Limerodops HEINRICH, 1949

A. M, 2011, Illustrated key to the genera of the subtribe Amblytelina of Palaearctic (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ichneumoninae, Ichneumonini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 43 (1), pp. 597-711 : 651-653

8. Limerodops HEINRICH

Limerodops HEINRICH 1961 - Mitt. Münch. Ent. Ges. 35-39: 44.

Type species: Amblyteles subsericans var. elongatus BRISCHKE.

Limerodops: HEINRICH 1961 - Can. Ent., Suppl. 23: 380-381.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Holarctic.

I n t r o d u c t i o n:

According to G. HEINRICH (1961) the representatives of genus are differed by strongly elongated and narrowed to apex abdomen of females and narrow, elongated but parallelsided abdomen of males. Tergites 4-7 of abdomen of most species laterally are bending far onto the ventral side, thus transforming the apical part of abdomen into a pipe. Seventh tergite is very long, bending in profile downwards. Only sternites 2 and 3 (at males) are with fold, rarely ( L. unilineatus GRAV. ) sternite 4 is also unsclerotized. Abdomen of European species is strongly attenuated to the apex. Apical tergites are bent onto ventral surface from vastly at type species, to slightly bent, but also narrowed to the apex abdomen in L. unilineatus GRAV. And , at last, in females of East Palaearctic Limerodops violentus sp.n. apical tergites are bent slightly and abdomen is not evenly narrowed to apex. Hypopygium of males is without long narrow process at apex, with extended central part.

M o r p h o l o g y:

F l a g e l l u m: Of females bristle-shaped, from very slender, not widened and flattened beyond middle in L. unilineatus GRAV. , to slightly widened and flattened beyond middle, with or without white annulus. Flagellum of males not ribbed with elongated bacilliform tyloides from second to about twelfth segment.

H e a d: Genae from front and temples behind eyes from above strongly, almost straightly narrowed. Mandibles normal, narrowed to apex, with two sharp teeth.

T h o r a x: Mesonotum moderately or strongly convex; notauli only just marked at base or absent; axillary tongue practically not expressed; scutellum of females distinctly elevated above postscutellun, dorsally from almost flat (in L. elongatus BRISCHKE and L. subsericans GRAV. ) to distinctly convex in L. unilineatus and violentus, in males more high elevated. Propodeum without of apophysises and teeth, but often with broadened apical carinae; costulae and coxal carina present or absent.

L e g s: Moderately stout to slender. Hind coxae of females without scopa.

W i n g s: Areolet big, pentagonal, slightly asymmetrical. Nervulus postfurcal, rarely ( L. unilineatus ) interstitial. Membrane of wing hyaline.

A b d o m e n:Elongated, narrow; in females of European species narrowing to apex, to parallel-sided (at East Palaearctic L. violentus sp.n.), strongly amblypygous, in males parallel-sided; tergites 4-7 laterally bend far onto ventral side, often transforming an apical part of abdomen into a pipe ( L. elongatus , L. subsericans ), tergites 2 and 3 distinctly longer than width. Middle field of postpetiolus distinct, delicately longitudinally striated. Gastrocoeli of both of sexes longer than width, more over distinctly impressed with some longitudinal ribs; thyridia of females narrow and small, sometimes rudimentary in males; tergite 7 very long; sheath of ovipositor hidden or only just visible from lateral. Sternites of abdomen strongly sclerotized, usually only sternite 2 with fold, and in L. unilineatus sternites 2-4 with fold. Hypopygium of males with extended pointed, or more or less rounded apex at central part.

C o l o r a t i o n: Head and thorax with restricted white pattern; abdomen usually uniformly black or metallic-violet, rarely with white spots at corners of tergites 1-3; at one European species abdomen rusty-red in a considerable extent and apical tergites of females abdomen with white longitudinal anal spots; legs mainly red-brown, in East Palaearctic L. violentus sp.n. tibiae with white rings.

S i z e: Body length 11-18 mm.

B i o l o g y a n d e c o l o g y:

H o s t s: For two species of a genus from literature the following data about hosts are known: L. subsericans (GRAV.) – Gastropacha quercifolia L., Philudoria potatoria L. ( Lasiocampidae ), Dasychira fascelina L. ( Lymantriidae ), Apamea anceps DEN. et SCHIFF. , A. unanimis HBN. (Noctuidae) ; L. elongatus (BRISCHKE) – Hadena gemina HBN. ( Noctuidae ); L. unilineatus (GRAV.) – Nonagria dissoluta TR. , N. sparganii ESPER , Archanara geminipuncta HW. (Noctuidae) (HEINRICH 1961; HERTING 1976; RASNITSYN 1981). According to R. HINZ (HEINRICH 1961), the females of elongatus BRISCKE attack the early larval stages of the host during the period in which the small caterpillars still

live hidden in their protective webs in the inflorescences of grasses. Samples of L. unilineatus , bred in Poland from pupae of Archanara geminipuncta HW. are at our disposal.

S p e c i e s c o m p o s i t i o n a n d a b u n d a n c e: The genus is presented in region of researches by two species – L. subsericans (GRAV.) and L. elongatus (BRISCHKE) . By abundance in collections, genus occupies 7th place among Amblytelina and 35th place among genera of Ichneumoninae St. in the region (19 individuals / 1 species of genus).

B i o t o p i c a l d i s t r i b u t i o n: The genus is presented both in forest and open ecosystems. The overwhelming quantity of representatives of a genus is collected in forest ecosystems (71 %). From forest ecosystems both species of a genus prefer pine and spruce forests. L. elongatus (BRISCHKE) in a considerably quantity is registered in oak forests. In open ecosystems 29 % of this species are collected. L. elongatus (BRISCHKE) in the greatest quantity is registered on personal plots from all types of open and forest ecosystems, and L. subsericans (GRAV.) is registered by separate specimens in meadow communities, preferring forest ecosystems.

S e a s o n a l a c t i v i t y a n d h i b e r n a t i o n: Thevolumeofthematerial collected by us does not allow to reason about number of generations of Limerodops . Under of G.HEINRIH' s statement (1961) species of Limerodops have one generation during a season and females of a genus do not hibernate. At the same time, we had found one female L. elongatus (BRISCHKE) , on hibernation under a bark.