taxonID	type	description	language	source
9B215D01FF21057FC50EFC9EFC109F22.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis The genus Illidops can be defined at present by its posterior smooth band of the scutellum interrupted centrally by a sculptured area (Fig. 2 A – E; although in very few species the sculpture is very weak, mostly limited to a small area on the anterior margin of the mesoscutellar bar or only consists of punctures, Fig. 2 F – I); fore wing with vein R 1 shorter than pterostigma (~ 0.3 – 0.9 × (e. g., Figs 6 G, 10 F, 12 F, 20 F), with the exception of I. kostylevi (Kotenko, 1986) having R 1 as long as the pterostigma (Fig. 25 E )), although a few species in the morphologically similar genera Apanteles, Dolichogenidea and Rhygoplitis share this character; propodeum usually strongly sculptured, sculpture mostly reticulate (e. g., Figs 6 E, 12 D, 31 D 48 E, 52 D; although a few species may have a median, longitudinal carina in addition to the reticulate sculpture (Figs 36 A – D, 53 C) and some other species may have variously reduced sculpture (e. g., Figs 10 E, 25 D, 26 D, 38 C, 56 E, 58 D, 61 D), in extreme cases having an almost entirely smooth propodeum (Figs 19 D, 22 C )); hind wing with entirely setose vannal lobe (in most species, e. g., Figs 33 F, 50 H); eyes convergent, at times strongly (Fig. 3 A – B; but many species just very slightly convergent (Fig. 3 C) or with parallel eyes (Fig. 3 D )); T 3 – T 7 medially desclerotized and seemingly pushed forwards (e. g., Figs 6 F, 12 E, 14 E, 28 E; although some species do not have this feature and some species in the morphologically similar genera Apanteles, Dolichogenidea and Rhygoplitis share this character).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF21057FC50EFC9EFC109F22.taxon	discussion	Remarks Knowledge on the potential monophyly of Illidops or its relationship towards the morphologically similar genera Rhygoplitis, Napamus, Apanteles and Dolichogenidea is poor. Phylogenetic relationships among microgastrine genera have so far proved largely intractable both using morphology or molecular methods (or a combination of both), possibly a result of rapid ancient radiation (Banks & Whitfield 2006; Whitfield & Kjer 2008; Whitfield et al. 2018). Analyses of phylogenetic relationships of microgastrine wasps either did not include species of Illidops (Mardulyn & Whitfield 1999; Whitfield et al. 2002; Banks & Whitfield 2006) or had very limited sampling of Illidops and closely related genera (Abdoli et al. 2024). All species treated here are part of a taxon that Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020) considered the Apanteles group, an informal grouping of 26 genera that includes most, but not all of the Apantelini + Microgastrini tribes sensu Mason (1981). This Apanteles group is characterized by having mostly setose and relatively long ovipositor sheaths and the hypopygium with the ventral margin flexible and pleated. Within the Apanteles group, Illidops is part of a larger subgroup defined by the lack of a closed fore wing areolet. The genus Illidops was erected by Mason (1981) with I. butalidis (Marshall, 1889) as the type species of the genus. Mason’s concept of Illidops upon description of the genus included three described species: A. butalidis (the type), A. szaboi Papp, 1972 (currently a junior synonym of I. mutabilis (Telenga, 1955 )), and A. urgo Nixon, 1965. He based his concept on Nixon’s concept of his butalidis - group; however, he did not include a large number of the species which Nixon (1965) previously had included: A. dion Nixon, 1965 (now a junior synonym of I. suevus (Reinhard, 1880 )), A. electilis (Tobias, 1964), A. sophrosine (Nixon, 1976), A. contortus Tobias, 1964 (now a junior synonym of I. naso (Marshall, 1885 )), A. cloelia (Nixon, 1965), and A. evander Nixon, 1965 (now a junior synonym of I. naso). This discrepancy may be explained by the limited access that Mason may have had to types and other specimens from the Palearctic, which is lamented by Tobias & Kotenko (1986), who did not accept his subdivision of Apanteles in their key. Papp (1988) later integrated more Palearctic species into Illidops by adding species which he and Nixon had previously included in their butalidis - (Nixon 1965, 1976; Papp 1981), suevus - (Papp 1984) and vipio (Papp 1981) groups. Papp himself describes his homologization of European species groups with Mason’s genera as a first step “ bearing the errors and misunderstandings of a first endeavour ” (Papp 1988: 146). Fernandez-Triana et al. (2014 b) provided an updated diagnosis for the genus, first including the character of the “ band of rugosity centrally on the posterior edge of the scutellar disc ”, which was more or less repeated by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). Two species were subsequently transferred to other genera, but most of the species remain in Illidops. Apanteles biroicus Papp, 1973 was transferred back to Apanteles by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020), and Napamus vipio (Reinhard, 1880) became the type of the genus Napamus, described by Papp (1993). The characters defining the genus were re-examined by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2014 b) who noted that the lower margin of the eyes converging and metasomal terga 3 – 7 weakly sclerotized were absent in several species; they proposed a modified definition of Illidops that focused on the “ band of rugosity centrally on the posterior edge of the scutellar disc ”, shortened fore wing vein R 1 and propodeum fully sculptured but without areola (instead, with a series of short carinae medially on the posterior 0.2 – 0.3 of the propodeum near the nucha). The previous definitions by Mason (1981) and Fernandez-Triana et al. (2014 b) were more or less repeated and combined in the world checklist of microgastrine wasps (Fernandez-Triana et al. 2020: 39). For the present study, we had access to many additional specimens and species, including types and photos of types of several species which had neither been studied by Mason nor by Fernandez-Triana. Our study of those specimens suggests that the definition of Illidops is more complicated than anticipated, even if only restricted to Holarctic species. The main challenge was that we found more variation in the sculptured area interrupting the posterior smooth band of the scutellum centrally than described by previous authors and some species lacking it completely or almost completely. The degree of convergence of the lower margins of the eyes also varies amongst species of Illidops and in some the eyes do not converge. Both characters and their shortcomings are detailed more in a separate section below. Some species of Illidops are hence difficult to clearly place as they combine a set of features characteristic of other genera, e. g., Dolichogenidea (cosmopolitan), Rhygoplitis (NEA, NEO), and Napamus (PAL). The separation of these four genera can be challenging for some species. Table 1 provides a comparison between these genera. Napamus (a genus currently with only two described species) lacks most of the key characters present in Illidops and the two genera should almost always be easily distinguished (Ghafouri Moghaddam et al. 2021). Rhygoplitis has some features that resemble some species of Illidops, e. g., fore wing R 1 short, sculptured area interrupting the posterior smooth band of the scutellum centrally, and propodeum coarsely sculptured and with a median, longitudinal carina (Mason 1981; Whitfield 1997). Additionally, the few DNA barcodes available for Rhygoplitis tend to cluster with sequences of Illidops in NJ analyses. Rhygoplitis has rather strongly defined notauli and the overall body sculpture very coarse; it is also a genus so far only known from the Neotropics and the Nearctic (mostly southern areas). The vast majority of species of Dolichogenidea can easily be distinguished from Illidops because all of its species have an entirely smooth band posterior to the scutellum; also the propodeum is very rarely strongly sculptured and, when sculptured, usually