Aleiodes caucasicus (Tobias, 1976)

van Achterberg, Cornelis, Shaw, Mark R. & Quicke, Donald L. J., 2020, Revision of the western Palaearctic species of Aleiodes Wesmael (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae). Part 2: Revision of the A. apicalis group, ZooKeys 919, pp. 1-259 : 1

Aleiodes caucasicus (Tobias, 1976) Figs 161-163 , 164-177

Rogas (Rogas) caucasicus Tobias, 1976: 86, 222, 1986: 81 (transl.: 133) [examined].

Aleiodes (Neorhogas) caucasicus ; Papp 1985a: 152.

Aleiodes caucasicus ; Papp 1991a: 75 (as synonym of A. fortipes ), 2005: 176 (id.); Fortier and Shaw 1999: 227; Žikić et al. 2002: 108; Aydogdu and Beyarslan 2005: 191.

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (ZISP), "[Russia], Sotchi, Lazarevskoe [terras], 26.iv.[1]973, V. Tobias", "Holotypus Rogas caucasicus Tobias"; 2 ♀, paratype (MTMA), id., but 29.iv.1973.

Additional material.

Figured ♀ (NMS), "[Russia], Sotchi, Lazarevskoe terras. Sklony, les [= forest], 25.iv.1988, V. Tobias", " Rogas caucasicus Tob.", " Aleiodes caucasicus (Tobias), det. Belokobylskij, 2005. ♀ Ant. 40"; 2 ♀ (ALC, RMNH), id., but 7.v.1975; 1 ♀ (MTMA), " Bulgaria ", "Rhodopi, St[ara] Zagora, 17.iv.1977, J. Kolarov", " Rogas sp. n.?, det. Zaykov, 1983", " Aleiodes fortipes Rh. ♀, det. Papp J., 1985".

Molecular data.

None.

Biology.

Unknown. Specimens collected in April-May and flight time probably April-May. We have not seen reared material. Probably, like A. fortipes , it will be found to be univoltine, overwintering in the mummy, but direct evidence is lacking.

Diagnosis.

Maximum width of hypoclypeal depression approx. 0.3 × minimum width of face (Fig. 171 ); antenna of ♀ with 38-41 segments and 2nd - 10th antennal segments yellowish, contrasting with remaining segments; OOL coarsely transversely striate; clypeus obtuse apically and not protruding in lateral view (Fig. 173 ); precoxal area finely striate (Fig. 166 ); tegulae yellow; lobes of mesoscutum finely coriaceous-granulate and rather dull, with satin sheen; vein 1-CU1 of fore wing much shorter than vein 2-CU1 (Fig. 164 ); posteriorly vein m-cu of fore wing diverging from anterior half of vein 1-M; length of hind femur 3.6-3.8 × its maximum width (Fig. 170 ); hind tarsal claws brownish setose (Fig. 177 ); length of fore wing 3.7-5.0 mm. Very similar to A. fortipes (Reinhard) and differs mainly by its body colour and sculpture of mesopleuron.

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of fore wing 3.7 mm, of body 4.6 mm.

Head. Antennal segments of ♀ 41, length of antenna 1.3 × fore wing, its subapical segments rather robust; frons largely finely rugulose medially; OOL 2.2 × diameter of posterior ocellus, and coarsely transversely striate; vertex transversely striate and rather shiny; clypeus rugulose, but ventrally depressed and smooth; ventral margin of clypeus thick and not protruding forwards (Fig. 173 ); width of hypoclypeal depression 0.3 × minimum width of face (Fig. 171 ); length of eye twice temple in dorsal view (Fig. 172 ); vertex behind stemmaticum rugulose; clypeus below lower level of eyes; length of malar space 0.6 × length of eye in lateral view; occipital carina largely absent dorsally and weakly developed ventrally.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutal lobes largely rugulose-granulate, rather matt; precoxal area of mesopleuron transversely striate medially, distinctly rugose antero-dorsally and remainder largely punctulate; pleural sulcus moderately crenulate (Fig. 166 ); ventral half of metapleuron rugose; metanotum with nearly complete median carina; scutellum coriaceous; propodeum densely and finely granulate-rugose and medio-longitudinal carina medium-sized.

Wings. Fore wing: r 0.6 × 3-SR; 1-CU1 horizontal, 0.5 × 2-CU1; r-m unsclerotized and 0.7 × 3-SR; 2nd submarginal cell medium-sized (Fig. 164 ); cu-a vertical, straight and rather short; 1-M slightly curved posteriorly; posteriorly vein m-cu diverging from anterior half of vein 1-M. Hind wing: marginal cell linearly widened, its apical width 2.0 × width at level of hamuli (Fig. 165 ); 2-SC+R subquadrate; m-cu absent; M+CU:1-M = 5:3; 1r-m 0.7 × 1-M.

Legs. Tarsal claws robust and with brownish bristles (Fig. 177 ); hind coxa densely rugulose and rather dull; hind trochantellus robust; length of hind femur and basitarsus 3.6 and 5.0 × their width, respectively; length of inner hind spur 0.4 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. First tergite evenly convex, 0.9 × longer than wide apically; 1st and 2nd tergites with indistinct medio-longitudinal carina and coarsely longitudinally rugose, but posterior quarter of 2nd tergite irregularly rugose and no median carina; medio-basal area of 2nd tergite triangular and rather distinct (Fig. 168 ); 2nd suture rather shallow and crenulate; medio-basally 3rd tergite striate, remainder of metasoma superficially micro-sculptured; 4th and apical half of 3rd tergite without sharp lateral crease; ovipositor sheath wide, with long setae and apically truncate (Fig. 162 ).

Colour. Orange brown; head, 3rd tergite (except antero-laterally) and subsequent tergites black; scapus, pedicellus basally, 11th and following antennal segments, palpi, veins, parastigma, pterostigma and femora apico-dorsally, tibia and tarsal segments apically, ventral half of metasoma and ovipositor sheath dark brown; tegulae, 3rd-10th antennal segments brownish yellow; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation. Head black or mainly dark brown, specimen from Bulgaria also anterior half of mesosoma; antenna of ♀ with 38 or 41 segments according to the original description; 11th and 12th antennal segments of ♀ dark brown or brownish yellow; hind femur 3.6-3.8 × as long as wide. The male is unknown, or possibly has not been distinguished from that of A. fortipes .

Distribution.

*Bulgaria, Russia (SW).

Notes.

It remains unclear whether this predominantly rather yellowish orange species is distinct from A. fortipes , which in its more western localities is a much darker insect. Females intermediate in colour (and included in A. fortipes ) seem to predominate in eastern Europe. More material (preferably with biological data) is needed to clarify the status of A. caucasicus .

Figures

Figures 161 - 163. Aleiodes caucasicus (Tobias), ♀, Russia, Sotchi 161 habitus lateral 162 ovipositor sheath lateral 163 apex of antenna (of paratype).

Figures 164 - 177. Aleiodes caucasicus (Tobias), ♀, Russia, Sotchi 164 fore wing 165 hind wing 166 mesosoma lateral 167 mesosoma dorsal 168 metasoma dorsal 169 fore femur lateral 170 hind femur lateral 171 head anterior 172 head dorsal 173 head lateral 174 base of antenna 175 antenna 176 hind tibia and tarsus lateral 177 outer hind tarsal claw.