North-Western Journal of Zoology 2020, vol.16 (1) - Correspondence: Notes 99
Acknowledgements. The authors are grateful to Zsuzsanna studied genera of Scelionidae. Talamas et al. (2015, 2017) re- Petrovics, László Papp and Zoltán Soltész for the valuable help in the vised the Nearctic and, respectively, Palaearctic species of identification of the specimen and to Gábor Kardos for his Trissolcus. These works are based on the study of primary suggestions on the manuscript. Szabolcs Szanyi work was supported types and numerous additional specimens, providing in- by the Collegium Talentum 2017 Programme of Hungary. formative pictures of high quality for each species. Tortorici
References et al. (2019), based on examination of primary types, molecu- Fallén, C.F. (1813): Beskrifning öfver några i Sverige funna Vattenflugor lar analyses and mating experiments, found four cryptic (Hydromyzides). Kongl. Vetenskaps Academiens Handlingar (3)1: 240–57. species of Trissolcus (T. colemani (Crawford) and T. manteroi Korneyev, V.A. (1997): The first record of the family Odiniidae (Diptera, Acalyptrata) from Ukraine. Vestnik Zoologii 31(4): 88. (Kieffer) considered by Talamas (2017) as junior synonyms Korneyev. V.A. (1999a): The first record of the family Megamerinidae (Diptera, of T. semistriatus (Nees von Esenbeck), T. semistriatus and T. Acalyptrata) from Ukraine. Vestnik Zoologii 33(1–2): 34. belenus (Walker) almost a forgotten species). At this point, Korneyev, V.A. (1999b): The first record of the family Carnidae (Diptera, due to these exhaustive works, the Holarctic species of Tris- Acalyptrata) from Ukraine. Vestnik Zoologii 33(1–2): 34. Korneyev, V.A. (2003): The first record of the family Acarthophthalmidae solcus are identifiable. This fact broadens horizons for more (Diptera, Acalyptrata) in Ukraine. Vestnik Zoologii 37(5): 68. extensive studies of Trissolcus on wider territories. As a con- Mathis, W.N., Papp, L. (1998): Family Periscelididae. pp. 285–294. In: Papp, L., sequence, the major revisions of Trissolcus (Talamas et al. Darvas, B. (eds.), Contributions to a Manual of Palaearctic Diptera Vol. 3. Higher Brachycera. Science Herald, Budapest. 2015, 2017), were followed by papers regarding the distribu- Mathis, W.N., Rung, A. (2011): World catalog and conspectus on the family tion, or the biology of different species of this genus (Ganjis- Periscelididae (Diptera: Schizophora). Myia 12: 341–377. affar et al. 2018; Sabbatini Peverieri et al. 2018; Tortorici et al. Misiachna, A.V., Korneyev, V.A. (2015): The first records of the skipper flies (Diptera, Piophilidae) From Ukraine. Vestnik Zoologii 49(2): 113–118. 2019). Pape, T., Beuk, P. (2013): Fauna Europaea: Periscelididae. Fauna Europaea In Europe, among the rest of Telenominae, Trissolcus is a version 2.6.
tensive treatment of the genus was thus a curious and unex- 1. University of Debrecen, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, H-4032 Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Hungary. pected finding. 2. II Rákóczi Ferenc Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute Department Trissolcus scutellaris is considered one of the most wide- of Biology and Chemistry, 90202 Beregszász, Transcarpathia, spread species, being encountered in Austria, Bulgaria, Cro- Kossuth tér 6., The Ukraine. 3. Institute of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences atia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, and Environmental Management, Debrecen, Hungary. Macedonia, Morocco, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain, *Corresponding author, S. Sanyi, E-mail: [email protected] Sweden, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan (Talamas et al. 2017).
