Bracon (Glabrobracon) praecox Wesmael, 1838

Papp, Jenő & Xviii, Budapest, 2012, A revision of the Bracon Fabricius species in Wesmael’s collection deposited in Brussels (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 21, pp. 1-154 : 88-91

Bracon (Glabrobracon) praecox Wesmael, 1838

Figs 42 A-J, 43A-H

Braco praecox Wesmael, 1838: 52 ♀ (type material: 1 ♀), type locality: “...la cour d’athené,” (in Brussels, Belgium), ♀ holotype (“Je ne possède qu’une femelle de cette espéce;” Wesmael l.c., present designation) in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels; examined.

Bracon semilunatus Dalla Torre, 1898: 288 (erroneous citation of B. semiluteus Walker ).

Bracon semiluteus Walker, 1874: 307 ♀, type locality: “ Japan ”, ♀ holotype (“Type”) in The Natural History Museum, London; examined.

Bracon praecox – Szépligeti 1901: as valid species 269 (in key, in Hungarian); 1904 (1901): 190 (in key, in German) ♀ ♁.

Bracon (Glabrobracon) praecox – Fahringer 1927: as valid species 269 (♀), 307 (♁) (in key), 1928: 484 (redescription) ♀ ♁, assigned to “Section Glabrobracon ”. — Telenga 1936: as valid species 152 (♀), 156 (♁) (in key), 222 (redescription) (in Russian) and 354-355 (♀), 358 (♁) (in key, in German). — Tobias 1961: 162 (as synonym of B. variator Nees ). — Papp 1966: 392 (as synonym of B. variator after Tobias l.c.). — Shenefelt 1978: 1586 (as B. variator ab. praecox after Papp l.c., literature up to 1974). — Tobias 1986: 134 (as synonym of B. variator ).

Bracon semilunatus – Shenefelt 1978: 1580 (as synonym of B. piger ).

Bracon semiluteus – Morley 1913: 134 (“Quite certainly synonymous with B. piger, Wesm. ...”). — Fahringer 1928: 525 (assigned to sp. inquir.). — Watanabe 1937: 29 (as synonym of B. piger after Morley l.c.). — Shenefelt 1978: 1580 (as synonym of B. piger after Morley l.c.).

Designation of the ♀ holotype of Bracon praecox

(First label, printed) “ Coll. Wesmael ”; (second label, printed) “2067”; (third label) “ Braco ♀ / praecox mihi (handwriting) “dét. C. Wesmael ” (printed); (fourth label, printed red) “Type”; fifth label (printed) is with the (?)inventory number “3.317”; sixth label (printed) is with the locality name Bruxelles after Wesmael ; seventh label is the holotype card (sixth and seventh labels attached by me). Holotype is in fairly poor condition: (1) micropinned, pin thick; (2) head missing; (3) fore pair of legs missing.

Designation of the ♀ holotype of Bracon semiluteus

(First label, handwriting) “242”; (second label, printed) “ Japan / Coll. F. Walker / 1913-71.”; (third round label with red margin, printed) “ Type ”; (fourth label, with?Walker’s handwriting) “ Bracon / semiluteus”; (fifth label) “ Bracon piger Wesm. ♀ XII. 13” (handwriting) “Morley det.” (printed); sixth label is with the actual name B. praecox Wesmael given by me in 2007.

