Bracon (Bracon) nigratus Wesmael 1838
Creators: name: Papp, Jenő
name: Xviii, Budapest
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Braconidae
Bracon
Bracon nigratus

description: Bracon (Bracon) nigratus Wesmael, 1838
Figs 24 A-K, 25A-F
Braco nigratus Wesmael, 1838: 34 ♀♁ (type material: 3 ♀♀ + 1 ♁), type locality: “environs de Bruxelles ” (Belgium), ♀ lectotype (and two ♀ + one ♁ paralectotypes, present designation) deposited in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels; examined.
Bracon (Orthobracon) nigratus Fahringer 1927: 269, 270 (♀), 278 (♁) (in key) and 405 (redescription), assigned to “Sektion Orthobracon ”.
Bracon orbicularis Niezabitowski, 1910: 11 (55) (enumeration) and 16 (60) (description) ♀, type locality: “Spas koło Turki” (Poland), syntype series in (?)Zaklad Ekologii i Ochrony Srobowiska WSP, Kielce; not examined, syn. nov.
Bracon nigratus – Szépligeti 1901: 262 (♀), 263 (♁) (in key, in Hungarian); 1904 (1901): 162, 163 (♀), 164 (in key) (in German).
Bracon (Bracon) nigratus – Telenga 1936: 161 (♀), 168 (♁) (in key), 243 (redescription) (in Russian); 363 (♀) and 371 (♁) (in key, in German), assigned to “Section Striobracon ” (= Bracon s. str.). — Papp 1968: 194 (in key) and 205 (distribution), assigned to subgenus Bracon. Shenefelt 1978: 1516 (literature up to 1974). — Tobias 1986: 128 (in key, in Russian). — Tobias & Belokobylskij 2000: 135 (in key, in Russian).
Bracon orbicularis – Fahringer 1927: as valid species 266 and 270 (♀) (in key), 411 (redescription), assigned to “Sektion Orthobracon ”. — Telenga 1936: 141 (in key and redescription, as valid species assigned to subgenus Ceratobracon Telenga, 1936). — Tobias 1971: 209 (taxonomic position). — Shenefelt 1978: 1521 (as valid species, literature up to 1971).
Designation of the ♀ lectotype of Bracon nigratus
(First label, printed) “ Coll. Wesmael ”; (second label, printed) “2039”; (third label) “ Braco ♀ / nigratus mihi” (handwritten) / “det. C. Wesmael ” printed); (fourth label, printed red) “Type”; (fifth label is the locality label attached by Papp in 1987) “ Belgique / Bruxelles ” (printed) / “VI leg. Wesmael ” handwritten by Papp); sixth label is the lectotype card. Lectotype is in good condition: (1) pinned by mesosoma (hind part of mesoscutum invisible); (2) left antenna missing.
Designation of the two ♀ and one ³ paralectotypes of Bracon nigratus
Their labels are similar to those of the lectotype. Three paralectotypes pinned similar to the lectotype; one ♀ paralectotype is in good condition: (1) both flagelli distally deficient: right flagellum with 13 and left flagellum with 19 flagellomeres; (2) left hind wing apically somewhat creased; one ♀ paralectotype is in poor condition: head, left pair of wings and tarsomeres 3-5 of hind pair of legs missing; one ♁ paralectotype is in good condition: pair of antenna and right middle leg (except coxa + trochanter) missing.
Remark
In Wesmael’s Collection there are further two specimens (one ♁ in good condition + one specimen in very poor condition: head, left pair of wings, legs partly and metasoma missing; the two specimens not belonging to the syntype series), both specimens were named by Marshall as “ Bracon ” and by me as B. nigratus.
Material examined
41 ♀♀ + 47 ♁♁ from fifteen countries: ENGLAND: 1 ♁. FRANCE: 1 ♁. SWEDEN: 1 ♀ + 2 ♁♁ from three localities. DENMARK: 2 ♁♁ from two localities. GERMANY: 3 ♀♀ + 2 ♁♁ from five localities. BOHEMIA: 1 ♀ + 1 ♁ from two localities. SLOVAKIA: 3 ♀♀ + 1 ♁ from four localities. HUNGARY: 21 ♀♀ + 28 ♁♁ from fortythree localities. ROMANIA (Transylvania): 8 ♀♀ + 5 ♁♁ from ten localities. UKRAINE (Podkarpatske): 1 ♀. KOSOVO: 1 ♀. ALBANIA: 1 ♀. BULGARIA: 1 ♀ + 2 ♁♁ from three localities. TURKEY: 1 ♁. GEORGIA: 1 ♁.