not in the common patterns found in Illidops. These two genera usually cluster far apart in NJ topologies of Microgastrinae (e. g., Smith et al. 2013), although the definition of Dolichogenidea is far from resolved (see Mason 1981; Fernandez-Triana et al. 2014 b; 2020). However, a few species of Illidops that we have examined as part of this study have a very weak (sometimes almost absent) sculptured area interrupting the posterior smooth band of the scutellum centrally, and in those species the propodeum is also not strongly sculptured (it is either entirely to mostly smooth or at least smooth on the anterior half of the propodeum). Those few species strongly resemble Dolichogenidea – although their sequences still tend to cluster with more ‘ typical’ Illidops in NJ analyses. Nevertheless, these species with an almost entirely smooth band posterior to the scutellum and smooth propodeum challenge the concept of Illidops and it may be found in the future that they are better placed in a different genus. This concerns especially I. bellicosus (Papp, 1977) and I. perseveratus (Papp, 1977). Illidops suevu s also has the posterior band of the scutellum almost entirely smooth but has a strongly sculptured propodeum. For this paper we decided to include them in Illidops based on the short vein R 1, elongate mouthparts and (in the case of I. suevus) the clustering of their sequences. Shortcomings of some characters used for the identification of Illidops Mason, 1981 Area of rugosity posterior to the scutellum The character “ posteriomedian band of rugosity ” refers to an area of rugosity posterior to the smooth, at most punctate scutellum and was introduced for Illidops by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). Nixon refers to this as “ posterior polished band of scutellum interrupted at middle by small patch of rugosity ” (Nixon 1976: 709). After examining many species of Illidops, we prefer to refer to this as “ posterior smooth band of the scutellum more or less interrupted centrally by sculptured area ”. This may range from a clearly visible area of rugosity centrally posterior to the scutellum which also invades the smooth band posterolaterally, such as in I. scutellaris (Muesebeck, 1921) and I. cf. naso (Fig. 2 A – B), to a somewhat intermediate state in which the sculpture may be an area of rugosity or punctation which is restricted only to the central part posterior to the scutellum, as in I. cf. mutabilis (Telenga, 1955), I. butalidis, and I. splendidus (Papp, 1974) (Fig. 2 D – F). In other species, the sculpture does not reach the posterior half of the smooth band entirely, but it seems that the sculpture and punctation of the scutellum invade the smooth posterior band slightly anteriorly, such as in I. doreenae Höcherl & Fernandez-Triana sp. nov., I. oroseira Höcherl & Fernandez-Triana sp. nov. and I. suevus (Fig. 2 F – G). This is clearly different from the very smooth area posterior to the scutellum present in many other genera, such as Apanteles (Fig. 2 H). However, this character can also vary within a single species and barcoding cluster (MOTU), as is the case in I. oroseira. It is also difficult to observe in some species, such as I. suevus. The character is not always clear-cut and does not separate Illidops from other genera alone, although it is not present in other closely related genera which may potentially be confused with Illidops, such as Apanteles, Dolichogenidea, Napamus and Rhygoplitis. Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020) transferred Apanteles biroicus from Illidops to Apanteles based on the lack of the sculptured area centrally interrupting the posterior smooth band of the scutellum and the different propodeum sculpture compared to other members Illidops; in light of our findings, this species may need to be reassessed in the future. Eyes converging towards lower margin of the face Several authors who published on the butalidis- group used the degree of convergence of the eyes towards the lower margin of the face as a character in their keys (Nixon 1976; Papp 1981; Tobias & Kotenko 1986). This character varies among the species of Illidops, some clearly show strongly converging inner margins of the eyes, in which case the minimum face width is less than 0.85 × the upper face width. This includes species such as I. butalidis (Fig. 3 A), I. splendidus, I. terrestris Wharton, 1983, I. toreicus Kotenko, 2007, I. urgo (Nixon, 1965), I. urgens Kotenko, 2004, I. naso, and I. vitobiasi Kotenko, 2004 (Fig. 3 B). In these cases, the eyes can also appear somewhat bulging, especially on the lower part of the head. In other cases, the eyes are only slightly converging with the minimum face width measuring ~ 0.85 – 0.95 × the upper face width (Fig. 3 C). This includes species such as I. buteonis (Kotenko, 1986), I. cloelia, I. dauricus Kotenko, 2007, I. kostjuki (Kotenko, 1986), and I. subversor. Species with almost parallel inner eye margins have a minimum face width of ~ 0.95 – 1.05 × the upper face width (Fig. 3 D). This includes species such as I. blandus (Tobias & Kotenko, 1986), I. suevus, and I. suffectus (Tobias & Kotenko, 1986). For practical reasons and for measuring the degree of convergence of the eyes, it appears useful to us to compare the upper face width to the minimum face width rather than lower face width, which in many cases can be done as a proxy for lower face width as the result will be the same. In addition to challenges in measuring this character, it is a continuous character with no discrete values, and can hence not really be categorized in a meaningful way. It can only be used for species which are significantly different and such comparisons should always include a measurement of the face width of the species. We are using the character here, with the above reservations, as it has proven useful in the past. For this character in our key, we will use the terminology as detailed above: strongly converging = minimum face width <0.85 × upper face width; slightly converging = minimum face width ~ 0.85 – 0.95 × upper face width; not converging = minimum face width ~ 0.95 – 1.05 × upper face width. Triangle delimited by the ocelli Another character frequently used to distinguish species of Illidops is the shape of the triangle formed by the ocelli. The triangle can be either ‘ obtuse’ / ’ very low’, ‘ less low’ or ‘ high’, which is measured by whether an imaginary tangent posterior to the anterior ocellus crosses the posterior ocelli (illustrated in Fig. 1). If the tangent crosses the posterior ocelli, the triangle is obtuse / very low, such is the case in I. blandus and I. mutabilis (Fig. 4 A), and according to Tobias & Kotenko (1986) also in I. rostratus (Tobias, 1976). If the tangent does not touch the posterior ocelli the triangle is high, such as in I. vitobiasi (Fig. 4 D), I. buteonis, I. cloelia, I. suevus, and more. Some species exhibit an intermediate state which is difficult to interpret and in which the tangent touches the posterior ocelli, such as in I. toreicus and I. subversor (Tobias & Kotenko, 1986) (Fig. 4 B – C), forming a higher triangle. This is also influenced by the size of the ocelli (ocelli diameter = OD), which can vary as well (Fig. 4 C – D). Shape of tergite 2 The shape of T 2 has been variously interpreted in historical references. Nixon used it in his 1976 key to distinguish between I. cloelia and A. evander (now a junior synonym of I. naso). Nixon refers to the acuteness of the posterolateral angles in couplet 8 as follows: “ almost right-angled ” for I. cloelia (Fig. 16 E) and “ acutely drawn out ” (Nixon 1976: 709) for A. evander / I. naso (Fig. 5 A – D). Kotenko uses this character in his 2007 key to distinguish I. dauricus and I. kostjuki from I. naso and I. assimilis (Papp, 1976). He uses two characteristics regarding the shape of T 2: 1) how much T 2 narrows towards the base (“ less narrowed ” in I. dauricus and I. kostjuki (Fig. 5 E – F) and “ more narrowed ” in I. naso and I. assimilis (Fig. 5 A – D, 7 E )) and 2) the shape of the posterolateral angles (“ almost straight ” in I. dauricus and I. kostjuki (Fig. 5 E – F) and “ distinctly drawn into points ” (Kotenko 2007: 179) in I. naso and I. assimilis (Figs 5 A – D, 7 E )). We found the posterolateral angles rather difficult to interpret and even observed bilateral variation in some specimens (Fig. 5 C – D). The varyingly sinuate posterior margin of T 2 also adds to this and we are not sure if this character can be reliably used to distinguish species of Illidops; it might need to be re-evaluated. The interpretation of the anterior margin in I. kostjuki and I. dauricus is complicated by anterolateral smooth sclerotized protrusions of the median field with pointed corners which make it difficult to observe the exact limits of the anterior margin of T 2.