It can be identified using the following combination of char-
acters: gena narrow to moderately broad in lateral view;
compound eyes narrowly separated by hyperoccipital cari- The first case of reduced wings in Trissolcus na; posterior vertex without medial depression; conspicuous Ashmead, 1893 (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea) cells on mesoscutal suprahumeral sulcus and mesoscutal humeral sulcus; metapleuron below metapleural sulcus with Trissolcus Ashmead is a genus of egg-parasitoid wasps of ventral and posterior setation. In Europe, it is most similar to different species of bugs (Heteroptera). Some of its hosts are T. viktorovi Kozlov, which is unambiguously differentiated considered significant agricultural pests (e.g. Halyomorpha from T. scutellaris by a number of characters, including a dis- halys (Stål) and Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister)). Some species of tinctly broad gena, compound eyes with posterior and dor- Trissolcus are therefore regarded as potential candidates in sal margins separated from hyperoccipital carina by a broad the classical biological control of these pests, with some spe- furrow and the mesoscutal humeral sulcus present as a sim- cies under evaluation in quarantine facilities (e.g. T. hyalini- ple furrow (Talamas et al. 2017). pennis Rajmohana & Narendran (Ganjisaffar et al. 2018); T. Prior to this study, T. scutellaris was recorded in Romania japonicus (Ashmead) (Talamas et al. 2015)). by Fabritius (1972) from Scobâlţeni (Iaşi) as T. scutellaris; by Lately, Trissolcus has been one of the most intensely Bechet (1960) from Hunedoara and Fabritius (1972) from
100 North-Western Journal of Zoology 2020, vol.16 (1) - Correspondence: Notes
Figures 1–4. Trissolcus scutellaris: 1. specimen with reduced wings, dorsal; 2. specimen with reduced wings, lateral; 3. normal specimen, dorsal; 4. normal specimen, lateral. scale bar = 0.5 mm.
Cluj as Trissolcus simoni Mayr; by Fabritius (1972) from Iași mal specimen, the postmarginal vein is from 2 to 3 times as and Popovici and Popescu (2006) from Brașov as Trissolcus long as the stigmal vein, in our specimen, though, the rate choaspes Nixon; and by Fabritius (1972) from Iași and Neamț between the two veins is around 1.90. as Trissolcus festivae Victorov. A few characters have been found to differ from the de- The peculiar female of T. scutellaris has been found in a scription provided in Talamas et al. (2017): the genal carina sample collected on the 3rd of July, 2011 in Neagra Șarului, is absent; the anteroventral extension of metapleuron reach- Suceava County, Romania (leg. J. Noyes). The specimen was es, in fact, the base of mesocoxa; the anterior protuberances collected using a sweep net with a triangular frame as de- of mesoscutellum in front of the notauli are poorly defined, scribed by Noyes (1982), with minor modifications, a wire while they can be clearly observed in typical specimens of T. mesh screen was added across the net opening as in Fusu scutellaris. Moreover, our specimen appears with macros- and Polaszek (2017) or in Popovici et al. (2018). The speci- culpture on mesoscutellum, in contrast with the clear state- men was mounted on a white triangular point and identified ment that macrosculpture of mesoscutellum is absent (Tala- using a Leica S6 stereomicroscope following the identifica- mas et al. 2017). Thirteen additional specimens of T. scutel- tion keys of Talamas et al. (2017). The photographs were tak- laris from Greece and Romania were examined and no other en using a DFC-500 camera on a Leica 205A stereomicro- specimen with macrosculpture on the mesoscutellum could scope. The specimen is deposited in Ovidiu Popovici per- be found. sonal collection (OPPC), Faculty of Biology, "Alexandru Ioan Due to the wide geographical distribution of T. scutel- Cuza" University in Iași, Romania. laris, some morphological characters are notably variable: the The bizarre aspect of this female is the considerably microsculpture of the mesoscutellum, posteromedial stria- shorter wings (Figs 1, 2) compared to those of