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Mesopolobus dubius is a parasitoid of the family Pteromalidae. As such it parasitises many members of the gall forming family of Cynapidae such as; Andricus corruptrix sexual and agamic, A. grossulariae sexual, A. kollari sexual and agamic, A. lignicola sexual, A. quercuscalicis sexual, Biorhiza pallida sexual, Cynips divisa agamic, Neuroterus quercusbaccarum agamic and Trigonaspis megaptera sexual galls. The flight times of this wasp are from april to september with records during january, february and november.
The female measures from 1.9-2.5mm with an average of 2.1mm head and body.
The wide and heavy head is heavily reticulated and coloured a very dark metallic green bronze. The eyes are dark brown in colour with a paler rim and the ocelli are red brown. The antennae are brassy and tapered with a darker club. The scape is long, deep and yellow and pedicel is also long. There 3 rings and 5 funicular segments but they are difficult to count.
The thorax is dark metallic green bronze with some golden tints. No notaulices. The tegulae are testaceuous and lead to the wings which are clear with pale yellow hairs and veins and long stigmal and post marginal veins. The legs have metallic coxae with the remainder a mid brown yellow with 5 tarsel segments.
The gaster (abdomen) is a glossy metallic green golden brown and is wide and flat. The ovipositor sheaths are not visable.
The male measures 1.4-1.8mm averaging out at 1.7mm
The wide and heavy head is reticulated and a metallic green bronze in colour. The eyes are neutral brown. The antennae have 3 rings and 5 funicular segments that are pale yellow, apart from segments 2 and 3 which are brown, and a very pale scape with a long brown pedicel.
The thorax is metallic green with no notaulices. The tegulae are testaceous and lead to the wings which are clear with mid yellow hairs and veins and a long stigmal vein with a small stigma and a long post marginal vein. The legs have metallic coxae, with the rest being a pale yellow with dark claws. The middle tibia is enlarged and there are 5 tarsel segments.
The gaster is narrow from the side and wide from above. It is metallic green at the front followed with a yellow band across the middle and the remainder being a brown.
More detailed descriptions and identification keys are available from Robin Williams at the British Plant Gall Society.
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