28. Pediobius foveolatus (Crawford, 1912)

(Fig. 25)

Pleurotropis foveolatus Crawford, 1912a: 7; ♀♂. Holotype ♀, USNM, not examined.

Mestocharis lividus Girault, 1913:142 –143; ♀♂. Syntypes, QMB, not examined. Synonymized by Bouček, 1988: 703.

Mestocharomyia lividus (Girault, 1913), Girault, 1915: 188.

Pleurotropis mediopunctata Waterston, 1915: 358 –360; ♀. Lectotype ♀, BMNH, not examined; designated by Kerrich, 1973: 124.

Pleurotropis epilachnae Rohwer, 1921: 126; ♀. Holotype ♀, USNM, not examined. Synonymized by Kerrich, 1973: 163.

Pleurotropis simiolus Takahashi, 1932: 56; ♀. Synonymized by Paik, 1991: 61 –62.

Pediobius epilachnae (Rohwer, 1921), Peck, 1963: 227.

Pediobius foveolatus mediopunctatus (Waterston, 1915), Kerrich, 1973: 124, 163. New status for Pleurotropis mediopunctata Waterston, 1915 .

Pediobius foveolatus (Crawford, 1912), Kerrich, 1973: 163.

Diagnosis. Head strongly transverse in dorsal view, 2.5–3× width of its median length (Figs 25 a, 25c). Pronotum with lateral corners prominent, obtuse-angular. Space between notaular depressions distinctly narrow (Figs 25 a, 25c). Scutellum longitudinally reticulate anteriorly, and more finely along the middle line, merging to coarser regular reticulation in about posterior third.

Material examined. China, Beijing: 1♀, Huairou, 14.VIII.1990, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Changping, Qinglongqiao, 26.IX.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Fujian: 1♀, Fuzhou, Jinshan, 17.VII.1991, coll. Nai-Quan Lin ; 1♀, Sanming, Taijiang, 28.IX.1982, coll. Yu-Qing Tang, ex. Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (Fabricius); 1♀, Longyan, Shanghang, Gutian, 18.IX.1996, coll. Hui Xiao ; 1♀, Nanping, Wuyishan, Yiliping, 20.VI.1982, coll. Ju- Chang Huang ; 1♀, Nanping, Jianyang, Huangkeng, Changjian, 12.IV.1960, coll. Gong Zuo ; Guangdong: 9♀, Guangzhou, 1988, coll. Wei-Guang Liang; 1♀, Hainan, Yingjian, 06.V.1960, coll. Xue-Guang Zhang ; Guangxi: 1♀, Napo, Pingmeng? Beidou, 10.IV.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Daxin, Xialei, 31.III.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 2♀, Longzhou, Wude, the Nonggang National Nature Reserve, 31.III.1998, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; 1♀, Fanggang, Shangsi, Nanping Yao, Changlong, 01.VI.2000, coll. Yan-Zhou Zhang ; Hainan: 1♀ 2♂, Changjiang, Bawangling, 08.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; 1♂, Sanya, Lingshui, XinAn Forest, 18.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; 1♀, Sanya, Lingshui, Diaoluo Mountains, 19.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; 10♀ 10♂, Qiongzhong, 28.III.2002, coll. Yan-Zhou Zhang ; 1♂, Wuzhishan, Commune of Wuzhi Mountain, 24.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; 2♀, Wuzhishan, Wuzhi Mountain, 26.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li ; Hubei: 2♀, Badong, 11.VIII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Hefeng, 01.VIII.1989, coll. Da-Wei Huang ; 1♀, Xuan-En, 06. VIII.1 989, coll. Da-Wei Huang; Jiangxi: 5♀, Yichun, Shanggao, Aoyang, 29.IX.1980, coll. Bao-Hua Liu, ex. Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; 16♀ 4♂, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, VII.1993, coll. Feng-Xia Zhao, ex. the larvae of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; 1♀, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, 25.VII.1993, coll. Feng-Xia Zhao, ex. Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; 2♀, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, 27.IX.1989, coll.

Guo-Hong Wang; 1♂, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, 29.IX.1989, coll. Guo-Hong Wang ; 2♀ 1♂, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, 22.X.1989, coll. Guo-Hong Wang ; 2♀ 1♂, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, 12.X.1989, coll. Guo-Hong Wang ; 2♀ 4♂, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, 10.X.1989, coll. Guo-Hong Wang ; 2♀, Nanchang, Jiangxi Agricultural University, 11.X.1989, coll. Guo-Hong Wang ; 1♀, Nanchang, Meiling, 25.VI.1980, coll. Jin-Kun Sheng, ex. Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; Jiangsu: 1♀, Zhenjiang, Dantu, Shiqiao, 18.VIII.1999, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Shanxi: 3♀ 3♂, Taiyuan, 1985, coll. Yun-Ning Zhou, ex. the pupae of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; 2♀, the Plant Protection Station of the Southeast subprovincial administrative region of Shanxi Province, 20.I.1978, ex. the pupae of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; 2♀2♂, Changzhi, Qinxian, ex. the pupae of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; 9♀9♂, Changzhi, Qinxian, 1978, coll. Ding-Xi Liao; 1♀ 1♂, Lvliang, Lishi, 1985, coll. Hui-Quan Cheng, ex. the pupae of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata; 5♀, Changzhi, Qinxian; Sichuan: 2♀, Yibin, Gongxian, 25.VIII.1980, coll. Jun-Hui Chen ; 2♂, Wanyuan, 28.VII.1980 ; 1♀, Xichang, 12.VII.1961, coll. Ding-Xi Liao ; Tibet: 1♀, Linzhi, Bomi, Tongmai, 13.VII.1997, coll. Chao-Dong Zhu ; Yunnan: 1♀, Yunnan, 10.V. 1955, coll. Bushiky; 1♀, Puer, Jingdong, 27.IV.1955, coll. Bobofu . Determined specimens compared (ANIC): 3♀, det. John La Salle; 2♀, LIBERIA, Monrovia, IX.1999, coll. I. Akintayo, ex. Epilachna sp. in rice field, det. John La Salle ; 4♀, INDONESIA, 4.I.1988, coll. W. Sumatra Solok, det. Bouček .

Biology. Pediobius foveolatus was more often recorded as a primary parasitoid, and occasionally recorded as a secondary parasitoid (Noyes 2016). In China, P. foveolatus has been recorded only from Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (Fabricius) ( Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) so far.

Distribution in China. Widely distributed in CHINA: Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangsu, Hainan, Hong Kong, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan.

Remarks. Pediobius foveolatus has been widely found in China. There is some variation in body colour and mesosoma sculpture among different populations. Most specimens have body metallic blue green, and some specimens have body dull with little metallic reflections. For Chinese specimens examined here, sometimes, MLM with reticulation coarse in anterior median part, slightly and transversely elongate in remaining part before notaular depressions, and longitudinally elongate between notaular depressions.

To some extent, P. foveolatus is similar to P. bifoveolatus (Ashmead) and P. koebelei Kamijo. These three species share similar sculpture of scutellum. However, the space between notaular depressions is quite narrow and vertex has sutures running from posterior ocelli to eyes and occipital carina in P. bifoveolatus and P. koebelei . In this regard, the latter two species appear to be closely allied to species with those sutures on vertex, like P. anomalus and P. soror (see also remarks under P. anomalus).