PTEROMALIDAE OF N.W. EUROPE 675 



Mesopolobus fuscipes (Walker) 

 (Text-fig. 531) 



Amblymerus fuscipes Walker, 1834 : 346, $. 

 Amblymerus humilis Walker, 1834 : 346, $. 

 Cinips luteicornis Fonscolombe, 1840 : 189, $, syn. n. 

 Platymesopus Erichsonii Ratzeburg, 1844a : 206, $. 

 ? Baeoponerus aeneus Masi, 1924a : 223-225, $. 

 Platymesopus fuscipes (Walker) Graham, 1957^ : 22 4- 

 Mesopolobus fuscipes (Walker) v. Rosen, 1958 : 222, 6* $. 

 Mesopolobus fuscipes (Walker) ; v. Rosen, 1960a : 25-26. 



Type material. For synonymy and designation of lectotypes of Walker species, 

 see Graham (1957^ : 224). 



Cinips luteicornis Fonscolombe. No material found. From the description and 

 biology I consider that it must have been the same as Mesopolobus fuscipes. 



Baeoponerus aeneus Masi. Holotype % Italy, Isle of Giglio, iv.1900, in Museo 

 Civico di Storia naturale, Genoa, not seen by the writer ; from the description it 

 would appear to be very near or identical with Mesopolobus fuscipes. 



Mesopolobus fuscipes has been redescribed by von Rosen (1958 : 222). 



Widely distributed in Europe. 



Biology. Reared from various Cynipid galls, especially of Neuroterus spp., 

 Andricus spp., Cynips longiventris Hartig and C. quercusfolii L. ; early bud-galls 

 are most heavily attacked (see Askew, 1961& : 165-166, for host-list and detailed 

 biological observations). Univoltine : Apr.- July, with females overwintering as 

 adults outside the galls. According to Askew (19616 : 165) females pass the winter 

 chiefly in twigs and debris on the boles of Quercus, and not amongst the foliage of 

 coniferous trees ; I have, however, occasionally found them on the latter. 



Mesopolobus xanthocerus (Thomson) 



Eutelus xanthocerus (Dalman MS.) Thomson, 1878 : 72, o* $. 

 Platymesopus xanthocerus (Thomson) Graham, 19570" : 225. 

 Mesopolobus xanthocerus (Thomson) v. Rosen, 1958 : 222, o* ?• 

 Mesopolobus xanthocerus (Thomson) ; v. Rosen, 1960a : 39. 



Type material. Lectotype <$ in Universitetets Zoologiska Institution, Lund, 

 selected by Graham (1957^ : 225). 



Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Moldavian S.S.R., and probably more 

 widely distributed in Europe. 



Biology. Reared from the galls of various Cynipids on Quercus, especially those 

 forming catkin-galls and early bud-galls (see Askew, 1961& : 169). Apparently 

 univoltine, most imagines recorded in July and August ; females then overwinter 

 amongst the foliage of coniferous trees. 



