008) who noted that the species was described from a female but Belokobylskij established a male specimen as the holotype.

Figures

FIGURE 5. M. aethiops, lateral view, paratype.

FIGURE 6. M. aethiops, anterior view of head, paratype.

FIGURE 7. M. aethiops, petiole and propodeum, paratype.

FIGURE 8. M. aethiops, mesonotum.

FIGURE 9. M. aethiops, mesopleuron.

FIGURE 10. Distribution of M. aethiops.