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Research article

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2B3858CA-7B14-4A68-AA26-32AF3803C0BC

Parasitoid wasps new to Britain (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae,

Eurytomidae, Braconidae & Bethylidae)

David G. NOTTON >•*, Ovidiu A. POPOVICI 2 , Cornelis VAN ACHTERBERG 3 ,

Jeroen DE ROND 4 & John T. BURN 5

1 Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK

E-mail: d.notton@nhm ac uk

2 University “Al. I. Cuza” Iasi, Faculty of Biology, B-dul Carol I, no. 11, RO - 700506, Romania

E-mail: [email protected]

3 Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Terrestrial Zoology, Postbus 9517, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands

E-mail: [email protected]

4 Beukenhof 96, NL-8212 EB, Lelystad, The Netherlands

E-mail: ieroen@naturalmedia nl

5 15 Plawsworth Road, Sacriston, County Durham, DH7 6PD, UK

E-mail: drvinids@hotmail. co.uk

* corresponding author: [email protected]

1 um:lsid:zoobank.org:author:2E452EF2-703C-47C0-8432-6AB9C05AC06A

2 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:3BA67B09-2ECE-4BEC-908C-BB0F0FC30CEF

3 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:D6374CF4-8F07-4FA8-8C55-9335FD19CECD

4 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:29D036B9-0385-488E-AF25-2F8DCF8D3509

5 um:lsid:zoobank.org:author:B4B63601-6F87-4832-9AFD-F8D 169638398

Abstract. One genus and five species are recorded as new to Britain: Fidiobia , Fidiobia hispanica,

Macroteleia bicolora (Platygastridae); Sycophila binotata (Eurytomidae); Schizoprymnus collaris

(Braconidae); and Laelius pedatus (Bethylidae). Keys to British Macroteleia and Laelius are provided.

Provisional synonymy is proposed between Macroteleia minor and M. brevigaster , and synonymy is

proposed between Laelius femoralis, L. microneurus and L. nigricrus. The possible mode of introduction

of Sycophila binotata is discussed. A lectotype is designated for Schizoprymnus collaris.

Keywords. Conservation, identification keys, invasive species, lectotype designation, synonymy

Notton D.G., Popovici O.A., van Achterberg C., de Rond J. & Burn J.T. 2014. Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

(Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Eurytomidae, Braconidae & Bethylidae). European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/eit.2014.99

Introduction

Knowledge of the composition of the British Hymenoptera fauna is essential for the purposes of

biological studies requiring accurate identifications, and their applications, including conservation of

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

native species and the monitoring of faunal change. There are many species of parasitoid wasps and,

even though the fauna is relatively well known, taxa new for Britain are regularly discovered.

This paper records one genus and five species found in material recently acquired by the Natural History

Museum, Tondon. The following are recorded as new to Britain: Fidiobia Ashmead, 1894, Fidiobia

hispanica Popovici & Buhl, 2010, Macroteleia bicolora Kieffer, 1908 (Platygastridae); Sycophila

binotata Fonscolombe, 1832 (Eurytomidae); Schizoprymnus collaris (Thomson, 1874) (Braconidae);

and Laelius pedatus (Say, 1836) (Bethylidae). Brief notes are provided on identification, material

examined, distribution and biology of each taxon.

A key to British Macroteleia is given and provisional synonymy is proposed between Macroteleia minor

and M. brevigaster ; other recent additions to the British platygastrid fauna are noted by Notton (2006)

and Buhl & Notton (2009). Notes are provided on the distribution and possible mode of introduction of

Sycophila binotata , which have implications for studies of recruitment of parasitoids of introduced gall

wasps. A lectotype is designated for Schizoprymnus collaris. A key to British Laelius Ashmead, 1893 is

given and synonymy is proposed between L. femoralis (Forster, 1860), L. microneurus (Kieffer, 1906)

and L. nigricrus ( Kieffer, 1906).

