Pycnobraconoides (Braconidae: Braconinae)
Workbook
These squat little braconids with the wide, black head, short ovipositor and dark wings are perhaps the most visibly common in the forest. We regularly see them flying amongst low vegetation, including during the cooler months. Having spent last week identifying a very different, and less commonly seen braconid (Vipiellus), I was keen to see if I could put a name to these ones too.
Collection ID: 2310A & 2310B. Collected 1st October, 2023. Imaged within 4 days of collection.
Pycnobraconoides
Several obvious, distinguishing features
Matches the original description of the genus Pycnobraconoides (Quicke & Ingram, 1993). Of particular note – and recognisable in field photos! …
ivory-white mandibles (only darkened at the tip)
very transverse head shape
metasoma short (‘robust’)
ovipositor relatively short
On this basis alone, I think I’ll be able to call many of our earlier field photos to genus.
Extracted from page 320:
Quicke, D.L.J & Ingram, S.N. 1993. Braconine wasps of Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 33(1): 299-336
Details
As confirmation, the wasps are a near-perfect match with the full genus description. Compare the details in the extract with the annotated images below.
So, which species? Perhaps P. mutator … perhaps.
AFD currently lists just two species: P. froggattii (Cameron, 1911), & P. mutator (Fabricius, 1775). Both were included in the generic description (Quicke & Ingram, 1993).
There are several records of Pycnobraconoides on BOLD, and the only species-level assignment is P. mutator. One of these specimens seems a match in colour and overall shape (link), although finer structural details are not shown for the BOLD specimens.
So it may well be P. mutator. It doesn’t seem a match for P. froggattii, in which the pro- and mesothorax are black (only the scutellum red). However, without a closer look or better description of P. mutator, I’m not confident to call it to species level.
Here are a few extra shots, including images of the second individual (2310B)
References
Quicke, D.L.J. 1987. The Old World genera of braconine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Journal of Natural History, 21(1): 43-157.
Quicke, D.L.J. & Ingram, S.N. 1993. Braconine wasps of Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 33(1): 299-336 (link to paper on Biodiversity Heritage Library)
van Achterberg, C. 1988. Revision of the subfamily Blacinae Foerster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). Zoologische Verhandelingen, 249 (1): 1-324
van Achterberg, C. 1993. Illustrated key to the subfamilies of the Braconidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea). Zoologische Verhandeligen, 283: 1-189 link via Research Gate
This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.