normal speci- tion, the presence of a median mesoscutal carina and the de- mens (Figs 3, 4). Except for the size, the wings do not display gree of transverse striation directly above the antennal any other abnormalities. Even the ratio between the post- scrobe and development of epomial carina (Talamas et al. marginal and the stigmal veins is hardly affected. In a nor- 2017). The relatively high morphological plasticity of this North-Western Journal of Zoology 2020, vol.16 (1) - Correspondence: Notes 101 species makes a proper recognition of the real intraspecific Fabritius, K. (1972): Genul Trissolcus Ashmead 1893 (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) variability difficult. The seemingly wrong interpretation of în România şi perspectivele utilizării acestui gen de entomofagi în combaterea biologică şi integrată a ploşniţelor cerealelor. Lucrări Ştiinţifice, this wide intraspecific variability, up until now, is reflected Ştiințe Naturale, Zoologie 2: 27-42. by the large number of junior synonyms of this species. Ac- Fusu, L., Polaszek, A. (2017): Description, DNA barcoding and phylogenetic cordingly, Talamas et al. (2017) recognize eight junior syno- placement of a remarkable new species of Eopelma (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) from Borneo. Zootaxa 4263: 557-566. nyms for T. scutellaris. It seems to be a general trend that, in Ganjisaffar, F., Talamas, E.J., Bon, M.C., Gonzalez, L., Brown, B.V., Perring, the taxonomy of Trissolcus, a considerable number of charac- T.M. (2018): Trissolcus hyalinipennis Rajmohana & Narendran (Hymenoptera, ters are prone to fluctuate within the same species depend- Scelionidae), a parasitoid of Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae), emerges in North America. Journal of Hymenoptera ing on region and temperature, leading to variability, most Research 65: 111-130. of which was probably misinterpreted. This could be the Huggert, L. (1979): Revision of the west Palaearctic species of the genus Idris reason why only 17 European species of Trissolcus are pres- Förster s.l. (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea, Scelionidae). Entomologica Scandinavica, Supplementa 12: 1-60. ently considered valid (Talamas et al. 2017; Tortorici et al. Kozlov, M.A., Kononova, S.V. (1983): Telenominae of the Fauna of USSR. 2019) out of 23 described in Kozlov and Kononova (1983). Nauka, Leningrad. Micropterism and brachyptery are not rare in Platygas- Moraglio, S.T., Tortorici, F., Marco G. Pansa, M.G., Castelli, G., Pontini, M., troidea. This phenomenon is encountered in Gryon Haliday, Scovero, S., Visentin, S., Tavella, L. (2019): A 3-year survey on parasitism of Halyomorpha halys by egg parasitoids in northern Italy. Journal of Pest Trimorus Foerster, Idris Foerster, Baeus Haliday, Encyrtoscelio Science 93: 183-194. Dodd, Fidiobia Ashmead (Popovici, Iași, pers. comm. 2018), Noyes, J.S. (1982): Collecting and preserving chalcid wasps (Hymenoptera: Helava Masner & Huggert (Talamas and Masner, 2016), Chalcidoidea). Journal of Natural History 16: 315-334. Popovici, O., Popescu, I.E. (2006): Platygastrid and scelionid wasps Ceratobaeus Ashmead, Probaryconus Kieffer, Dyscritobaeus (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea: Platygastridae, Scelionidae) of Piatra Perkins (Tortorici et al. 2016), Platygastoides Dodd, Inostemma Craiului National Park (Romania). Research in Piatra Craiului National Park Haliday and Metaclisis Foerster (Austin et al. 2005). Usually, 3: 144-149. Popovici, O.A., Masner, L., Polaszek, A. (2018): A revision of the European the micropterism affects only females, with males having species of Baeoneurella Dodd (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). Journal of Natural normal wings (e.g. Baeus, Idris, Trimorus etc.). Occasionally, History 52 (43-44): 2745-2794. micropterism is encountered on a regular basis in a species, Sabbatini Peverieri, G., Talamas, E., Bon, M.C., Marianelli, L., Bernardinelli, I., Malossini, G., Benvenuto, L., Roversi, P.F., Hoelmer, K. (2018): Two Asian but there are also some polymorphous