Material and methods

Images were taken using a Canon EOS 450D camera with aPentax 50 mm macro, with a number of

partially focused images combined using Helicon Focus v.4.80 software. The method for measuring

the Fidiobia is as described by Popovici & Buhl (2010). Except where stated otherwise, all material is

deposited in the collection of the Natural History Museum, London (BMNH).

Results

Class Hexapoda Blainville, 1816

Order Hymenoptera Linnaeus, 1758

Suborder Apocrita Latreille, 1810

Superfamily Platygastroidea Haliday, 1833

Family Platygastridae Haliday, 1833

Subfamily Sceliotrachelinae Braes, 1908

Genus Fidiobia Ashmead, 1894

Fidiobia hispanica Popovici & Buhl, 2010

Figs 1-3

Fidobia synergorum -O’Connor et al., 2004: 14 [not Kieffer, 1921] [misidentification].

Identification

Specimens were identified to genus using the key by Masner & Huggert (1989) and to species with the key

by Popovici & Buhl (2010). Detailed illustrations are given by Popovici & Buhl (2010). The following

notes are provided to improve the diagnosis of the female metasoma given in the original description of

this species and to take account of telescoping of the apical gastral tergites, which varies naturally and

can also be affected by the preservation techniques used. Numbers given are: range (arithmetic mean, ±

standard deviation) {range for the type series}.

Diagnosis of female metasoma

Ratio between length and width of metasoma 2.1-2.7 (2.2 ±0.17) (2.7-2.8}; ratio between width and

length of T1 3.0M.5 (3.4 ±0.5) (3.6-5.0}; ratio between maximum and minimum width of T1 El-1.7

NOTTON D.G. et al. , Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

Figs 1-3. Fidiobia hispanica Popovici & Buhl, 2010.1. Dorsal habitus, $. 2. Host egg with half emerged

3. Fragment of old Andricus kollari gall showing cavity - a vacated cell of Synergus umbraculus -

containing beetle eggs, the true host of F. hispanica. Body length of wasp c. 0.8 mm. © Ovidiu Popovici.

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

(1.4 ±0.16) {1.5-1.7); ratio between length and width of T2 0.8-1.1 (0.9 ±0.1) {1.0}; ratio between

length of T2 and length of T1 3.3-6.5 (4.1 ±0.9) {4.8-5.0}; ratio between length of T2 and length of T3

3.1-4.0 (3.6 ±0.3) {2.4}; ratio between ma xim um and minimum width of T2 1.2-1.5 (1.3 ±0.1) {1.2—

1.3}; ratio between length of T3 and length of T4 1-1.5(1.1 ±0.2) {1.0-1.3 }; ratio between maximum and

m inim um width of T3 1.1-1.3 (1.2 ±0.1) {1.1}; ratio between maximum and m inim um width of T4 1.1—

1.6 (1.2 ±0.1) {1.1-1.3}; T6 triangular, ratio between length of T6 and T5 1.7-2.8 (2.1 ±0.4) {1.3-1.5}.

Material examined

ENGLAND: London, Greenwich, Vanbrugh Pits, 16 55 , 3 88 , reared from a batch of beetle eggs in

vacated Andricus lignicola (Hartig, 1840) gall on Quercus robur Linnaeus, 1753, gall collected 17 Jan.

2010, D. G. Notton; London, Greenwich, Vanbrugh Pits, TQ397771, 5 5 5> reared from a batch of beetle

eggs in a vacated cell of Synergus umbraculus (Olivier, 1791) in an old Andricus kollari (Hartig, 1843)

gall on Quercus robur , gall collected 14 Mar. 2010, D. G. Notton (all BMNH).

Distribution

Genus and species recorded here as new to Britain. Previously recorded from Ireland by O’Connor et al.

(2004, as F. synergorum ) and from Spain and Ireland by Popovici & Buhl (2010).

