Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 74. (Budapest 1982)
Papp, J.: Survey of the European species of Apanteles Först. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae: Microgasterinae), VI. The laspeyresiella-, merula-, falcatus- and validus-group
TRANSITIONAL SPECIES TOWARDS THE LASPEYRESIELLA-GROUP (Respective species-group in parenthesis, numbers refer to couplet-numbers) salensis HEDQVIST 7 (6) (merula-group) verae TOBIAS 10 (11) (metacarpalis-group) The MERULA-group ' The following features characterize the species of the merula-group: 1. Propodeum with a medio-longitudinal and usually strong keel. — 2. Margin of the vannai lobe of hind wing concave, nervellus usually perpendicular to anal vein (Figs. 39 and 42). —3. First tergite distinctly narrowing posteriorly, usually its hind half. — 4. Postaxille reaching base of scutellum, furrow between scutellum and polished postaxille relatively narrow and with very fine crenulation. — 5. Stigma usually bright to pellucid yellow, metacarp dark and venation whitish except in three species. The species-group comprises 10 European, 1 African (Cape Verde Islands) and 2 Nearctic, altogether 13 species. The hosts of the species of the merula-group cover the following lepidopterous families: Coleophoridae, Gracilariidae, Olethreutidae and Phycitidae. KEY TO THE SPECIES OF THE MERULA-GROUP Females 1 (6) Stigma evenly brown to blackish brown. 2 (3) Anterior or horizontal half of propodeum dull and densely rugo-rugulose; its posterior corner raised ; posterior or declivous half propodeum shiny, with few and rather transverse rugosities. Metacarp distinctly longer than stigma, four times longer than distance between its distal end and tip of radial vein. Head behind eyes less constricted, rounded (Fig. 22). Penultimate joint of antenna subcubic, 1.1 times (8:7) longer than broad. First tergite 1.3 times longer than wide at base, hind half of tergite strongly narrowing (Fig. 23). Mesonotum strongly and densely punctate, notaulix indicated by rugulosity. Ovipositor sheath almost as long as hind tibia. Tegula pale yellow to yellow. Stigma evenly blackish brown, ç : 3.2-3.5 mm. — Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, USSR (Georgia, Daghestan), Korea A. vindicius NIXON, 1965 (!) 3 (2) Propodeum smooth or at most uneven to a few rugulae above lunule, shiny to polished. Metacarp less than four times as long as distance between its distal end and tip of radial vein (Fig. 24). Head behind eyes more constricted (Fig. 25). 4 (5) Metacarp 2.5 times longer than distance between its distal end and tip of radial vein (Fig. 24). Punctures of mesonotum somewhat less dense, more sharp, interspaces more or less shiny. Antennái joints 16-17 cubic or almost cubic. First tergite anteriorly parallel-subparallel-sided, posteriorly distinctly narrowing (Fig. 26). First tergite evenly black. Ç> rf \ 3-3.2 mm. —Europe, ?North America. (?= etiellae VIERECK, 1911, !)* A. merula REINHARD, 1880 (! !) *ln the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, a pair (1 $ + 1 cf) of A. etiellae VIERECK are housed identified by C. F. W. MUESEBECK. The specimens are quite similar to the representatives of A. merula REINHARD originating from several countries of Europe and examined by me. I consider the synonymy only provisionary, a type-examination is needed to finally settle this problem.
