Utetes magnus (Fischer, 1958)

Taxonomic History / Nomenclature
This species was originally described as Opius magnus by Fischer (1958). It was formally transferred from Opius to Utetes by Wharton (1997). Utetes had been recognized as a subgenus of Opius by Fischer (1972), and later elevated to generic rank by Wharton (1988). However, most of the species that attack Tephritidae were not formally transferred to Utetes until 1997, after Utetes had been redefined (Wharton 1997).

Utetes sayanicus (Tobias, 1977) is a junior synonym (Fischer 1984).

Relatively recently, van Achterberg (2014) has resurrected the name ferrugator Goureau for this species. Goureau (1862) described Alysia ferrugator as a parasitoid of Rhagoletis meigeni infesting fruits of Berberis in France but his species has not been recognized since and the type has yet to be found (Wharton 1986, van Achterberg 2014). Although it is quite possible that ferrugator and magnus are the same, it seems risky without having access to Goureau’s type specimens to revive a name so long in disuse.

Remarks
For additional information, see the Utetes page.
Distribution
Native
Far East Russia (Tobias, V. I. 2000.)
Biology / Hosts
Utetes magnus has been reared from Rhagoletis infesting cherries, Berberis, and Rosa, and Anomoia purmunda (Harris) infesting Crataegus in Europe (Hoffmeister 1990, Hoffmeister 1992).
Map

There are no specimens currently determined for this OTU, or those specimens determined for this OTU are not yet mappable.