Biology

The genus Fidiobia contains more than a dozen species worldwide, of which seven are known from the

Palaearctic. These wasps are endoparasitoids of beetle eggs, and consequently are very small, typically

0.6-1.3 mm, and rarely collected (Popovici & Buhl 2010). Fidiobia hispanica was previously reared

from the galls of Andricus lignicola by O’Connor et al. (2004), although the host remains were not

located, and the host identity not confirmed. Spanish material was collected in a pine / juniper forest

(Popovici & Buhl 2010). In the present study two broods of F. hispanica were reared. The first was from

a batch of beetle eggs found in a vacated gall of Andricus lignicola on Quercus robur The host eggs were

in a small irregular chamber at the base of the gall connected to the outside by a hole. There were at least

34 host eggs, 22 of which had been parasitised. (31 empty shells, 16 5 5> 3 88 emerged, 3 unemerged).

The second brood was reared from a batch of beetle eggs found in a vacated Synergus umbraculus

cell in an old vacated Andricus kollari gall. In both cases the galls were old, previously vacated and

of weathered appearance, and in both cases the hosts were beetle eggs and not the original inhabitants

of the gall. There have been several other rearings of other Fidiobia species from oak galls (e.g., Vlug

1995; O’Connor et al. 2004), which may be explained the same way - Fidiobia reared from oak galls

are not using Cynipidae or their inquilines or parasitoids as hosts; it is much more likely that they are

attacking beetle eggs which have been laid in cavities in old oak galls. Purthermore, the possibility

should be kept in mind that F. hispanica has no particular association with oak galls. Probably there is a

sampling bias since many people rear oak galls, and there is currently no reason to suppose F. hispanica

would not attack the same beetle eggs elsewhere, such as in bark crevices.

Superfamily Platygastroidea Haliday, 1833

Pamily Platygastridae Haliday, 1833

Subfamily Scelioninae Ashmead, 1893

Genus Macroteleia Westwood, 1835

Two species of Macroteleia were recorded from Britain by Notton (2006) and a third species is reported

here. Since limited British material is currently available, further variation, particularly in colour,

may be encountered. Provisional synonymy between M. minor and M. brevigaster is discussed below.

Numerous Palaearctic species of Macroteleia are catalogued by Johnson (1992) and more have been

described since (Kozlov & Kononova 1987, 1990; Kononova & Petrov 2003), although a number of

NOTTON D.G. et al ., Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

old names have not been accounted for by recent authors, so some further synonymy may yet occur.

The host relations of the British species are unknown, although other species of Macroteleia are solitary

parasitoids of the eggs of bush crickets (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) (Muesebeck 1977).

Figs 4-6. Macroteleia atrata Kozlov & Kononova, 1987, $. 4. Dorsal habitus. 5. Lateral view. 6. Fore

wing. Specimen number BMNH(E)968238. Scale bars all 1 mm. © Natural History Museum, London.

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

Key to females of British Macroteleia

1. Gastral tergite 3 with lateral areas not defined; body less elongate (Fig. 10): exposed part of apical tergite

1.4-1.6 times as long as wide; postmarginal vein 1.4-1.6 times as long as marginal (body black; scape

red-brown; legs red-brown, all coxae darkened). Macroteleia brevigaster Masner, 1976

- Gastral tergite 3 with lateral area on each side defined by a longitudinal carina; body more elongate

(Figs 4, 7): exposed part of apical tergite 2.2-2.6 times as long as wide; postmarginal vein 1.7-

2.3 times as long as marginal .2

2. Gastral tergite 3 transverse, 1.2 times as wide as long; exposed part of apical tergite 2.2

times as long as wide; postmarginal vein 1.7 times as long as marginal (body black; scape

dark brown with base orange-brown; legs orange-brown, mid and hind coxae darkened)

. Macroteleia atrata Kozlov & Kononova, 1987

- Gastral tergite 3 as long as wide; exposed part of apical tergite 2.6 times as long as wide; postmarginal

vein 2.3 times as long as marginal (body dark brown to black above, yellow to yellow brown below;

scape yellow-brown; legs including coxae yellow). Macroteleia bicolor a Kieffer, 1908

Figs 7-9. Macroteleia bicolora Kieffer, 1908, $. 7. Dorsal habitus. 8. Lateral view. 9. Fore wing.