species with both egg parasitoids of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae) normal and brachypterous wings, as Idris flavicornis Foerster, emerge in northern Italy: Trissolcus mitsukurii (Ashmead) and Trissolcus Idris semicastaneus (Kieffer), Idris piceiventris (Kieffer) (Hug- japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae). Journal of Hymenoptera gert 1979). Moreover, there are species with brachypterous Research 67: 37-53. Talamas, E.J., Johnson, N.F., Buffington, M. (2015): Key to Nearctic species of male and polymorphous female (brachypterous as well as Trissolcus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae), natural enemies of native with normal wings) such as Encyrtoscelio apterus (Szelenyi). and invasive stink bugs (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae). Journal of In Telenominae, micropterism is an exception, being Hymenoptera Research 43: 45-110. Talamas, E.J., Masner, L. (2016): Revision of New World Helava Masner & previously recorded solely in a form of Telenomus poly- Huggert (Platygastridae, Sceliotrachelinae). Journal of Hymenoptera morphus Costa Lima. Usually, micropterism is associated Research 53: 1-24. with a peculiar lifestyle: living and searching for hosts in re- Talamas, E.J., Buffington, M., Hoelmer, K. (2017): Revision of Palearctic Trissolcus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae). Journal of Hymenoptera strictive habitats, such as litter or soil (Austin et al. 2005) or Research 56: 3-185. living on an island or at high altitude, however, this not the Tortorici, F., Caleca, V., Noort, S., Masner, L. (2016): Revision of Afrotropical case for species of Trissolcus, or so it was thought. Dyscritobaeus Perkins, 1910 (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). Zootaxa 4178(1): 001-059. The micropterous specimen of T. scutellaris is either an Tortorici, F., Talamas, E.J., Moraglio, S.T., Pansa, M.G., Asadi-Farfar, M., abnormality, or it can show that this species with such high Tavella, L., Caleca, V. (2019): A morphological, biological and molecular morphological plasticity is, in fact, a polymorphic species. In approach reveals four cryptic species of Trissolcus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, both cases, a specimen like this, with notably shorter wings Scelionidae), egg parasitoids of Pentatomidae (Hemiptera). In: Talamas, E. (eds.), Advances in the Systematics of Platygastroidea II. Journal of and a series of other characters distinguishable from the typ- Hymenoptera Research 73: 153-200. ical species, might lead to taxonomical mistakes – it can be easily described as a new species. Even for us, the presence Key words: Eggs-parasitoids, brachyptery, variability, Trissolcus, of macrosculpture on mesoscutellum raises some doubts Telenominae concerning the identification of our specimen as T. scutellaris. Article No.: e207201 In summary, the first brachypterous Trissolcus indicates Received: 03. September 2019 / Accepted: 09. January 2020 that the group still needs further studies, and no conclusions Available online: 15. January 2020 / Printed: June 2020 regarding this specimen can be drawn until more extensive research is carried on and additional data is collected. Cristina VASILIȚA and Ovidiu Alin POPOVICI*
Acknowledgement. Sincere thanks to Dr John Noyes, for providing Research Group in Invertebrate Diversity and Phylogenetics, Faculty of material for this study and to Dr Elijah Talamas for his valuable Biology, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University in Iași, 700505 Iași, Romania, contribution to the identification of our unusual specimen of *Corresponding author, O.A. Popovici, Trissolcus. This work was supported by PN-III-P4-ID-PCE- 2016-0233 E-mail: [email protected] grant.
References Austin, A.D., Johnson, N.F., Dowton, M. (2005): Systematics, evolution and biology of Scelionid and Platygastrid wasps. Annual Review of Entomology 50: 553-82. Bechet, I. (1960): Trissolcus simony Mayr (Himenoptere, Proctotrupide) parazit al
ploşniţei de varză (Eurydema ornata L). Natura 6: 82-85.