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF21057FC50EFC9EFC109F22.taxon	description	16. Fore wing vein R 1 very short, <0.5 × pterostigma length .............................................................. 17 – Fore wing vein R 1 longer, clearly> 0.6 × pterostigma length ........................................................ 18 17. Ovipositor sheaths shorter than metatibia; T 1 broad, parallel-sided up to posterior 0.3, only slightly narrowing posteriorly afterwards; T 1 posterior width about 2 × T 2 length; 1 st antennal flagellomere pale, contrasting with remaining darker flagellomeres (Fig. 9; Mongolia) ............................................................................................. I. bellicosus (Papp, 1977) ** – Ovipositor sheaths longer than metatibia; T 1 gradually narrowing towards posterior margin; T 1 posterior width <2 × T 2 length; antennal flagellomeres not contrasting (Fig. 37; Mongolia) ......................................................................................... I. perseveratus (Papp, 1977) ** 18. Pterostigma with comparatively large pale spot at base (brownish-yellow on anterior 0.2), rest of pterostigma brown; clypeus slightly lighter than face; eyes strongly converging, lower face width ~ 0.8 × upper face width (Figs 22 – 23; Croatia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia (S), Serbia, Tunisia) ................................................................................................ I. electilis (Tobias, 1964) *** – Pterostigma entirely to mostly dark brown, at most with small, faint, pale spot at base; clypeus same color as face; eyes are at most slightly drawn close together, lower face width ~ 0.9 × upper face width (Fig. 25; Russia (ROS), Ukraine) ................................................... I. kostylevi (Kotenko, 1986) *** 19. Eyes drawn very close together downwards, lower face width <0.85 × upper face width (compare Fig. 3 A – B); malar distance very short (Figs 6 A, 12 B, 14 B, 44 B, 54 B) ......................................... 20 – Eyes not drawn close together or only slightly drawn downwards, lower face width> 0.86 × upper face width (compare Fig. 3 C – D); malar distance usually longer ................................................... 23 20. T 1 strongly narrowing towards posterior margin (anterior margin width 2 × posterior margin width); T 2 more or less trapezoidal in shape, T 2 width at posterior margin more than 3.0 × its width at anterior margin (Figs 54 – 55; NEA: USA (CA, FL, GA, TX )) ......... I. terrestris Wharton, 1983 *** – T 1 more or less barrel-shaped or parallel-sided, anterior margin about same width as posterior margin width; T 2 not trapezoidal in shape, either subquadrate or transverse, T 2 width at posterior at most 2.0 × its width at anterior margin (usually much less) .................................................................... 21 21. T 1 comparatively narrower and longer, its length more than 1.5 × its maximum width; T 2 almost as long as T 3; face comparatively narrow, its maximum width approximately equal to its height; BOLD: ACQ 9731, BOLD: AEL 7562, BOLD: AEI 6389 (Figs 12, 14; widely distributed in the Palearctic) ....................................................................................... I. butalidis (Marshall, 1889) *** – T 1 comparatively wider and shorter, its length 1.2 – 1.3 × its maximum width; T 2 much shorter than T 3; face comparatively wider, its maximum width much greater than its height ........................... 22 22. Pterostigma mostly brown, with pale spot at anterior 0.3; metafemur dark brown, contrasting with mostly light, yellow-brown metatibia (metatibia only with dark spot on posterior 0.2); anteromesoscutum smooth, somewhat shiny, with punctation rather fine; BOLD: AEJ 7519 (Fig. 44; Germany, Hungary, Russia (C )) ......................................................... I. splendidus (Papp, 1974) *** – Pterostigma very pale, mostly yellow-white, with thin brown margins; metafemur dark reddish-brown, same color as metatibia; anteromesoscutum matte, with coarse and deep punctures; BOLD: AAD 8583 (Fig. 6; Egypt, AFR: United Arab Emirates, Yemen) .................................................. I. albostigmalis van Achterberg & Fernandez-Triana, 2017 23. Metafemur lighter, reddish-yellow; AND all of the following characters: eyes slightly converging; antennae as long as body, preapical segment elongate; mesonotum densely punctate, almost matte; tegulae blackish; pterostigma brown with large pale spot from base to beyond middle; T 1 comparatively wide, its length slightly more than its maximum width; ovipositor sheaths slightly shorter than metatibia; rather small, body length 1.9 – 2.2 mm (Kazakhstan, Russia (S )) ................................................................................. I. nigritegula (Tobias & Kotenko, 1986) ** – Metafemur darker, black or dark brown; IF rarely (I. assimilis) metafemur reddish-yellow, THEN remaining characters not as above .................................................................................................. 24 24. Head in frontal view elongate, malar distance 1.5 × as long as basal width of mandible; AND most of metasoma dorsally orange-yellow, contrasting with darker T 1 (Fig. 8; Spain) ..................................................................................... I. barcinonensis (Marshall, 1898) *** – Head in frontal view not as elongate, malar distance less than 1.5 × as long as basal width of mandible; metasoma dorsally entirely dark brown to black ........................................................... 25 25. Profemur (except for anterior 0.2 or less) light brown to yellow and all tibiae yellow (Figs 7 D, 38 B); AND ovipositor sheaths clearly shorter than metatibia .................................................................. 26 – All femora (except for posterior half of profemur) and all tibiae (usually) dark brown to black; ovipositor sheaths of variable length .............................................................................................. 27 26. Pterostigma with pale basal spot; metafemur mostly brown; maxillary palps mostly pale (yellow-white); BOLD: AAA 8769 (Figs 38 – 40; species very widely distributed in AUS, NEA, NEO, PAL) ......................................................................................... I. scutellaris (Muesebeck, 1921) *** – Pterostigma entirely dark brown; metafemur mostly pale (yellow); maxillary palps mostly brown (Fig. 7; Mongolia) ................................................................................... I. assimilis (Papp, 1976) ** 27. Ovipositor sheaths clearly shorter than metatibia (~ 0.8 ×); T 1 usually shorter and parallel-sided, barely narrowing posteriorly ........................................................................................................... 28 – Ovipositor sheaths about same length as metatibia (~ 0.9 – 1.1 ×); T 1 usually more elongate, barrel-shaped ............................................................................................................................................. 30 28. Metatibia entirely dark; BOLD: AEO 8223 (Fig. 16; species widely distributed in the Palearctic) ................................................................................................ I. cloelia (Nixon, 1965) ** – Metatibia yellow with some infuscation on apical third ................................................................. 