title: Revision of the western Palaearctic species ofAleiodesWesmael (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae). Part 1: Introduction, key to species groups, outlying distinctive species, and revisionary notes on some further species.
abstract: Seven new species of the genusAleiodesWesmael, 1838 (Braconidae: Rogadinae) are described and illustrated:Aleiodes abraxanaesp. n.,Aleiodes angustipterussp. n.,Aleiodes artesiariaesp. n.,Aleiodes carminatussp. n.,Aleiodes diarsianaesp. n.,Aleiodes leptofemursp. n., andAleiodes ryrholmisp. n.A neotype is designated for each ofAleiodes circumscriptus(Nees, 1834) andAleiodes pictus(Herrich-Schäffer, 1838), and both species are redescribed and illustrated.Aleiodes ochraceusHellén, 1927 (notAleiodes ochraceus(Curtis, 1834)) is renamed asAleiodes curticornisnom. n.&stat. rev., and redescribed and illustrated.Aleiodes bistrigatusRoman, 1917,Aleiodes nigricepsWesmael, 1838, andAleiodes reticulatus(Noskiewicz, 1956), are re-instated as valid species. A lectotype is designated forAleiodes bistrigatusRoman. An illustrated key is given to some distinctive species and the residual species groups along which further parts of an entire revision of western Palaearctic species ofAleiodesandHeterogamuswill be organised. Biology, host associations and phenology are discussed for the keyed species (in addition to the above,Aleiodes albitibia(Herrich-Schäffer, 1838),Aleiodes apiculatus(Fahringer, 1932),Aleiodes arcticus(Thomson, 1892),Aleiodes cantherius(Lyle, 1919),Aleiodes esenbeckii(Hartig, 1834),Aleiodes jakowlewi(Kokujev, 1898),Aleiodes modestus(Reinhard, 1863),Aleiodes nigricornisWesmael, 1838,Aleiodes pallidator(Thunberg, 1822),Aleiodes praetor(Reinhard, 1863),Aleiodes seriatus(Herrich- Schäffer, 1838)sensu lato,Aleiodes testaceus(Telenga, 1941),Aleiodes ungularis(Thomson, 1892), andAleiodes varius(Herrich-Schäffer, 1838)) which are dealt with in full here (with the exception ofAleiodes seriatuss.l.which is, however, included in the key). The experimental methodology covering the revision as a whole, which involves some behavioural investigation, is outlined.
authors.affiliation: Research Associate, Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Postbus 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Achterberg
authors.affiliation: Honorary Research Associate, National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, Scotland, U.K.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shaw
keywords: Aleiodes; Europe; biology; distribution; host range; phenology