Chelonus mutabilis
authorNees, 1816
synonyms
body
shapeLin. 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 (5.1-5.6 mm)[N]. 5 - 6 mm [M2].
colorBlack, somewhat glossy, coarse sculpture [N].
head
shape
sculpture
colorpalpi black, mandibles with black tip [N].
antenna
shape ♀♀ with 23 (25) segments [S3]. 27 segments, hardly longer than head + mesosoma, thickened in the middle, attenuated towards the end [M2]
shape ♂gently tapered antennae [N]. Antennae setiform, same length as body, with 27 - 32 segments [M2].
color
mesosoma
shape
sculptureScutellum densely punctuated towards the tip, with an almost smooth area at the base [M2].
color
legs
shape
sculpture
colorLegs reddish, coxae dark. Trochanters basally or totally dark, hind tibiae at tip a litlle to distinctly darker. Tarsi dark, metatars reddish [N]. Coxae, often part of the femora, posterior tibias and ends of all tarsi, blackish [M2].
wings
shape
colorWings pale, stigma black [N]. Costa and parastigma are yellow [S3]. Wings brownish, paler towards the base; a whitish line below the pterostigma, which is dark brown, as well as the veins [M2].
metasoma
shape♀ Metasoma oval, base a little narrower, as long as head + mesosoma [N]. Metasoma oval, barely narrowed at the base, as long as the head and mesosoma [M2]. ♂ metasoma more elongated, cylindrical [M2].
sculptureMetasoma rugose-reticulate [N]. Rugose, reticulate, sometimes showing faint traces of both sutures [M2].
color♀ Metasomal base yellowish-brown, apex dark, colors gently overflowing, or base very dark and apex dark. Metasoma with or without yellow basal spots. ♂ dark with yellow basal spots [N]. ♂ entirely black [M2].
♀ ovipositorOvipositor hidden [N]
♂ aperture
other info
distributionDE, FR, NL [FE].
remarksSize and colors of metasoma are variable [N].
hosts
type description
12. Chelonus mutabilis.
Ch. niger, pedibus rufis, coxis (femoribusque saepius plus minusve) tibiis posticis, tarsisque omnibus apice, fuscis; abdomine ovali, basi angustiori, rugoso-reticulato; terebra recondita. Mas. Fem.
(Scutellum basi laeve, nitens, punctis paucis impresium, apice crasse punctatum.)
Synon. Sigalphus mutabilis N. ab E. Berl. Mag. VIl. p. 266. n. 23.
Long. lin. 2 1/4 — 2 1/2. Magnitudine et colore abdominis varia. Sequentes Varietates continua fere serie junguntur.
α. metasoma basi ferrugineum, apice fuscum, coloribus lenissime transeuntibus. Pedes rufi, coxis, trochanteribusque inferis fuscis, tibiis posticis apice parumper obscurioribus, tarsis fuscescentibus, articulo primo rufo.
β. Idem, vestigio puncti lutescentis ad latera abdominis, prope basin.
γ. metasoma apice late fuscum, basi piceum. Trochanteres toti picei. Tibiae posticae apice distincte fuscae.
δ. Idem, puncto laterali abdominis luteo distincto.
Mas feminae Varietati δ similis, antennis leniter attenuatis abdomineque toto nigro differt.
A sequentibus haec species distinguenda: abdomine breviore latiore, basi parum angustiori, minus convexo, annulis tribus distinctioribus diviso et pedum colore. Nigredo corporis carbonem refert, submicans. Sculptura crassa. Mandibulae apice piceae; palpi nigri. metasoma longitudine capitis thoracisque. Alae pallescentes, stigmate nigro.
Habitat in ltalia; vidi in Museo Bonelliano.