29 29. Glossa distinctly elongate; clypeus light / brown, contrasting with entirely black face; T 1 narrowing; anteromesoscutum with deep, dense punctation, matte; fore wing vein 1 M entirely pale; BOLD: AAC 7888 (Figs 45 – 46; NEA: Canada (YT )) ......................................................................... .............................................................. I. stefanschmidti Höcherl & Fernandez-Triana sp. nov. *** – Glossa not distinctly elongate; clypeus dark, same color as face; T 1 barrel-shaped; anteromesoscutum with shallow punctation, shiny; fore wing vein 1 M dark in basal 0.5 (Fig. 24; Russia (ALT )) ......... .......................................................................................................... I. kostjuki (Kotenko, 1986) *** 30. Eyes comparatively large, laterally width of eye> 2 × as long as width of gena laterally (compare Fig. 41 A – H); head in dorsal view distinctly wider than mesoscutum; T 1 slightly narrowing posteriorly, 1.4 – 1.5 × as long as its maximum width; ovipositor sheaths about same length as metatibia; body length 2.8 – 3.0. mm (Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Russia (ZAB, PRI )) .. I. sophrosine (Nixon, 1976) * – Eyes comparatively smaller, laterally width of eye no more than 2 × length of gena width laterally (compare Fig. 41 I – L) (from here tentative key to the morphologically cryptic species of the I. naso complex, based on characters employed by previous authors. We noticed that some of these characters are variable and therefore might be insufficient to differentiate between these four species.) ...... 31 31. T 1 and T 2 almost smooth, only very lightly rugose; maxillary palps light brown to yellow; fore wing vein C light brown to yellow basally (Fig. 15; Russia (S), Ukraine) ................................................. ...................................................................................................... I. buteonis (Kotenko, 1986) (***) – T 1 and T 2 rugose; maxillary palps brown; fore wing vein C brown basally ................................. 32 32. Found in Far East Russia (type series from Transbaikal territory); median field of 2 nd abdominal tergite less narrowed towards base, posterolateral angles almost straight (Fig. 17; Russia (ZAB )) ............................................................................................ I. dauricus Kotenko, 2007 (***) – Widespread in Holarctic, mostly recorded from western Palearctic (holotype from United Kingdom); median field of 2 nd abdominal tergite more narrowed towards base, posterolateral angles distinctly drawn into points (Fig. 29; widely distributed in the Palearctic) ............. I. naso (Marshall, 1885) * Treatment of Holarctic species of Illidops Mason, 1981	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF2B0561C6E1FA3BFCD29E24.taxon	description	Fig. 6	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF2B0561C6E1FA3BFCD29E24.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype YEMEN – Lahj • ♀; Lahij; Feb. 2001; A. van Harten and A. Sallam leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Sample ID: WAM 0210; RMNH, RMNH’ 02. Other material examined EGYPT – Qalyubia • 1 ♀; El-Obour District; 30.247 ° N, 31.545 ° E; 118 m a. s. l.; 1 Oct. 2019; S. Zalat leg.; BOLD Process ID: GMEEO 138 - 21; CBG, BIOUG 68113 - A 11. Species concept Our species concept is based on our observations of the type material and the information in Fernandez-Triana & Achterberg (2017) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF2B0561C6E1FA3BFCD29E24.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Crambidae: Prophantis sp. Two male specimens from Yemen (Hammam ‘ Ali) were reared ex Prophantis sp. (Crambidae), labelled ‘ coffee berry moth’. These specimens are not included in the type series.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF2B0561C6E1FA3BFCD29E24.taxon	distribution	Distribution AFR: United Arab Emirates, Yemen; PAL: Egypt. Molecular data BOLD: AAD 8583.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF2B0561C6E1FA3BFCD29E24.taxon	discussion	Remarks Thus far this species was known only from the Afrotropical region, but bordering the Palearctic. With a public record in the BIN associated with I. albostigmalis van Achterberg & Fernandez-Triana, 2017 from Egypt (accessible from https: // v 4. boldsystems. org / index. php / Public _ RecordView? processid = GMEEO 138 - 21) and private data from other Palearctic countries, the distribution range clearly reaches into the Palearctic region. BIN BOLD: AAD 8583 also includes sequences linked to specimens from Israel, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa, so the species is likely more widely distributed than currently known. However, this includes private data. This species has been reared from Prophantis sp. (Crambidae), labeled as ‘ coffee berry moth’ (Fernandez-Triana & van Achterberg 2017).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF350562C515FB31FEA39B21.taxon	description	Fig. 7	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF350562C515FB31FEA39B21.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype MONGOLIA – Dundgovi Province • ♀; “ Mittelgobi aimak ”, Delgertsogt District, 20 km S of Delgercogt; [45.9 ° N, 106.3 ° E]; 1480 m a. s. l.; 13 – 14 Jul. 1967; no. 915; HNHM. Species concept Our species concept is based on habitus photos of the holotype and available literature, such as Papp (1976, 1986) and Kotenko (2007) → **.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF350562C515FB31FEA39B21.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF350562C515FB31FEA39B21.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Mongolia. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF350562C515FB31FEA39B21.taxon	discussion	Remarks The holotype seems to be partially damaged and part of the hypopygium and ovipositor sheaths are missing.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370563C550FE97FA9E9F31.taxon	description	Fig. 8	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370563C550FE97FA9E9F31.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype SPAIN – Barcelona • ♀; Barcelona, Vallvidrera “ Vallvidriera ”; [41.4 ° N, 2.0 ° E]; 2 May 1895; A. Cabrera leg.; MNCN. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of the holotype and the information in Papp (1986, 1988) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370563C550FE97FA9E9F31.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370563C550FE97FA9E9F31.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Spain. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370563C550FE97FA9E9F31.taxon	discussion	Remarks Apanteles rhamphus was synonymized under Illidops barcinonensis (Marshall, 1898) by Papp (1986) as part of his redescription of I. barcinonensis; the lectotype is deposited at MNCN. However, these species were both only known from a single specimen of the opposite sex, I. barcinonensis from a single female and A. rhamphus from a single male specimen. We observed that some species and barcoding clusters of Illidops show significant sexual dimorphism (more detailed information in the section on I. suevus) and have doubts about the synonymy of these names, which we currently cannot investigate further.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370566C520FA3DFC939951.taxon	description	Fig. 9	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370566C520FA3DFC939951.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype (photos examined) MONGOLIA – Ömnögovi Province • ♀; “ Südgobi aimak ”, Bayandalai District, 14 km SE of Somon Bajandalaj; 1450 m a. s. l.; 15 Jun. 1967; no. 803; HNHM; typ. no. 2394. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of habitus photos of the holotype and the information available in Papp (1977, 1981), and Kotenko (2007) → **.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370566C520FA3DFC939951.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370566C520FA3DFC939951.