Specimen number BMNH(E)938241. Scale bars all 1 mm © Natural History Museum, London.

NOTTON D.G. et al. , Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

Macroteleia atrata Kozlov & Kononova, 1987

Figs 4-6

Remarks

M. atrata was first recorded from Britain (Kent) by Notton (2006). Its distribution and favoured habitats

are poorly known.

Macroteleia bicolora Kieffer, 1908

Figs 7-9

Identification

This specimen was identified to genus using the key by Masner (1980) but it did not agree with either of

the two previously known British species of Macroteleia (Notton, 2006). The identity of the species was

confirmed by the second author, who has examined the type and compared it to published descriptions

(Kieffer 1908, 1914, 1926; Kozlov 1987; Kononova & Kozlov 2008). Johnson (1992) catalogued

numerous Palaearctic species of this genus and more have been described since (Kozlov & Kononova

1987, 1990; Kononova & Petrov 2003), although many of the older species have not been reinterpreted

recently, and it is possible that the name M. bicolora will turn out to be a synonym.

Material examined

ENGLAND: Hants, Botley Wood, SU5409, $,31 Jul. 2007, Malaise trap, K. J. Wheeler (BMNH).

Distribution

This species was originally described from Italy by Kieffer (1908), and its distribution includes: Northern

Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia (Northern Caucasus), Ukraine (Kononova & Kozlov 2008) and Denmark

(Buhl 1999). It is recorded here as new to Britain.

Biology

The biology of this species is poorly known; however, the habitat at the Botley Wood Local Nature

Reserve and SSSI is an extensive area of varied woodland, scrub and grassland with rides and ancient

droveways of high conservation significance for invertebrates managed by Hampshire County Council/

Natural England.

Macroteleia brevigaster Masner, 1976

Figs 10-12

Apeguspunctatus Kieffer, 1908: 150, 161 (preoccupied).

Macroteleia brevigaster Masner, 1976: 27 (replacement name for Ageuspunctatus).

? Macroteleia minor Kozlov & Kononova, 1987: 93, 95 (syn. nov.).

Biology

Combined records of Masner (1956) and Notton (2006) suggest that this species prefers dry grassland

and dune habitats.

Remarks

M. brevigaster was first recorded from Britain (Devon and the Isle of Wight) by Notton (2006, as M.

minor). It appears that M. brevigaster and M. minor are the same species, based on the interpretation

of the former by Masner (1956, as Par ape gus punctatus) and its similarity with the description of

Kozlov & Kononova’s species. Unfortunately the types of neither A. punctatus nor M. minor could be

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

Figs 10-12. Macroteleia brevigaster Masner, 1976, §. 10. Dorsal habitus. 11. Lateral view. 12. Fore

wing. Specimen numbers BMNH(E)968239 and BMNH(E)968240. Scale bars all 1 mm © Natural

History Museum, London.

NOTTON D.G. et al., Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

examined, so the new synonymy proposed here is provisional. The new synonymy suggests that the

distribution of this species is much wider: Bulgaria (Kononova & Petrov 2003, as M. minor ); Czech

Republic and Slovakia (Masner 1956, as P. punctatus ); England and the Channel Islands (Notton 2006,

as M. minor)-, Hungary (Kozlov 1978, as P. punctatus ); Northern Italy (Kieffer 1908, as A. punctatus );

Romania (Popovici 2007; Fabritius & Popovici 2007, as M. minor)-, and Ukraine (Kozlov & Kononova

1987, as M. minor).

Superfamily Chalcidoidea Latreille, 1817

Family Eurytomidae Walker, 1832

Subfamily Eurytominae Walker, 1832

Genus Sycophila Walker, 1871

Sycophila binotata Fonscolombe, 1832

Figs 13-14

Identification

This species keyed easily in Zerova (1978 - as Eudecatoma binotata) and agrees with the concept of Z.

