Meteorus tabidus

Meteorus tabidus (Wesmael)

Fig. 130

Perilitus tabidus Wesmael, 1835:32. Lectotype ♂, Belgium: Brussels, coll. Wesmael (IRSNB, Brussels).

Meteorus fascialis Ruthe, 1862:22. Holotype ♀, Germany. Ruthe coll. (BMNH, London), synonymized by Schmiedeknecht, 1897:187 —examined.

Meteorus dubius Ruthe, 1862:27. Holotype ♀, Germany. Ruthe coll. (BMNH, London), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:50 examined.

Meteorus pentheri Fischer, 1970b:262. Holotype ♂, Yugoslavia: Stolac (Penther) (NHM, Vienna), synonymized by Huddleston, 1980:50.

Diagnosis: Meteorus tabidus is very similar to M. affinis but M. tabidus has a more protuberant clypeus, the precoxal sulcus is reticulate-rugose and not foveolate as in M. affinis, and M. tabidus is generally a slightly more robust wasp than M. affinis.

Studied material: ~ 20 specimens.

Description: Size about 4.5–5mm. Antennae 28–31 articles, thick, the penultimate five or so articles not longer than broad. Head contracted behind eyes, not distinctly rounded, the occiput not distinctly concave. OOL=2. Eyes large, strongly convergent. Malar space short, about half basal breadth of mandible. Face not strongly convex. Clypeus strongly protuberant. Tentorial pits wide and deep, very close to orbits. Mandibles at most moderately twisted. Precoxal sulcus broad, reticulate-rugose. Propodeum strongly rugose, sometimes reticulate-rugose, often with a distinct basal transverse carina and less distinct central longitudinal and medial transverse carinae. Petiolar tergum long, narrow, with distinct dorsal pits. Ovipositor long, 2.5–3.0 times length of petiolar tergum, thick. Legs long; hind coxa strongly rugose; tarsal claws with a distinct basal lobe. Colour black; abdominal tergites 3 and 4 and legs testaceous. The face and base of the antennae sometimes lighter. Male same as female except much darker; the antennae longer, 32–35 articles, the ocelli slightly larger; the eyes not strongly convergent; propodeum depressed.

Distribution: Palearctic. Country records: Austria; Belgium; Bosnia Hercegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czechoslovakia; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Korea; Lithuania; Mongolia; Netherlands; Poland; Romania; Slovakia; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom; Yugoslavia.

Biology: M. tabidus is recorded in the literature as a parasitoid of both Coleoptera (Cerambycidae) (Giraud et al. 1877) and Lepidoptera (Coleophoridae, Geometridae, Psychidae and Tortricidae). We have not been able to verify any host records.