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Mongolia. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF370566C520FA3DFC939951.taxon	discussion	Remarks The holotype of this species shows a distinct contrast in antenna coloration with the antenna being mostly darker brown to black but the first flagellomere being entirely light brown to yellow (“ pale ”). However, the starker contrast may potentially be an artifact of long preservation as Papp described the following: “ Antenna brown to blackish, first flagellar joint more or less reddish ” (Papp 1977: 223). Illidops bellicosus (Papp, 1977) is one of the species which challenge our concept of Illidops with its entirely smooth propodeum. However, it has a very short fore wing vein R 1 and based on the information available to us we could not draw any conclusions.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF320566C567FCDDFDC29D44.taxon	description	Fig. 10	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF320566C567FCDDFDC29D44.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype TAJIKISTAN – Khatlon Region • ♀; vicinity of Külob [Kulyab]; 37.91 ° N, 69.78 ° E; 580 m a. s. l.; 18 Jul. 1933; Popov leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Tobias & Kotenko (1986). In addition to that, the species is morphologically very distinct and unlikely to be confused → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF320566C567FCDDFDC29D44.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF320566C567FCDDFDC29D44.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Tajikistan. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF320566C567FCDDFDC29D44.taxon	discussion	Remarks This is one of the species which challenge the concept of Illidops. Transferred to Illidops (likely by Kotenko) in Zerova et al. (2006).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF3C0569C533FE97FD619E25.taxon	description	Figs 2 D, 11 – 14; Table 2	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF3C0569C533FE97FD619E25.taxon	materials_examined	Other material examined UNITED KINGDOM – England • 1 ♂; Dorset, Portland Bill; 8 May 1939 (coll.), 28 May 1939 (em.); ex. Scythris senescens; R. L. E. Ford leg.; D. S. Wilkinson det.; CNC, CNCHYM 01524 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; CNC, CNCHYM 01525. GERMANY – Bavaria • 1 ♀; Ruhpolding, Fischbach; 47.709 ° N, 12.657 ° E; 720 m a. s. l.; 4 – 19 Jul. 2016; D. Doczkal and J. Voith leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dv. fiba 2.05; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 33167 - H 07 • 1 ♀; same locality as for preceding; 2 – 16 Aug. 2016; D. Doczkal and J. Voith leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dv. fiba 2.07; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 33168 - B 07 • 1 ♀; Eussenheim-Aschfeld, Ammerfeld; 50.007 ° N, 9.806 ° E; 280 m a. s. l.; 2 – 7 Jul. 2014; D. Doczkal leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dd. ammf. 08; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 33420 - G 06 • 1 ♀; München, NSG Allacher Lohe, Heide-Mosaik; 48.201 ° N, 11.483 ° E; 499 m a. s. l.; 8 – 23 Jun. 2021; R. Albrecht and GBOL 3 - Team leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: gb. aloh 1.01; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42326 - G 04 • 1 ♀; same locality; 5 – 21 Jul. 2021; R. Albrecht and GBOL 3 - Team leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: gb. aloh 1.03; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42326 - H 05 • 1 ♂; Moos, Isarmündung, Magerrasen, sumpfig; 48.780 ° N, 12.966 ° E; 313 m a. s. l.; 16 Jun. 2021; A. Höcherl leg.; sweep-net; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM-ZLAB 01 - A 12 • 1 ♀; Willersdorf, Untere Mark, seminatural forest; 49.733 ° N, 10.985 ° E; 292 m a. s. l.; 25 Jun. – 12 Jul. 2019; J. Müller leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: 6231 _ 4 _ For; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42379 - B 03. – Baden-Württemberg • 1 ♀; Grenzach- Wyhlen, Hornfelsen, Felswand; 47.559 ° N, 7.646 ° E; 350 m a. s. l.; 4 – 25 Jul. 2011; D. Doczkal and A. Ssymank leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dd. grf 42.15; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 33420 - E 09 • 1 ♀; Rötelstein, Steinbruch, Felskante; 47.556 ° N, 7.679 ° E; 440 m a. s. l.; 4 – 25 Jul. 2011; D. Doczkal and A. Ssymank leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dd. grf 43.13; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42470 - A 07 • 1 ♀; Malsch, Hansjakobstr. 7, Garten; 48.884 ° N, 8.320 ° E; 120 m a. s. l.; 21 Jun. – 5 Jul. 2020; D. Doczkal leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dd. mgart 1.09; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 33155 - C 07. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of authoritatively identified female and male specimens stored in the CNC (identified by Wilkinson, reared ex. Scythris picaepennis by Ford) and mainly the information available in Wilkinson (1945), Nixon (1965, 1976), Papp (1981) and Kotenko (2007) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF3C0569C533FE97FD619E25.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Scythrididae: holotype ex Scythris fuscoaenea (Haworth, 1828), Scythris picaepennis (Haworth, 1828).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF3C0569C533FE97FD619E25.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Mongolia, Romania, Russia (ZAB, PRI), Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom. Molecular data BINS: BOLD: ACQ 9731, BOLD: AEL 7562, BOLD: AEI 6389, details in Table 2 and Fig. 11. CNCHYM 01524 was included in the shotgun sequencing of historical DNA and was mapped to the COI sequence of ZSM-HYM- 33161 - C 11. The three different barcoding clusters we found matching the morphology of this species may or may not represent cryptic diversity. The overall maximum p-distance between all sequences we associate with the species is 4.17 %. We were unable to find consistent morphological differences and consider all three clusters to represent members of I. butalidis for now. Minimum interspecific p-distances of Microgastrinae can vary across genera, for more details check Höcherl et al. (2024). The sequence from the authoritatively identified male specimen (identified by Wilkinson, reared from Scythris picaepennis by Ford) matches our German material from BIN BOLD: ACQ 9731 with a barcode similarity of 99.68 %.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF3C0569C533FE97FD619E25.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, PCMAG. Country of type locality: United Kingdom. Scythris picaepennis was recorded as a host of I. butalidis by Wilkinson (1945) as the junior synonym Scythris senescens (Stainton, 1850), based on a series of specimens reared by Ford.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF39056DC52DFE97FD4B9F9B.taxon	description	Fig. 15	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF39056DC52DFE97FD4B9F9B.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype UKRAINE – Donetsk Region • ♀; Kramatorsk District, Kryva Luka; 48.87 ° N, 37.90 ° E; 79 m a. s. l.; 22 Jul. 1982; A. Kotenko leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Tobias & Kotenko (1986) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF39056DC52DFE97FD4B9F9B.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF39056DC52DFE97FD4B9F9B.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Russia (S), Ukraine. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF39056DC52DFE97FD4B9F9B.taxon	discussion	Remarks This species is part of the I. naso complex of morphologically cryptic species (more detailed information in the remarks for I. naso). Tobias & Kotenko (1986: 756) used a set of characters to distinguish I. buteonis from I. contortus (junior synonym of I. naso): “ Middle field of 2 nd abdominal tergite less narrowed toward base, its posterolateral angles almost straight. First abdominal tergite shorter and wide, usually less narrowed toward apex. Wings smoky. Ovipositor valves slightly shorter than hind tibia. ” We analyzed the T 2 shape of various specimens of barcoding clusters morphologically matching these three very similar species, more details can be found above discussing this character. In addition to that, the characterization of T 1 shape is not very exact and the wings do not appear more infumate than in the other species, as well as ovipositor sheaths being shorter than the hind tibia (the latter two characters are not repeated in the other side of the couplet).