Boucek and M. Graham (Graham 1992), based on the lectotype designated by Graham, and specimens

determined by Boucek and Graham in BMNH, and was confirmed by R. R. Askew (pers. comm.). The

species is highly distinctive among European Sycophila in having two dark fasciae on each fore wing.

Material examined

ENGFAND: London, Fulham, Imperial Wharf, TQ263765, §, ex gall of Aphelonyx cerricola on

Quercus suber, gall coll. 21 Mar. 2010, M. Barclay, BMNH(E)969429; 9, same data, except gall coll.

26 Sep. 2011, BMNH(E)969430.

Distribution

S. binotata has a widespread distribution in southern Europe including Spain, France, Italy, and the

Balkans (Noyes 2013; Askew et al. 2013), although it was not recovered during a recent survey of

parasitoids of A. cerricola (Giraud, 1859) in central Europe (Melika et al. 2002). It is recorded here as

new to Britain.

Biology

British material of S. binotata was reared from the galls of Aphelonyx cerricola collected from Quercus

suber L. The exact insect host was not established, since other inquiline and parasitoid Hymenoptera

were also present as well as the gall causer; however, it has apparently not been reared from galls

of Aphelonyx previously (Melika et al. 2002; Askew et al. 2013) and is normally an oligophagous

endoparasitoid of Plagiotrochus spp. (Cynipidae) on evergreen species of Quercus L. of sections Cerris

Loudon and Ilex Loudon (Gomez et al. 2013). The history of the Quercus suber trees which hosted the

British S. binotata is of some interest - they were planted as well-established saplings during the winter

of 2005-2006, and their origin is most likely to have been Italy; novel Coleoptera found in association

with these trees are likely to have come from Italy and an Italian coin was found in the soil around their

roots (M. V. L. Barclay pers. comm.), so it seems likely that the S. binotata was imported with the trees

direct from Italy and has survived for several generations in Britain.

Remarks

If, as seems likely, S. binotata was imported together with its gall wasp host and host tree, this is

of considerable interest for studies of the recruitment of parasitoids of invasive gall wasps in the

UK. Some previous studies of the parasitoids of invasive gall wasps in the UK have considered two

main methods of recruitment, either recruitment from an existing pool of native parasitoids, or that

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

Figs 13-14. Sycophila binotata Fonscolombe, 1832, §. 13. Lateral habitus. 14. Fore wing. Specimen

number BMNH(E)969430. Scale bars both 1 mm. © Natural History Museum, London.

NOTTON D.G. et al. , Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

populations of parasitoids might pursue host gall wasps as they spread continuously across Europe, the

former appearing more likely (Schonrogge et al. 2006, 2011). However, the presence of the previously

non-British S. binotata in London, in circumstances where good-sized trees were imported, raises a

third, more radical possibility, that recruitment is not necessary when parasitoids are not lost by their

cynipid hosts. Oak trees could be imported through the horticulture trade with a community of gall

wasps and parasitoids more or less intact; this would of course be much faster than the unassisted, or

partially assisted, spread of both gall wasp and parasitoid. It is of course possible that other parasitoids

have also been imported in this way; such introductions may be easily overlooked, especially where the

same species already occurs in Britain. Without historical evidence of the circumstances of importation

of host gall wasps, such instances could have been misinterpreted as recruitment from the existing pool

of native parasitoids, so caution is needed when interpreting recruitment studies of such imported gall

wasps. Given the numbers of good-sized oaks used in the UK for prestigious building developments and

parks, in particular Quercus ilex L. and its associated gall wasp species, e.g., Plagiotrochus Mayr, 1881,

the potential for other parasitoids to be introduced in this way is clear.

Superfamily Ichneumonoidea Latreille, 1802

Family Braconidae Latreille, 1829

Subfamily Brachistinae Forster, 1862

Genus Schizoprymnus Forster, 1862

Schizoprymnus collaris (Thomson, 1874)

Figs 15-25

Sigalphus collaris Thomson, 1874: 557

Triaspis collaris - auct.

