Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Braconidae

Abstract Background The checklist of British and Irish Braconidae is revised, based in large part on the collections of the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, and the Natural History Museum, London. Distribution records are provided at the country level together with extensive synonymy and bibliography. New information Of the 1,338 species regarded as valid, presumed native and certainly identified, 83 are here recorded for the first time from the British Isles. One new synonym is established (Dyscritus suffolciensis Morley, 1933 = Syntretus splendidus (Marshall, 1887) syn. nov.)


Introduction
The Braconidae is one of two families of the superfamily Ichneumonoidea, along with the Ichneumonidae. Given the size of each family in Britain (over 1,300 braconids and 2,500 ichneumonids) we are publishing the two checklists separately. This is one part of a series of papers revising the British and Irish list of Hymenoptera, that started with Broad and Livermore (2014a), Broad and Livermore (2014b) and Liston et al. (2014). For the background and rationale behind these British Hymenoptera checklists see . The bases for the taxonomy are Fauna Europaea and Taxapad (Yu et al. 2012) (braconid data for both compiled by Kees van Achterberg) but we have not relied on these sources for data on species occurrence in Britain. Rather, we have relied mostly on the primary literature and collections, especially NMS and BMNH. Indeed, large parts of the checklist rely on original work, identifying specimens in these collections. Much of the synonymy adopted here is equivalent to the German list (Belokobylskij et al. 2003) but where there are taxonomic differences of opinion, usually van Achterberg's interpretation has been followed, largely for consistency with Fauna Europaea, but also because of van Achterberg's experience with many groups of braconids. The biggest departure from these sources is in the generic classification of Microgastrinae, for which we largely follow Mason (1981).
We reference all additions to and deletions from the British list since  and record country-level distribution within the British Isles, but regarding Ireland as one.
We made much use of O'Connor et al. (1999) for Irish records. Because the braconid literature is extensive and scattered we also provide many taxonomic references. The braconid section of the 1978 British checklist  repeats many of Shenefelt's (e.g. Shenefelt 1973, Shenefelt 1974) mistakes and these are rectified here.
Figs 1, 2, 3, 4 illustrate a tiny part of the morphological and biological diversity of Braconidae. Shaw and Huddleston (1991) provide an introduction to the varied biology of this family of parasitoid wasps.

Materials and methods
For a more detailed description of the background and rationale to the Hymenoptera checklist, see . We have tried to account for every name on the 1978  checklist and have referenced all additions to and deletions from that list. We provide rather extensive synonymy and citations because if you do not have access to the Taxapad database (Yu et al. 2012) it can be very difficult to trace the fate of names in the voluminous and scattered literature. Conventions and abbreviations are listed below.
[species] taxon deleted from the British and Irish list [brevicaudis (Reinhard, 1867, Microdus)] Listed as a 'species inquirendae' by Nixon (1986) but included as a German species by Simbolotti and Achterberg (1992). Transferred to Bassus by Simbolotti and Achterberg (1999) but not listed as a species of Therophilus by Sharkey and Stoelb (2012).