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF390550C517F994FD3D9E52.taxon	description	Fig. 16	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF390550C517F994FD3D9E52.taxon	materials_examined	Other material examined GERMANY – Bavaria • 1 ♀; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Zugspitze, Platt; 47.407 ° N, 11.008 ° E; 2005 m a. s. l.; 18 Jul. – 2 Aug. 2018; D. Doczkal and J. Voith leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dv. zugsp 5.3; obere Grenze Latschengebüsch, kleinräumiges Mosaik mit Zwergstrauchheide und (sub-) alpinen Rasen; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42389 - G 08. Species concept The type was examined by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). Our species concept is based on the information available in Nixon (1965, 1976) and Papp (1981) and the specimens we identified as this species based on morphology, including their associated molecular data. This species is morphologically rather unique → **.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF390550C517F994FD3D9E52.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF390550C517F994FD3D9E52.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Austria, Germany, Hungary, Korea, Russia (E, NC), Slovakia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, former Yugoslavia. Molecular data Molecular data: BOLD: AEO 8223.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF390550C517F994FD3D9E52.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, NHMUK. Country of type locality: Switzerland. For more details see Höcherl et al. (2024). A male specimen of I. cloelia identified by Nixon should be stored at SNSB-ZSM as part of the Haeselbarth collection; however we were unable to locate or examine it as the collection underwent construction during the time of this project.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF040551C524FBDAFC749D93.taxon	description	Fig. 17	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF040551C524FBDAFC749D93.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype RUSSIA – Zabaykalsky Krai • ♀; Borzinsky District, 30 km SW of Borzya, Mt. Odon-Cholon; 50.55 ° N, 116.19 ° E; 1100 m a. s. l.; 17 Jul. 1990; A. Kotenko leg.; meadow; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Kotenko (2007) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF040551C524FBDAFC749D93.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF040551C524FBDAFC749D93.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Russia (ZAB). Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF040551C524FBDAFC749D93.taxon	discussion	Remarks This species is part of the I. naso complex of morphologically cryptic species (more detailed information in the remarks for I. naso). As characters to distinguish this species from I. naso, Kotenko (2007: 179) used the T 2 shape. We analyzed the T 2 shape of various specimens of barcoding clusters morphologically matching these very similar species; more details can be found above discussing this character. In addition to the holotype, there are 2 male paratypes stored at SIZK (Kotenko et al. 2014). Original description sensu Kotenko (2007) (translated from Russian and with updated morphological terminology and comments in brackets when our observations did not match Kotenko’s) [Diagnosis: Similar to I. kostjuki, but differs in the following characters:] T 1 longer and narrower, 1.6 to 1.7 × as long as than maximum width. Metatibiae dark brown or almost black, in basal third very light, reddish yellow or light brown. Ovipositor sheaths length equal to hind tibia length. 2.4 – 2.6 [mm, this potentially refers to body length in mm]. Width of head 1.8 – 1.9 × its length, slightly less than width of mesosoma; head roundly narrowed behind eyes, looking triangular in frontal aspect. Gena 1.4 × as short as eye width (laterally). Ocelli in obtuse triangle [ocelli in high triangle], its base 1.8 × OOL. POL 1.3 × OD [POL 2.7 × OD]. Tangent to anterior edge of the posterior ocelli slightly going behind the posterior edge of anterior ocellus [imaginary tangent posterior to the anterior ocellus does not touch or cross the posterior ocelli]. Eyes slightly converging downwards, their longitudinal diameter 1.7 – 1.8 × more than their transverse diameter and 1.9 × more than face height. Upper face width 1.1 × lower face width and 1.6 × face height. Anterior margin of clypeus almost straight, 2.7 × less high than face height. Genae height 3.7 – 3.8 × less than longitudinal eye diameter. Labiomaxillary complex forming a prominent proboscis. Antennae shorter than body, F 15 slightly elongated. Mesosoma 1.1 × as short as metasoma. Length of mesosoma 1.6 × its height. Fore wing 1.2 – 1.3 × as long as hind wing, and approximately equal in length to body. Pterostigma 2.7 – 2.8 × as long as wide, slightly longer than vein R 1; R 1 barely longer than the distance from it to the apex of the marginal cell. Vein r shorter than vein 2 RS. Vein 1 cu-a arising at approximately half of 1 st discal cell. Hind wing vein cu-a of the hind wing slightly curved. Length of metafemur almost 4.0 × more than its width and 1.2 × less than the length of the metatibia. Metatarsus 1.2 × as long as metatibia. Ratio of holotype metatarsomere lengths as follows 4.2: 2.5: 1.8: 1.0: 1.1. T 1 almost parallel-sided from base, noticeably narrowed in the apical third of its length. T 2 about 2.0 × as short as T 3. Hypopygium protruding far beyond the apex of the metasoma. Ovipositor sheaths slightly widened posteriorly and slightly curved downwards. Sculpture. Head softly punctated dorsally, with a satin sheen. Gena on a narrow strip along the posterior margin of the eye with sparser punctation, more or less shiny, rest of gena densely punctated, almost matte. Face and clypeus finely punctate, with weak satin sheen. Face in median part with a noticeable tuberous longitudinal keel. Mesoscutum anteriorly more densely punctated with weak satin sheen, its horizontal part more sparsely punctated, shining. Scuto-scutellar sulcus narrow, crenulated. Scutellum in the anterior and median parts with sparser punctation, shiny. Entire propodeum densely wrinklypunctated, matte, in the posterior half the sculpture is rougher than in anterior. Outer side of the metacoxal with sparse punctures, shiny. Posterior half of T 1 and T 2 lightly sculptured, matte. Subsequent abdominal tergites almost smooth, shiny. Coloration. Body black. Antennae and tegulae black. Palps darkened. Wings smoky. Pterostigma, vein R 1 and most other veins dark brown. Legs darkly colored, mostly black or dark brown. “ Holotype – ♀, Chit. [Chitinsky District, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia]: 30 km SW Borzi, Mt. [Mountain range] Odon-Cholon, 1100 m, meadow, 17. VII, 1990 (A. K [otenko]) [SIZK]. Paratypes. 1 ♂, with label like holotype; Chit. [Chitinsky District, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia]: 1 ♂, Daursky Researve, N shore of the lake Zun-Torey, tract Irel’zhin, beam, 7. VII. 1990 (A. K [otenko]). ”	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	description	Figs 2 F, 18 – 21; Table 3	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis This species resembles I. urgo and I. urgens in the lighter coloration of the clypeus and smooth propodeum. It differs in its elongate glossa, the eyes barely converging towards the lower margin of the face, clypeus light brown, and scape and pedicel dark brown to black. It also resembles I. kostylevi based on the smooth propodeum and r 1 longer than 0.5 of the pterostigma length. The new species differs in the following characters: clypeus coloration light and contrasting with the remaining face, glossa rather elongate, T 2 shiny and with straight margin (compared to slightly sculptured with a sinuate margin in I. kostylevi), and smooth band posterior to the mesoscutellar disc invaded anteriorly by punctures (compared to much stronger sculpture in I. kostylevi). The species can readily be distinguished from the other Nearctic species (I. scutellaris and I. terrestris) by its entirely smooth propodeum.