Identification

Schizoprymnus collaris keys readily to genus using the key to subfamily and notes given by Shaw &

Huddleston (1991) and also the key to genera by Tobias et al. (1995). There is no key specifically to

British species of Schizoprymnus , and this species will not run in the key to European Schizoprymnus

by Tobias et al. (1995), which erroneously includes S. collaris in the key to Triaspis Haliday, 1838.

However, the British specimen has been directly compared with the lectotype of S. collaris and agrees

well. S. collaris is an aberrant species when compared to other Schizoprymnus and may be distinguished

from other British species in this genus as follows: frontal crest absent, at most a blunt ridge; antennal

scrobes with regular transverse striations (Fig. 16); lateral carina of scutellum absent (Fig. 18); sutures of

carapace weakly developed but present laterally, the first suture perpendicular to the margin, the second

suture directed obliquely backwards (Fig. 17); third tergite largely convex with only weak concavity at

extreme apex and deep medial incision in posterior margin to accommodate ovipositor (Fig. 19); apical

margin of carapace not turned under, so that sternites are not concealed; ovipositor extending beyond

apex of carapace by 1.2-1.3 times length of carapace (Fig. 15); pronotum and mesonotum extensively

marked with red and hind femur red (Fig. 17).

Material examined

ENGLAND: Wiltshire, Porton Down, The Breck, 51°8 , 30.9”N 1°38’23.3”W, 105 m, chalk heath,

meadow / scrub, $, 3 Aug. 2012, D. G. Notton, BMNH(E)2012-120, BMNH(E)968229 (Natural History

Museum, London).

GERMANY: $, pre-1859, M. Ruthe coll., [BMNH(E)18]59.101 (BMNH).

SWEDEN: [Skane, Bastad], §, Thomson coll., lectotype (Entomological Collection of Lund University).

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

Distribution

S. collaris is rare in collections but has previously been recorded from France, Germany, Lithuania, The

Netherlands and Sweden (Thomson 1874; van Achterberg 2009), but is not included in the recent British

checklists of Fitton et al. (1978) or Broad et al. (2012) and so is recorded here as new for Britain.

Figs 15-19. Schizoprymnus collaris (Thomson, 1874), $ BMNH(E)968229. 15. Lateral habitus. 16.

Head. 17. Lateral body. 18. Dorsal head. 19. Mesosoma, posterior tergite 3. Scale bars all 1 mm. ©

Natural History Museum, London.

NOTTON D.G. et al. , Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

Biology

Host relations of S. collaris are unknown; however, other Schizoprymnus species are known to be

koinobiont egg-larval parasitoids of weevils (Curculionidae), seed beetles (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae)

and tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae) (Shaw & Huddleston 1991; Belolcobylskij & Maeto 2007;

GlNlu & Ozbek 2011). The habitat, where the English specimen was collected is a rare herb-rich chalk

heath habitat with Juniperus communis L., Betula L. and small amounts of other scrub (English Nature

1999).

Figs 20-25. Schizoprymnus collaris (Thomson, 1874), lectotype. 20. Lateral mesosoma. 21. Fore

wing. 22. Lateral metasoma. 23. Hind wing. 24. Thomson’s locality label. 25. Other labels. Scale bars

all 1 mm. © Natural History Museum, London.

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

Remarks

A syntype was examined from the Thomson Collection, at the University of Lund, and is designated

here as the lectotype in order to remove any possible ambiguity about the application of this name.

S. collaris was previously placed in Schizoprymnus by Telenga (1941: 351) and while recently it has

been considered a Triaspis, its position in Schizoprymnus is confirmed here.