Material examined

48 ♀♀ + 38 ♁♁ from twenty-one countries: GREAT BRITAIN: 2 ♀♀ from two localities. FRANCE: 3 ♀♀ + 1 ♁ from four localities. GERMANY: 1 ♀ + 2 ♁♁ from three localities. DENMARK: 1 ♀. SWITZERLAND: 1 ♀. BOHEMIA: 1 ♀ + 1 ♁ from two localities. HUNGARY: 25 ♀♀ + 13 ♁♁ from 21 localties. SWEDEN: 1 ♀. ITALY: 2 ♀♀ from two localities. SPAIN: 1 ♀ + 1 ♁: from one locality. ALGERIA: 1 ♀ + 1 ♁ from two localities. CROATIA: 1 ♀ + 2 ♁♁ from two localities. ALBANIA: 1 ♁. BULGARIA: 7 ♀♀ + 3 ♁♁ from seven localities. GREECE: 3 ♁♁ from three localities. TURKEY: 3 ♁♁ from three localities. CYPRUS: 1 ♀. ISRAEL: 1 ♁. JORDAN: 4 ♁♁ from four localities. IRAQ: 1 ♁. MONGOLIA: 1 ♁.

Redescription of the ♀ holotype of Bracon praecox ( Fig. 42 A-G)

LENGTH. Body (without head) 2.8 mm long.

HEAD. Missing.

MESOSOMA. In lateral view 1.4 times as long as high, polished. Propleura in lateral view straight ( Fig. 42A ). Propodeum polished.

LEGS. Hind femur nearly 3.6 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 42B ). Claw downcurved and pointed, its basal lobe less large ( Fig. 42C ).

WINGS. Forewing one-fourth longer than meso- and metasoma combined. Pterostigma ( Fig. 42D ) three times as long as wide and issuing r proximally from its middle, r 0.8 times as long as width of pterostigma; second submarginal cell fairly long, 3-SR 1.4 times as long as 2-SR, SR1 straight, nearly 1.8 times longer than 3-SR and reaching tip of wing ( Fig. 42D ). First discal cell rather high, 1-M less than twice (1.76 times) as long as m-cu; 1-SR-M indistinctly bent and 1.3 times as long as 1-M ( Fig. 42E ).

TERGITES. First tergite ( Fig. 42F ) 1.25 times as long as broad behind, beyond pair of spiracles parallelsided, margin of scutum subcrenulate, otherwise together with further tergites polished. Second tergite transverse, 3.6 times as broad behind as long laterally, third tergite slightly longer than second tergite; suture between them bisinuate, deep and smooth. Hypopygium pointed, ovipositor sheath as long as hind tibia + basitarsus combined ( Fig. 42G ).

COLOUR. Mesosoma and legs black. Metasoma yellow, first tergite black, median macula of tergites 4-5 brown. Wings brown fumous, pterostigma and veins brown.

Description of the head on the basis of a ♀ specimen identical with the holotype ( Fig. 42 H-J)

Antenna as long as head, mesosoma and half of metasoma combined and with 28 antennomeres (in the original description “31 articles”). First flagellomere nearly 1.8 times and penultimate flagellomere nearly 1.4 times as long as broad. Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 42H ) less transverse, 1.76 times as broad as long, eye one-third (or 1.4 times) longer than temple, temple strongly rounded, occiput weakly excavated. Eye in lateral view 1.5 times as high as wide and 1.4 times wider than temple ( Fig. 42I , see arrows). Horizontal diameter of oral opening 1.6 times longer than shortest distance between opening and eye ( Fig. 42J ). Head polished, black.

Variable features of the ♀ (48 ♀♀) ( Fig. 43 A-G)

Similar to the ♀ holotype. Body (2.5-) 3-4.5 mm long. Antenna with (23-)26-33 antennomeres. Head in dorsal view 1.7-1.8 times as broad as long ( Fig. 43A ). Hind femur 3.3 times (4 ♀♀) as long as broad medially ( Fig. 43B ). Pterostigma 2.6 times (11 ♀♀) as long as wide ( Fig. 43C ), r issuing from its middle (2 ♀♀, Fig. 43D ). Fore wing: 3-SR 1.2 times (3 ♀♀) and 1.6 times (7 ♀♀) as long as 2-SR ( Fig. 43 E-F). First tergite just longer than broad behind (6 ♀♀). Third tergite (3 ♀♀) a bit longer than second tergite ( Fig. 43G ). Hind femur distally to (almost) entirely yellow or reddish yellow (7 ♀♀). Metasoma entirely yellow (2 ♀♀).