Redescription of the ♀ lectotype of Bracon nigratus (Fig. 24 A-I)
LENGTH. Body 3.1 mm long.
ANTENNAE. About as long as body and with 21 antennomeres. First flagellomere 1.9 times and penultimate flagellomere 1.5 times as long as broad, flagellum just attenuating.
HEAD. In dorsal view transverse (Fig. 24A), 1.8 times as broad as long, eye 1.5 times longer than temple, temple rounded, occiput weakly excavated. OOL twice as long as POL. Eye in lateral view 1.55 times as high as wide and 1.3 times wider than temple, temple evenly broad beyond eye (Fig. 24B, see arrows). Oral opening: its horizontal diameter somewhat longer than shortest distance between opening and eye (cf. Fig. 8D). Head polished.
MESOSOMA. In lateral view stout, 1.25 times as long as high, polished. Notaulix distinct, weak, smooth. Propodeum polished, above lunule with a few rugulae (Fig. 24C).
LEGS. Hind femur fairly broad, 3.3 times as long as broad medially (Fig. 24D). Claw downcurved, with a distinct and somewhat pointed basal lobe (Fig. 24E).
WINGS. Forewing just longer than body. Pterostigma wide (Fig. 24F), 2.2 times as long as wide and issuing r just proximally from its middle; r shorter than width of pterostigma; second submarginal cell usual in size, 3-SR 1.35 times longer than 2-SR, SR1 straight, 1.85 times longer than 3-SR and reaching tip of wing. First discal cell: 1-M 1.75 times as long as m-cu, 1-SR-M faintly bent and 1.3 times longer than 1-M (Fig. 24G).
TERGITES. First tergite (Fig. 24H) broad, almost one-fifth broader behind than long, pair of spiracles weakly broadening, rugo-scrobiculate, laterally from scutum subcrenulate. Second tergite 2.6 times broader behind than long medially, densely rugulose, suture between tergites 2-3 bisinuate; third tergite somewhat shorter than second tergite; tergites 2-5 with weakening longitudinal rugosity (Fig. 24H). Hypopygium small, pointed; ovipositor sheath short, in lateral view as long as hind basitarsus + second tarsomere (Fig. 24I).
COLOUR. Antenna and ground colour of body black. Mandible yellow, palpi light brown. Tegula brownish black. Second tergite laterally and third tergite antero-laterally rusty. Fore pair of legs yellow, coxa + trochanters brown, femur basally brownish, tarsus faintly brownish fumous; middle and hind legs brown to brownish, tibiae basally yellow. Wings brownish subfumous, pterostigma brown and veins light brown.
Redescription of the two ♀ paralectotypes of Bracon nigratus (Fig. 24J)
Similar to the ♀ lectotype. Body 3 mm long (1 ♀, the other ♀ missing head). Head in dorsal view 1.8 times as broad as long, eye 1.5 times longer than temple. Hind femur almost 3.6 times as long as broad distally (Fig. 24J). Pterostigma 2.1 times as long as wide.
Redescription of the ³ paralectotype of Bracon nigratus (Fig. 24K)
Similar to the ♀ types. Body 2.9 mm long. Antenna missing. Head in dorsal view 1.9 times as broad as long. Hind femur broad, 2.9 times as long as broad medially (Fig. 24K). Pterostigma of fore wing less
wide, 2.5 times as long as wide and issuing r from its middle. First tergite less strongly sculptured. Legs nearly entirely brownish to brown.
Variable features of the ♀ (41 ♀♀) (Fig. 25 A-E)
Similar to the types (lectotype + two paralectotypews). Body (2.8-) 3-4 mm long. Antenna with (26-)30-31(-32) antennomeres, flagellum attenuating distally, first flagellomere 1.3-1.9 times, usually 1.8- 1.9 times, and penultimate flagellomere 1.4-1.8 times as long as broad. Head in dorsal view 1.75-1.85 times as broad as long, temple rounded (Fig. 25A). Pterostigma less wide, nearly 2.7 times as long as wide; second submarginal cell short, i.e. 3-SR slightly longer than 2-SR (3 ♀♀, Fig. 25B) or second submarginal cell long, i.e. 3-SR 1.4 times as long as 2-SR (4 ♀♀, Fig. 25C). First tergite very broad, nearly 1.4 times as broad behind as long (3 ♀♀, Fig. 25D). Second tergite 2.6-2.7(-2.8) times as broad behind as long and with strong rugose elements (7 ♀♀, Fig. 25E). Second tergite more or less entirely and third tergite laterally light coloured (yellowish to brownish) (8 ♀♀); head partly with brownish to rusty pattern along eye (3 ♀♀). Hind (and middle) femur (femora) darkening (4 ♀♀), usually rusty to reddish yellow. Wings brownish fumous (18 ♀♀).