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	etymology	Etymology This species is named to honour Doreen Watler, who has supported not only AH, but also countless other visiting students and researchers over the past> 20 years during research stays at the CNC. By this, she has contributed significantly to advancements in entomology, and specifically in microgastrine taxonomy. We are very grateful to her.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CANADA – Yukon Territory • ♀; Champagne; 60.790 ° N, 136.437 ° W; 733 m a. s. l.; 8 Jul. 2006; H. Goulet and C. Boudreault leg.; sweeping; plants along road; CNC, HYM 00000599. Paratypes CANADA – Yukon Territory • 6 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; CNC, HYM 00000583, HYM 00000584, HYM 00000587, HYM 00000599, HYM 00000628, HYM 00000629 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; SNSB-ZSM, HYM 00000579 • 3 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; 10 Jul. 2006; CNC, HYM 00001685, HYM 00001693, HYM 00001696. Other material examined CANADA – Alberta • 1 ♀; Saskatoon Mountains, Beaverlodge vicinity, natural meadow; 55.22005 ° N, 119.282 ° W; 962 m a. s. l.; 27 Jul. 2007; J. Otani leg.; sweeping; natural meadow; CNC, MIC 000696. – Ontario • 1 ♀; Leeds and Grenville, Elizabethtown-Kitley, 4452 Rowsome Rd., Elizabethtown; 44.621 ° N, 75.773 ° E; 112 m a. s. l.; 7 Sep. 2010; James Sones leg.; Malaise Trap; CNC, BIOUG 01284 - D 11 • 2 ♀♀; Toronto, Rouge National Urban Park, Sector 10; 43.8157 ° N, 79.207 ° E; 151 m a. s. l.; 15 Sep. 2013; BIO Team leg.; Pan traps; CNC, BIOUG 08036 - D 11, BIOUG 08036 - F 09. – Yukon Territory • 5 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; 10 Jul. 2006; CNC, HYM 00001722, HYM 00001688, HYM 00001691, HYM 00001692, HYM 00001724.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	description	Description Female MEASUREMENTS. Body length: 2.8 (2.95) mm. Fore wing length: 2.5 (2.45) mm. Antenna shorter than body. HEAD. Face: eyes very slightly converging below, inner margin of eyes almost straight. Minimum face width / maximum face width: 0.94 (0.93). Malar distance / mandible width: 0.85 (0.73). Face densely punctate, punctures on lower half of the face elongate through fusion with adjacent ones, appearing to form striae on lower half of face. Ocelli in high triangle, posterior tangent to anterior ocellus not touching posterior pair. OOL / POD: 2.64 (2.50). POL / POD: 2.50 (2.13). F 2 length / width: 2.78 (2.78). F 15 length / width: 1.16 (1.22). F 2 length / F 15 length: 2.27 (2.27). MESOSOMA. Anteromesoscutum with: dense shallow punctures. Mesoscutellar disc punctate. Posterior bar of mesoscutellum polished, median area with some punctures anteriorly. Propodeum entirely polished with some small rugosities radiating posterior centrally from nucha. METASOMA. T 1 shape: anterior 0.6 almost parallel-sided, narrowing in posterior 0.4. T 1 sculpture: anterior 0.6 and posterior tip polished, band of weak sculpture and setosity at posterior 0.1 – 0.3. T 1 width (anterior, maximum, posterior): 0.22, 0.24, 0.17 (0.19, 0.21, 0.17) mm. T 1 central length / posterior width: 2.00 (1.75). T 2 trapezoideal, very short, posterior margin sinuate. T 2 polished or very lightly sculptured, shiny. T 2 width at posterior margin / central length: 3.0 (3.40). Posterior margin of T 3 – T 7 slightly desclerotized but mediotergites not appearing to be pushed forward. Hypopygium not enlarged, its posterior end about in line with end of apical tergites. Ventral margin of hypopygium with desclerotized area showing several pleats. Ovipositor sheaths broad and setose over most of their length. Ovipositor distinctly downcurved at apical 0.3. Ovipositor sheaths length / metatibial length: 0.81 (0.95). Metafemur length / width: 0.33 (0.30). Tarsal claws: simple. WINGS. Length of fore wing veins r / 2 RS: 1.86 (1.28). Pterostigma length / width: 2.05 (2.38). Point of insertion of vein r in pterostigma: clearly beyond half length of pterostigma. Angle of vein r with fore wing anterior margin: slightly outwards, inclined towards fore wing apex. Length of vein R 1 / distance of distal end of R 1 to distal end of vein 3 RS: 1.64 (1.80). COLORATION. Body color: mostly dark brown to black, some specimens (including some males and a female paratype) show a broad stripe of lighter coloration lateroventrally on mesosoma (see Fig. 21 G). Head color: head including face dark brown to black, clypeus and labrum contrasting lighter brown, palpi pale except for slightly darker base. Antenna completely dark brown to black. Legs: all coxae brown to black. Femora: pro- and mesofemur with paler coloration apically, metafemur entirely dark brown. Tibiae varying between specimens: protibia from yellow to light brown (holotype); mesotibia lighter basally, darker brown apically; metatibia completely brown (holotype, paratype: metatibia yellow on basal 0.7, darker apically). Tarsi brown. Tegula and humeral complex dark brown to black. Fore wing: pterostigma brown, some specimens with slightly lighter area at basal 0.1, wing veins in basal third brown (YT, type series), transparent (variation A), or a combination of brown and transparent (variation B). Male Unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology / ecology Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	distribution	Distribution NEA: Canada (AB, BC, NB, ON, YT), USA (AK). Molecular data Molecular data: BOLD: AAB 5165 and BOLD: ACL 9543, details in Table 3 and Fig. 18.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF070555C6AEFE97FD0199C8.taxon	discussion	Remarks We found molecular and morphological variation within this species; however, we interpret the differences in DNA barcodes and morphology as rather minor and inconsistent with distribution. The species is represented in two BINs, BOLD: AAB 5165 and BOLD: ACL 9543. The maximum pairwise distance within the species (including both BINs) is 3.27 %. Variation A is represented by two specimens from the same BIN as the holotype (BOLD: AAB 5165) but the specimens were collected farther south in Canada (AB, ON). They differ from the Yukon specimens by having the veins in the basal third of the fore wing transparent except for the anterior margin of the wing (C + SC + R). Variation B clusters in BIN BOLD: ACL 9543 and mainly differs by the specimens being much smaller than the type series and variation A. For now, we consider all three to be part of the same species. However, we excluded the two variations from the type series as they may in the future prove to represent separate species. This species challenges our concept of Illidops, because it also partially fits the concept of Dolichogenidea. Based on the sculptured area interrupting the posterior smooth band of the scutellum centrally (which in this case consists of punctures), the short R 1, and the COI sequences which match most closely other sequences associated with Illidops, we place it in Illidops for now. There are no morphologically similar species of Dolichogenidea found in the Nearctic.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D0559C51FFE97FC089EE1.taxon	description	Figs 22 – 23	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D0559C51FFE97FC089EE1.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Paratype KAZAKHSTAN – [Akmola Region] • 1 ♀; Kokshetau, “ Tersakkan W Akmol. ”; 15 Jun. 1957; V. I. Tobias leg.; [on Ferula songorica]; CNC, CNCHYM 00104. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of a female paratype stored at the CNC, photos of a female paratype stored at HMNM, and the information available in Tobias (1964), Tobias & Kotenko (1986), Nixon (1976), and Papp (1981). → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D0559C51FFE97FC089EE1.