Superfamily Chrysidoidea Latreille, 1802

Family Bethylidae Forster, 1856

Subfamily Epyrinae Kieffer, 1914

Genus Laelius Ashmead, 1893

One species of this genus, Laelius microneurus, was reported previously from Britain and was keyed

by Perkins (1976). Recent taxonomic work has shown that this species should be called L. femoralis

(see below for discussion and synonymy). A second species, L. pedatus , is newly reported here from

Britain. The two species may be identified from the key by Vikberg & Koponen (2005); a simplified key

is presented here for the British species.

Key to females of British Laelius

1. Stigmal vein straight or almost straight, barely or not widened apically; pterostigma brown,

slightly darker than basal vein, and without a seta which is longer than the nearby setae on the

costal vein; apex of costal cell with several short setae; propodeum with discal longitudinal

carinae slightly converging posteriorly; disc of fore wing hyaline (normally found outdoors)

. Laelius femoralis (Forster, 1860)

- Stigmal vein curved and apically broadened; pterostigma as pale as basal vein and with dorsal seta

which is longer than the nearby setae on the subcostal vein; apex of costal cell with 0(-l) small setae;

propodeum with discal longitudinal carinae slightly diverging posteriorly, furthest apart at about

posterior 2/3; disc of fore wing infuscate (normally found indoors). Laelius pedatus (Say, 1836)

Laelius pedatus (Say, 1836)

Figs 26-28

Identification

This species was provisionally identified by John Burn and confirmed by Jeroen de Rond; it may be

identified using the key by Vikberg & Koponen (2005) covering Scandinavian species of Laelius ; they

provided a redescription of both sexes and illustrated the wing venation and propodeum of the female

and genitalia and apical sclerites of the male. Vikberg & Koponen discussed the steps they took, in the

absence of the original type material, to ensure that their interpretation was consistent with previous

works such as Evans (1978). The specimens mentioned as plesiotype and plesiallotype by Evans (1978)

have no type status as these terms are not recognised by the ICZN; they are merely the specimens on

which he based his redescription. The recent specimens mentioned by Vikberg & Koponen (2005) as

paratypes are not paratypes; this is an error, since Say’s type(s) are lost.

Material examined

ENGLAND: London, Lewisham, TQ388757, §, 19 May 2013, in kitchen, D. G. Notton; London, The

Natural History Museum, Entomology Department, TQ265790, $, Jul. 1996, A. Polaszek; London, The

Natural History Museum, Palaeontology Department, ICZN Secretariat Office, TQ267790, §, 2 Oct.

2008, walking across desk, D. G. Notton; London, Streatham Hill, TQ304725, 3 ,7 Jul. 2006, G. Broad;

Berks, Ascot, Silwood Park, numerous $ 33, 1993, in culture, D. Morgan (all BMNH).

NOTTON D.G. et al. , Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

THE NETHERLANDS: Leiden University, §, cultured on Trogoderma angustum (Solier, 1849) (wasps

from this culture originated from Madison University, Wisconsin, U.S.A.), P. Mayhew (BMNH).

Distribution

Originating from the New World: Canada, United States of America, Mexico and Brazil (Gordh &

Moczar 1990). More recently recorded from Europe: The Netherlands (Heitmans 1998), F inl and

(Vikberg & Koponen 2005) and now Britain. L. pedatus was kept in culture in Britain by David Morgan

at Imperial College (probably the Imperial College field station at Silwood Park near Ascot, Berkshire,

U.K.) for some time from at least 1993 (Mayhew 1998), and the possibility of escapees cannot be

excluded as a source of the British specimens reported here. Morgan’s culture originated from a culture

kept by the United States Department of Agriculture in Hoboken, New Jersey (Morgan & Cook 1994).

An alternative possibility is that wasps were introduced from mainland Europe, where free-living wasps

have been present since at least 1987 (Vikberg & Koponen 2005).

Biology

L. pedatus is a parasitoid of the larvae of various species of carpet beetles (Coleoptera, Dermestidae),

including those which are pests of stored products and museum collections. In Europe the wasp has

previously only been found indoors (Gordh & Moczar 1990; Heitmans 1998; Vikberg & Koponen

2005), as were the British specimens.