Variable features of the ³ (38 ³³) ( Fig. 43H )

Similar to the type + ♀. Body 2.5-4(-4.5) mm long. Antenna with 23-37 antennomeres. First tergite 1.5 times as long as broad behind (16 ♀♀, Fig. 43H ).

Hosts

COL. Bruchidae :! Bruchidius lividimanus (Gyllenhal) , B. marginalis (Fabricius) , B. villosus (Fabricius) . Apionidae : Protapion apricans Herbst , P. trifolii Linnaeus. Curculionidae : Miarus campanulae Linnaeus ,! Pissodes validirostris (C. R. Sahlberg et J. Sahlberg) . — LEP. Cochylidae : Cochylis epilinana Duponchel. Coleophoridae : Coleophora gallipennella Hübner. Phycitidae :! Dioryctria abietella Denis et Schiffermüller. Tortricidae : Cnephasia longana Haworth ,! Cydia nigricana Fabricius. ! Retinia resinella Linnaeus. Geometridae :! Eupithecia venosata Fabricius (in Silene pod). — DIPT. Tephritidae : Tephritis leontodontis Degener.

Hyperperparasitoids

HYM. Eupelmidae : Eupelmus annulatus Nees. Eurytomidae : Eurytoma appendigaster Swederus. Ichneumonidae : Scambus elegans Woldstedt.

Distribution

Palaearctic Region, a frequent to common species in Europe.

Taxonomic position

Within the subgenus Glabrobracon the species Bracon praecox is nearest to B. piger considering their more or less subcubic head, their distinction is presented at the latter species.

Bracon praecox is also near to the Nearctic species, B. bruchivorus Muesebeck (1963: 162) , considering their subcubic head in dorsal view and parallel-sided first tergite; the two species are distinguished by a few features, see key:

1 (2) Temple in dorsal view strongly rounded ( Fig. 42H ). First tergite more or less longer than broad behind, second tergite antero-medially without a field and somewhat less transverse ( Figs 42F ; 43G ). Hind femur (3.3-)3.6 times as long as broad medially ( Figs 42B ; 43B ). Propleura in lateral view straight ( Fig. 42A ). Claw slightly less downcurved ( Fig. 42C ). Metasoma yellow with black pattern on first and last two tergites. ♀ ♁: 2.5-4.5 mm ...................... B. (Gl.) praecox Wesmael, 1838

2 (1) Temple in dorsal view weakly rounded ( Fig. 43I ). First tergite as long as broad behind, second tergite antero-medially with a small field and somewhat more transverse ( Fig. 43J ). Hind femur 2.8-2.9 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 43K ). Propleura in lateral view slightly concave ( Fig. 43M ). Claw slightly more downcurved ( Fig. 43L ). Metasoma entirely testaceous. ♀ ♁: 3-3.8 mm ...... ................................................................................................... B. (Gl.) bruchivorus Muesebeck, 1963

Figures

Fig. 42. Bracon (Glabrobracon) praecox Wesmael, 1838 (A-G: ♀ holotype, H-J: ♀ / ♁). A. Propleuron in lateral view. B. Hind femur. C. Claw. D. Distal part of right forewing. E. First discal cell of right forewing. F. Tergites 1-3. G. Hypopygium and ovipositor apparatus. H. Head in dorsal view. I. Head in lateral view. J. Head in frontal view.

Fig. 43. — A-H. Bracon (Glabrobracon) praecox Wesmael, 1838 (A-G: ♀, H: ♁). A. Head in dorsal view. B. Hind femur. C-D. Pterostigma and r of right forewing. E-F. Second submarginal cell of right forewing. G. Tergites 2-3. H. First tergite. — I-M. Bracon (Glabrobracon) bruchivorus Muesebeck, 1963, ♀ / ♁. I. Head in dorsal view. J. Tergites 1-2. K. Hind femur. L. Claw. M. Propleuron.