S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 50. (Budapest, 1989)

Ovipositors in Brachyleptus spp. are somewhat large, moderately sclerotized, long and more or less narrowed distads, the best taxonomic characters being mainly confined close to the apex (Figs 1-8*. The ovipositors need to be observed by relatively high magnifications (x 200/500), and they were mounted on slides with Euparal or analogous compounds. For the reasons given above, only the apex of each ovipositor has been depicted which is exactly the distal 1/8 of its total length. The shape of the whole ovipositors being only briefly and comparatively described in the text. In spite of Jelinek' s affirmation that ovipositors in Brachyleptus have "very short but distinct styli" 'Jelinek 1980), under high magnification styli appear to be absent in all species, partially replaced only by somewhat long sensory hairs 'Figs 1-8*, in some species being also evident some apical or subapical projections, really similar to short and reduced styli when observed under low magnifications. Brachyleptus discolor Reitter, 1896 Geographical distribution: Cyprus, Asian part of Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Libanon, Syria, Caucasus (Jelinek 1980; Audisio unpublished data*. Biological notes: Larvae and adults on fruits and flowers of Papaver spp. (chiefly on P. hybridum L. ) respectively and on Glaucium corniculatum (L. ) Rudolph (Papaveraceae). Female ovipositor regularly narrowed from base to the apex, 3. 7-3. 8 times longer than wide; apex distinctly hexalobed as on Fig. 1. Brachyleptus bicoloratus Beitter, 1896 Geographical distribution: Afghanistan, Turkmen SSR, Kazakh SSR, Kirghiz SSR, Tadzhik SSR, Uzbek SSR, NW China 'Tien Shan Mts.) (Jelinek 1980; Audisio unpublished data). Biological notes: Certainly attached to Papaver spp. in Soviet Middle Asia (Kirejtshuk, in verb. 1988). Female ovipositor regularly narrowed from base to the apex, as in the preceding species, 3.7-3.8 times longer than wide; apex simple, bilobed (Fig. 2). Species closely related to the allopatric B. discolor Reitter, but specifically well distinct from it. Brachyleptus papaveris Grouvelle Geographical distribution: Morocco, North Algeria, North Tunisia (Jelinek 1980; Grouvelle 1912; Peyerimhoff 1921; Normand 1936; Kocher 1956; Audisio unpublished data). Biological notes: Larvae and adults on fruits and flowers of Papaver rhoeas L., respectively (Peyerimhoff 1921; Audisio unpublished data). Female ovipositor somewhat regularly narrowed from base to the apex, but distinctly widening out before the apex (Fig. 3), 3. 7-3. 8 times longer than wide; apex distinctly tetralobed (Fig. 3). My opinion is that the species is more closely related to both B. discolor Reitter and B. bicoloratus Reitter than to B. quadratus (Sturm). Brachyleptus quadratus (Sturm, 1844) ideographical distribution: SE Europe, Turkey, Middle East, Caucasus (Jelinek 1980). Biological notes: Larvae and adults on fruits and flowers of Papaver spp. respectively, particularly on P. rhoeas L. Female ovipositor very long and narrow, somewhat abruptly and strongly narrowed in its distal fourth, 5.4-5.5 times longer than wide; apex slightly divaricated (Fig. 4). A very distinct species, related both to B. papaveris Grouvelle and to B. aurosus Reitter, 1885.