Neoxorides varipes

Neoxorides varipes (Holmgren, 1860)

Fig. 5 A–B

Xorides varipes Holmgren, 1860: 66.

Xorides collaris ab. picicoxis Hellén, 1915: 20 syn. nov.

Neoxorides varipes – Clément 1938: 519. — Oehlke 1966: 891. — Kasparyan 1981: 94. — Varga 2015: 4–5, fig. 2.

Neoxorides variipes – Clément 1938: 517.

Neoxorides varpies – Kanders 2009: 9.

Xorides variipes – Dalla Torre 1901 –1902: 382. — Schmiedeknecht 1908: 1369.

Diagnosis

Fore wing length 6–10 mm. Neoxorides varipes is distinguished from other species of Neoxorides in the Western Palaearctic by the virtually impunctate and strongly shagreened mesosternum and mesopleuron, the weakly reticulate sides of the pronotum (Fig. 5B) and the infuscate hind coxae. The ovipositor in the female is relatively short, about as long as the metasoma minus the first and second tergite. The female has all the coxae infuscate, while the mid and fore coxae in the male are mainly whitish. The white spots along the inner orbits above antennal sockets are shorter than in N. collaris and N. montanus (Fig. 5A). The male has the propleuron with large whitish spots basally, while it usually is infuscate in N. collaris and N. montanus. Four small females from Northern Sweden have all the legs infuscate and the anterior side of the mid and fore tibia yellowish. Apart from the darker colour and smaller size, we have found no reliable distinguishing character between these forms and they are treated here as a small northern variety.

Material examined

Lectotype

SWEDEN • ♂; NHRS.

Other material

SWEDEN • 4 ♀, 4 ♂♂; JH, NJ, UPSZ, NHRS.

FINLAND • 4 ♀♀; MZH.

NORWAY • 1 ♀; MR.

POLAND • 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂; JH.

UKRAINE • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; OV.

Ecology

Neoxorides varipes is probably connected to cerambycids feeding on conifers. Collected in relatively large numbers on logs of Picea abies and Abies alba Mill. (Varga 2015; O. Varga pers. com.). It has been reared from branches containing Callidium aeneum (De Geer, 1775) and Obrium brunneum (Fabricius, 1792) (J. Hilszczański pers. com.).

Distribution and status in Sweden

Neoxorides varipes is a very rare species in Sweden with only a few known records. It is an exclusive inhabitant of pristine boreal forests rich in dead wood in the northern part of the country. Vb, Ås.

Remarks

Due to its rarity, the distinction between N. varipes and other species of the genus, primarily N. collaris, has mainly relied upon the typical colouration of the hind coxae. There are, however, some additional characters used in the key to species. Two females labelled as N. collaris ab. picicoxis (Hellén, 1915) syn. nov. in the MZH were studied by the first author and they both represent pale specimens of N. varipes.

DNA barcode

No fresh material suitable for barcoding was available to us.