Trachyusa nigrothoracica van Achterberg & O'Connor, 1990
Distribution: England, Ireland Notes: added by Achterberg and O' Connor (1990) Tribe Dacnusini Förster, 1863 Notes: The classification of the Dacnusini was revised by Griffiths (Griffiths 1964, Griffiths 1967a, Griffiths 1967b, Griffiths 1967c, Griffiths 1968a, Griffiths 1968b) in a pioneering treatment that was one of the first applications of explicit phylogenetic methods in taxonomy. It was also unusual in being based on extensive reared material. Griffiths' classification is followed here although one of the consequences of his strict adherence to phylogenetic principles is that Chorebus and Dacnusa are very large genera. Also, as Griffiths realised, the definition of Exotela is unsatisfactory as it lacks clear apomorphic characters. This group of insects had previously been revised by Nixon (Nixon 1943, Nixon 1944, Nixon 1945, Nixon 1946, Nixon 1948, Nixon 1949, Nixon 1954, who recognised a greater number of genera, and some authors (Tobias 1986, Tobias 1998, Perepechayenko 2000, Fischer et al. 2004) have resurrected Nixon's genera or used them as subgenera. This seems a retrograde step given Griffiths' clear statements of phylogenetic hypotheses and is not used here. In both Chorebus and Dacnusa, Griffiths defined a series of species groups that with further research should form the basis of better classifications of these genera. Griffiths (1964) gives a key to genera and Wharton (1997) is also very helpful. The Coelinius genus group (Coelinius, Trachionus, Epimicta, Aristelix, Laotris, Sarops and Synelix) is generally agreed to be monophyletic and was not revised at species level by Nixon or Griffiths. Distribution data from Griffiths' and Nixon's revisions (loc. cit.) and NMS.
COPISURA Schiødte,1837 COPIDURA Förster,1862 Notes: Griffiths (1964) proposed that Polemochartus and Coelinidea should be included as subgenera of Coelinius. Wharton and Austin (1991), Wharton (1994) and Kula (2008) supported the concept of an enlarged Coelinius but, pointing to intermediate taxa in the Oriental Region, argued against the retention of subgenera. Achterberg (2014) retains the three genera which is current European usage and is followed here pending a modern review of the group.

Adialytus salicaphis (Fitch, 1855)
Nomenclature: Notes: #Introduced into greenhouses for biocontrol (Starý 1975 tanaceticola Starý, 1963 Notes: Belokobylskij et al. (2003) treat tanacetarius as the valid name for tanaceti, which is a nomen nudum. This species has not been listed as British since its original description (Curtis 1837) and Smith's (Smith 1853) catalogue. Pungerl (1986) treated tanacetarius as a valid species but did not see any British or Irish material.

Genus Bracon Fabricius, 1804
Notes: Comprehensive taxonomic revisions of Bracon are lacking for all but a few species groups. Published works differ substantially in their treatments of valid species, synonyms and subgeneric placements (compare, for example, the differing treatments of Tobias (1986), Papp (1974), Papp (1996a), and Shenefelt (1978)) so the taxonomy in Taxapad (Yu et al. 2012) has, for the most part, been used as a default classification. lineatellae (Fischer, 1968, Habrobracon); synonymy by Papp (2008b) Distribution: England, Scotland, Ireland
Species of Bracon (Glabrobracon) excluded from the British and Irish list: 1928] Should not have been listed by  as it was recorded as British only on the basis of Carr's Staffordshire lists (see Perkins 1953, Shaw 2003a.

Distribution: England, Scotland
Notes: Achterberg (1992a) separated otiorhynchi from falcatus but Belokobylskij et al. (2003), without comment, treated the two names as synonymous again. This is not followed here as otiorhynchi and falcatus seem to be distinct species.

Distribution: England
Notes: Nixon's description of Zele chlorophthalmus validated the use of the name for this taxon; chlorophthalmus of authors is a misidentification (Bracon chlorophthalmus Spinola, 1808 is actually a species of the true Zele).
kollari (Rondani, 1877, Bracon); synonymy by Papp (1996b)  Notes: Stigenberg et al. (2015) included the meteorines as a basal tribe of Euphorinae, rather than as a separate subfamily, as was the preference of many authors, for example, Shaw and Huddleston (1991). In light of their very different developmental biology (parasitoids of larval Lepidoptera and Coleoptera as opposed to parasitising adult insects) and sister-group position to the euphorines, we retain the subfamily rank for Meteorinae.
[picipes (Bouché, 1834, Microgaster)] Papp (1987) intended to deal with this name, with a footnote in that paper saying that it would be dealt with under A. xanthostigma, but there is no mention there of picipes. It is presumed that the name picipes is a synonym or a nomen dubium; it is not listed as a valid species by Achterberg (2003c). [anarsiae (Faure & Alabouvette, 1924, Apanteles)] Listed as a British species by  in error, there are no British records.

