129 Euura scotonota (Förster, 1854)

Figs 117, 368–369

Nematus scotonotus Förster, 1854a: 310–311 . No type specimens found in ZSM. Type locality: Germany, Aachen.

Nematus polygoni Benson, 1961a: 228–229 . Holotype ♀ (BMNH), not examined. Type locality: Germany, Bayern, Zwiesel. Synonymy by Lindqvist (1967b).

Diagnosis

Mostly black, abdomen ventrally pale (sterna as well as terga laterally), pterostigma pale, claws with small subapical tooth to bifid, mesepisternum smooth, valvula 3 in dorsal view elongate, thin and gradually tapering.The most similar species is E. declinata, females of which have black sterna (pale in E. scotonota). The differences between males are uncertain, because no males of E. declinata have been sequenced to confirm their identity. One studied candidate male seems to have a penis valve more similar to the drawing of the penis valve of the declinata holotype (unpublished manuscript by Conde) than to E. scotonota . The valvispina is straight and broad at the base in E. declinata whereas slightly curved and narrower at the base in at least some (most?) E. scotonota, but the apparent variability in E. scotonota (Figs 368–369) makes this distinction questionable. See also differences from E. fuscodorsata under that species. Another closely related species is E. excisa (claws with small subapical tooth, mesepisternum matt).

Host plants

Bistorta officinalis .

Genetics

COI

Based on 8 specimens, maximum within-species distance is 3.04% and the nearest neighbour, diverging by a minimum of 1.29%, is Euura declinata .

Nuclear

Based on 4 specimens, maximum within-species distance is 0.38% (0.2% based on haplotypes of individual females). The nearest neighbour, diverging by a minimum of 0.71%, is Euura excisa .

Distribution and material examined

Palaearctic. Specimens studied are from Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, and Italy. Since we treat E. fuscodorsata as a distinct species (not as a synonym of E. scotonota) and because its holotype has been the only basis for recording E. scotonota from Finland or Fennoscandia in general, E. scotonota may in fact be absent in this region. Euura scotonota should be removed from the faunal list of Finland.