Remarks

The presence of L. pedatus in museums is a matter for concern not because of any problem caused by the

wasp itself, but because it may indicate the presence of long standing dermestid infestations upon which

they prey. Since the adults of this wasp are quite mobile they might be found on the sticky traps used for

museum pest monitoring. Anyone encountering bethylid wasps in these situations is invited to submit

the specimens to the senior author in order that the spread of this species can be monitored. One of the

localities given above, the old Entomology Building at the Natural History Museum, London, has been

demolished and replaced by the new Darwin Centre, which has much improved environmental control

and pest management.

Laelius femoralis (Forster, 1860)

Allepyris microneurus Kieffer, 1906: 416-417 (syn. nov.).

Allepyris nigricrus Kieffer, 1906: 417 (syn. nov.).

Identification

Material (previously identified as L. microneurus) in BMNH was reidentified according to the key by

Vikberg & Koponen (1995) to confirm the presence of L. femoralis in Britain.

Material examined

ENGLAND: Berkshire, Silwood Park, 18 Aug. 1975, dead spruce, O.W. Richards, B.M. 1967-510; Kent,

Beckenham, 9 Jul. 1972, D.E. Kimmins; Surrey, Kew, 17 Jul. 1977, from Crataegus Linnaeus, 1753,

specimen number 15,576, V.F. Eastop (all BMNH).

Remarks

Berland (1928) studied the female types of L. macrocerus and L. nigricrus (in Museum National

d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris) and could not find any difference between them, so he synonymised the two

names. It was first suggested that L. microneurus was a synonym of L. femoralis by de Rond (in Vikberg

& Koponen 2005) and from subsequent examination of all the types, including the female neotype of L.

European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1-20 (2014)

Figs 26-28. Laelius pedatus (Say, 1836), 26-27. §, specimen number BMNH(E)968242. 26. Dorsal

habitus. 27. Fore wing. 28. S, specimen number BMNH(E)968243, dorsal habitus. Scale bars all 1 mm.

NOTTON D.G. et al. , Parasitoid wasps new to Britain

femoralis (in the Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Leiden), de Rond has come to the conclusion that

both L. microneurus and L. nigricrus are junior synonyms of L. femoralis. This means that the species in

Britain referred to as L. microneurus by Perkins (1976) should now be called L. femoralis.

Discussion

Knowledge of the composition of the British Hymenoptera fauna is essential for the purposes of

biological studies requiring accurate identifications, and their applications, including conservation

of native species, and the monitoring of faunal change. It is hoped that this paper will be a useful

contribution to the ongoing process of documenting British Hymenoptera and stimulate further study of

these fascinating creatures.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to: Barry S. Duffin (Hampshire County Council), K. J. Wheeler and Richard Dickson

for the collection and donation of M. bicolora; Cassie Herschel-Shorland, Gavin Broad (BMNH) and

Andrew Polaszek (BMNH) donated or collected specimens of Laelius pedatus; Christer Hansson

(Entomological Collection of Tund University) loaned the type of Schizoprymnus collaris ; Maxwell

V. L. Barclay (BMNH) provided the galls containing Sycophila binotata ; Richard R. Askew confirmed

the identity of Sycophila binotata ; Sergey Belokobylskij (Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of

Sciences, St. Petersburg) provided reprints; Stuart J. Corbett and Sarah Atkinson (Defence Science &

Technology Taboratory, Ministry of Defence, Porton Down) arranged access to Porton Down; Andrew

Polaszek reviewed the manuscript.

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Manuscript received: 21 February 2014

Manuscript accepted: 1 July 2014

Published on: 15 October 2014

Topic editor: Koen Martens

Desk editor: Kristiaan Hoedemakers

Printed versions of all papers are also deposited in the libraries of the institutes that are members of the

EJT consortium: Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; Botanic Garden Meise, Belgium;

Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium; Natural History Museum, London, United

Kingdom; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium; Natural History Museum of

Denmark, Copenhagen, De nm ark