Iconella aeola
Apanteles aeolus Nixon, 1965 (Papp 1976, Papp 1984 revisions of the genera, as well as several other important papers. Unless noted otherwise, distribution data taken from NMS, Nixon (1968) and Shaw (2012). Papp's (Papp 1976) subsequent revision of the genus added many species to Nixon's (Nixon 1968) revision, and Achterberg (1997)  [deceptor Nixon, 1968] Listed as a British species by  in error; no evidence that this is a British or Irish species.
[nobilis Reinhard, 1880;syn. compressifemur Fahringer, 1937] Listed as doubtfully British by  on the basis of Papp's (Papp 1976) listing of '?England'. No evidence that this is really a British or Irish species.
[postica Nees, 1834; syn. marginella Wesmael, 1837; ?ruficoxis Ruthe, 1858] Recorded as British by Marshall (1885), but probably in error as his diagnosis appears not to have been a Microgaster species in the modern sense. Papp's (Papp 1976) listing of England probably simply reflects Marshall's record, as does the listing in , and there is no evidence that this is a British or Irish species. Nixon, 1968 Distribution: England Notes: Raised from synonymy under meridiana (Papp 1999b) by Shaw (2012). Nixon, 1968 Distribution: England, Scotland Notes: distribution data from Shaw (2004) Papp, 1976; synonymy by Papp (2002) Distribution: England, Scotland Notes: Some distribution data from Papp (1976). It seems that laeviscuta has been included as a junior synonym of hospes in Fauna Europaea, with globata not referred to. Shaw (2012) notes that globata as perceived by Papp (1976) is almost certainly an aggregate. Notes: Some Ruthe names traditionally regarded as synonyms of tibialis probably do not belong here Shaw (2012).

Microgaster nigricans Nees, 1834
Notes: A species of doubtful status. Curtis (1837) listed nigricans as a British species and Papp (1976), who stated that it was known only from the male, therefore listed it as English. Nixon (1968), however, did not deal with the name. Notes: Unless noted otherwise, distribution data taken from Nixon (1970). Papp (1984) extensively revised the synonymy (as Microgaster species: unfortunately at that time Microplitis was briefly being regarded as a synonym of Microgaster, but this was subsequently rescinded by Opinion 1510 (ICZN 1988), whose conclusions are largely followed here. species of Microplitis excluded from the British and Irish list: [eremitus Reinhard, 1880] No evidence that this species has occurred in Britain or Ireland; probably listed in Shenefelt (1973) and  because Nixon (1970) reported its distribution as north-west European.  Papp (1984) but it is unclear on what basis this species was listed as British (Shaw 2012).

COMPRESSARIA Königsmann, 1959
Notes: Although Wharton (1993) noted that the type (and only included) species of Compressaria is the same species as the type of Bathystomus, he did not formally synonymise these names and the synonymy has not been picked up on by, e.g. Belokobylskij et al. (2003) and Taxapad (Yu et al. 2012). Wharton (1988b) demonstrated that Bathystomus is a valid genus but Belokobylskij et al. (2003) treated it as a synonym of Diachasma. Van Achterberg (2014) formally synonymised Compressaria and pugnatrix.  included Compressaria pugnatrix as a species of Rogadinae.

Distribution: England
Notes: Listed as British by Kloet and Hincks (1945) but omitted by . Material in NMS has been identified by van Achterberg.  (2011), Opius paradoxus Ratzeburg, 1848, sometimes treated as a valid name (synonymous with abnormis) should be regarded as invalid as it was first proposed as a synonym of abnormis; Walker and Wharton (2011) also provide some locality data.

Distribution: England
Notes: Listed as a synonym of longicornis Thomson, 1895, in Taxapad (Yu et al. 2012), regarded as a separate, valid species by van Achterberg (in prep.). Recorded as British by Fischer (1967) as longicornis but omitted by .

Distribution: England, Ireland
Notes: Listed as a synonym of pygmaeator in Taxapad (Yu et al. 2012), regarded as a separate, valid species (=latipes sensu Fischer) by van Achterberg (in prep.).