Variable features of the ³ (47 ³³) (Fig. 25A)
Similar to the ♀. Body (2-)2.5-3.5(-4) mm long. Antenna longer than body and with (28-)30-32(-34) antennomeres, flagellum attenuating, first flagellomere 1.6-2 times and penultimate flagellomere 1.5- 1.9 times as long as broad. Temple in dorsal view more rounded (10 ♁♁, Fig. 25A). Propodeum with a medio-longitudinal keel (1 ♁, cf. Fig. 18D). Second submarginal cell variably less long to long like in ♀ (Figs 25 B-C). First tergite long, slightly longer than broad behind (2 ♁♁, Fig. 25F). Second (and third) tergite(s) with rugose elements like in ♀ (11 ♁♁, Fig. 25E). Tergites 2-3 light coloured like ♀ (8 ♁♁).
Hosts
LEP. Coleophoridae:! Coleophora millefolii Zeller. Tortricidae:! Cydia compositella Fabricius. Zygaenidae: Zygaena achilleae Esper. — DIPT. Tephritidae: Sitarea scorzonerae Robineau-Desvoidy.
Distribution
Western Palaearctic Region, Georgia, Asiatic Russia: Siberia.
Taxonomic position
Within the subgenus Bracon s.str. the species Bracon nigratus is nearest to three species: B. gusaricus Telenga, B. longicollis Wesmael and B. variegator Spinola considering their short ovipositor sheath. The four species are distinguished as follows:
1 (4) Hind femur thick, 2.5-2.6(-2.8) times as long as broad medially (Figs 18E; 19B, D, H). Ovipositor sheath short.
2 (3) Propodeum with a medio-longitudinal carina and along it ruglose-subrugulose of variable extent (Figs 18D; 19A). Temple in dorsal view receded (to strongly rounded) (Figs 18A; 19C). Second tergite less broad, usually 2.5-2.8 times as broad behind as long laterally, variably ruguloserugose (Fig. 18I). Pterostigma three times as long as wide, issuing r somewhat proximally from its middle, r shorter than width of pterostigma; second submarginal cell relatively less wide (Fig. 18G). Hind femur relatively less broadening (Figs 18E; 19B, D). Claw more downcurved (Fig. 18F). Metasoma usually more black. ♀ ♁: (2.5-) 3-5 mm ..................................................................... .......................................................................................................... B. (B.) longicollis Wesmael, 1838
3 (2) Propodeum polished, i.e. at most around lunule with short striae (cf. Fig. 5E). Temple rounded (Fig. 19E). Second tergite broad, 3.3 times as broad behind as long laterally, rugulose-granulose (Fig. 19F). Pterostigma 2.7 times as long as wide, issuing r from its middle, r as long as width of pterostigma; second submarginal cell relatively wide (Fig. 19G). Hind femur relatively more broadening (Fig. 19H). Claw less downcurved (Fig. 19I) ........................................................... B. (B.) gusaricus Telenga, 1936
4 (1) Hind femur thin, (2.9-)3.5-3.8 times as long as broad (Figs 19J; 24D, J-K). Ovipositor sheath very short to short.
5 (6) Fore wing: SR1 reaching tip of wing, second submarginal cell of middle length, i.e. 3-SR somewhat longer than 2-SR (Fig. 24F; 25 B-C). Temple in dorsal view rounded, eye less than twice longer than temple (Fig. 24A). Tergites posteriorly with weakening rugosity (Figs 24H; 25E). Pterostigma light brown to brown. ♀: 3-3.5 .................................................................... B. (B.) nigratus Wesmael, 1838
6 (5) Fore wing: SR1 approaching tip of wing, second submarginal cell variable in length, i.e. 3-SR shorter than to (somewhat) longer than 2-SR (Figs 19K; 25G, H). Temple in dorsal view strongly rounded, eye twice longer than temple (Fig. 25I). Tergites granulose (Fig. 26A). Pterostigma usually brown, less usually basally to almost entirely yellow. ♀ ♁: 2-4(-5) mm. ........ B. (B.) variegator Spinola, 1808
description: Published as part of Papp, Jenő & Xviii, Budapest, 2012, A revision of the Bracon Fabricius species in Wesmael's collection deposited in Brussels (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae), pp. 1-154 in European Journal of Taxonomy 21 on pages 53-58, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2012.21, http://zenodo.org/record/3858161