O b s e r v a t i o:
Huic forsan conferenda, quae a Rossio (Mant. 264.) ad Ichneurnonem oculatorem annotantur: „at saepe primo segmento toto flavo.“
Data used in the multi-access key
These data are collected from the species descriptions and redescriptions, from published figures and photographs and from own measureements and observations. For a description of the different variables and value classes see this
pdf.
| morphology |
| basic information | female | male |
| body length (mm): | --- | --- |
| number of antennal segments: | --- | --- |
| head, dorsal view |
| Head width : length | --- | --- |
| Temples narrowing - widening | --- | --- |
| Eye length : temple length | --- | --- |
| Roundness temple | --- | --- |
| POL : OD | --- | --- |
| Ocellar triangle shape | --- | --- |
| Excavation of head | --- | --- |
| head, lateral view |
| Head height : length | --- | --- |
| Eye height : length | --- | --- |
| Temple length : eye length | --- | --- |
| head, frontal view |
| Head width : height | --- | --- |
| Face width : height | --- | --- |
| Eyes converging ventrally | --- | --- |
| EH : MSL | --- | --- |
| Clypeus width : height | --- | --- |
| Clypeus extending above bottom of eyes | --- | --- |
| Tentorial pits | --- | --- |
| Shape of lower margin clypeus | --- | --- |
| antennae |
| Antennal shape | --- | --- |
| Segment 3 length : width | --- | --- |
| Penultimate segment length : width | --- | --- |
| Length of antenna : length of body | --- | --- |
| mesosoma, lateral view |
| Length : height | --- | --- |
| transverse carina | --- | --- |
| lateral teeth | --- | --- |
| mesosoma, ventral view |
| Prepectal carina lamelliform | --- | --- |
| legs |
| Hind femur length : width ratio | --- | --- |
| Hind tibia length : hind tarsus length ratio | --- | --- |
| Hind tibia (longest) spur length : metatars length ratio | --- | --- |
| wings |
| Vein 1-R1 length : pterostigma length | --- | --- |
| Vein r length : vein 3-SR length | --- | --- |
| Shape vein SR1 (straight / concave / convex) | --- | --- |
| S-shape vein SR1 | --- | --- |
| cell M : cell Sm2 | --- | --- |
| Pterostigma length : width ratio | --- | --- |
| Angle between radial vein (r) : vein 1-R1 | --- | --- |
| metasoma, dorsal view |
| Length : width ratio of metasoma | --- | --- |
| Shape of metasoma | --- | --- |
| metasoma, lateral view |
| Length : height ratio of metasoma | --- | --- |
| posterior : anterior height ratio of metasoma | --- | --- |
| Position of maximum height | --- | --- |
| metasoma, ventral view |
| Metasoma posteriorly curved forwards | --- | --- |
| male apical aperture |
| Aperture width : metasoma width | --- | --- |
| Aperture shape | --- | --- |
| Median process shape | --- | --- |
| sculpture |
| head |
| general coarseness | --- | --- |
| clypeus |
| coarseness punctation | --- | --- |
| density punctation | --- | --- |
| face |
| sculpture type | --- | --- |
| sculpture direction | --- | --- |
| vertex and temple |
| sculpture type | --- | --- |
| mesonotum |
| sculpture type | --- | --- |
| scutellum |
| middle | --- | --- |
| lateral | --- | --- |
| metasoma |
| base - mid sculpture | --- | --- |
| sculpture at apex | --- | --- |
| coarse / fine boundary | --- | --- |
| color |
| head |
| mandibles color pattern | --- | --- |
| palpi, lightest color | --- | --- |
| antennae |
| scapus, lightest color | --- | --- |
| segment 3 and 4, lightest color | --- | --- |
| legs |
| fore coxae lightest colour | --- | --- |
| fore femur lightest colour | --- | --- |
| fore femur color pattern | --- | --- |
| hind femur lightest colour | --- | --- |
| hind femur color pattern | --- | --- |
| hind tibia lightest colour | --- | --- |
| hind tibia color pattern | --- | --- |
| hind basitarsus lightest colour | --- | --- |
| hind tarsus segment 2-3 lightest colour | --- | --- |
| wings |
| middle veins lightest colour | --- | --- |
| basal veins lightest colour | --- | --- |
| metasoma |
| metasoma colour pattern | --- | --- |
| metasoma lightest colour | --- | --- |
| metasoma base, colour pattern | --- | --- |
| metasoma base, light spots | --- | --- |
| metasoma base, light band | --- | --- |
Chelonus mutabilis in published keys