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D0559C51FFE97FC089EE1.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Croatia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia (S), Serbia, Tunisia. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D0559C51FFE97FC089EE1.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, ZIN. Country of type locality: Kazakhstan.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D055DC529FB6DFECA981B.taxon	description	Fig. 24	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D055DC529FB6DFECA981B.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype RUSSIA – Altay • ♀; Kurayskiy Range, nearby Aktash, middle course of the river Yarly-Yary; [50.32 ° N, 87.60 ° E]; 2400 m a. s. l.; 25 Jul. 1976; Kostyuk leg.; southern slope with forbs; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of a paratype located at SIZK and the information available in Tobias & Kotenko (1986) and Kotenko (2007) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D055DC529FB6DFECA981B.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Tortricidae: Aphelia stigmatana (Eversmann, 1844).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D055DC529FB6DFECA981B.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Russia (ALT). Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF0D055DC529FB6DFECA981B.taxon	discussion	Remarks Host information from the original description: “ Parasite of Aphelia stigniatana Ev. (Tortricidae). Cocoons isolated, white ” (Tobias & Kotenko 1986: 756). The host information is from the holotype and indicated on the holotype labels, the paratype labels do not include any host information. Two female and 3 male paratypes are stored at SIZK, 1 female and 2 males with the same label as the holotype (Zerova et al. 2006).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF09055DC52DFD14FD8E9FF1.taxon	description	Fig. 25	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF09055DC52DFD14FD8E9FF1.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype UKRAINE – Zaporizhzhia • ♀; [Melitopol District (Yakymivka settlement hromada)], [Bohatyr] Altagyr; [46.63 ° N, 35.28 ° E]; [13 m]; 13 Jun. 1983; A. Kotenko leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Tobias & Kotenko (1986) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF09055DC52DFD14FD8E9FF1.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF09055DC52DFD14FD8E9FF1.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Russia (ROS), Ukraine. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF090543C52DFA7DFDAF9BA1.taxon	description	Figs 26 – 27	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF090543C52DFA7DFDAF9BA1.taxon	materials_examined	Other material examined HUNGARY – Pest County • 1 ♂; Apajpuszta; [47.22527 ° N, 19.39620 ° E]; 18 Sep. 1952; M. Móczár leg.; J. Papp det.; paratype of Apanteles szaboi Papp, 1972; CNC, CNCHYM 01527. – Budapest • 1 ♀; Budapest; 31 Dec. 1931; Biró leg.; J. Papp det.; paratype of Apanteles szaboi Papp, 1972; CNC, CNCHYM 01528. Species concept Our species concept is based on our observations of a female and male paratype of the junior synonym A. szaboi deposited at the CNC, the COI sequence of the male paratype, and information from Papp (1972, 1981), Tobias & Kotenko (1986) and Kotenko (2007). The molecular information is conflicting and there are several unsolved questions, including the synonymy of A. szaboi → **.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF090543C52DFA7DFDAF9BA1.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information? Pyralidae:? Etiella zinckenella.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF090543C52DFA7DFDAF9BA1.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Austria, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Romania, Russia (KDA), Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine. Molecular data A female and male paratype of the junior synonym A. szaboi are stored at the CNC and both had a leg picked for sequencing in 2016. However, the male specimen did not yield any sequence and the resulting sequence of the female specimen is rather short (164 bp), but of medium to high quality. The male paratype (CNCHYM 01527) was later included in our test of attempting to sequence historical DNA via shotgun sequencing and yielded a COI sequence of 600 bp. It aligns for 532 bp with the sequences of our fresh German material in BIN BOLD: AEI 2559 (Fig. 28) and they match 100 %. However, with 13 mutations over a length of 164 bp (7.93 % difference) the sequence of the female paratype does not match the sequences in BIN BOLD: AEI 2559, the voucher specimens of the cluster which we tentatively associate with this species. Unfortunately, we were unable to sequence the female specimen again. The reasons for this mismatch could be due to an error in the sequences, or it might be that the female and male paratypes do not belong to the same species. Both specimens were collected almost 20 years apart from different locations in Hungary, so we cannot currently draw any conclusions about the association of the sexes.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF090543C52DFA7DFDAF9BA1.taxon	discussion	Remarks Syntypes female and male, depository unknown. Country of type locality: Ukraine. Female holotype of A. szaboi at HNHM, country of type locality: Hungary. Apanteles szaboi was synonymized by Kotenko (Tobias & Kotenko 1986), which was disputed by Papp (1988) in a subsequent paper. Then, in 2007, Kotenko listed it again as a synonym of I. mutabilis (Kotenko 2007). With the type depository of I. mutabilis unknown, we cannot currently make an unambiguous conclusion on these two names; rather, we accept the most recent treatment by Kotenko (2007) as a provisional solution, but caution that there is no solid basis at present to support Kotenko’s view over Papp’s. The characters differentiating A. szaboi from I. urgo, I. mutabilis and I. electilis according to Papp (1981: 272) are: “ Head in frontal view, in comparison to next three species, appearing rather elongated i. e. as broad between eyes as high medially. Glossa long, about half as long as basitarsus of the fore leg. Ocelli small, forming a very low triangle: hind imaginary tangent to anterior ocellus transecting posterior pair of ocelli ”. Particularly the rather elongate glossa indicates that this species should be reexamined and compared to I. rostratus; see more details in the remarks of that species. Papp’s description of A. szaboi matches the female deposited at the CNC (CNCHYM 01528), although we would not consider the ocelli particularly small. As the type depository of I. mutabilis is unknown and we had no paratypes available, our current concept of I. mutabilis is mostly based on the paratypes of A. szaboi; however, as mentioned before, we were unable to investigate this synonymy. In addition to that, the male and female paratypes available at the CNC might not represent the same species. Both specimens were collected almost 20 years apart from different locations in Hungary, so we cannot currently draw any conclusions about the association of the sexes. For further information on male and female specimen associations by Papp based mostly on sampling locality, see the remarks under I. barcinonensis. Voucher specimens of BOLD: AEI 2559 (Fig. 28) morphologically match the current concept of I. mutabilis. However, with the holotype depository unknown, progress in this taxon is impeded. The host is not recorded from any type material and the association first appears in Tobias & Kotenko (1986), and not many details about the rearing event are provided: “ Parasite of Etiella zinckenella Tr. (Phycitidae); cocoons rosy, isolated ” (Tobias & Kotenko 1986: 753).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF17054CC51BFDAFFBA79B13.taxon	description	Figs 29 – 30; Tables 4 – 5	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF17054CC51BFDAFFBA79B13.taxon	materials_examined	Other material examined KAZAKHSTAN – [Karaganda Region] • 1 ♂; Kyzylzhar, Monadyr [Street]; [49.98 ° N, 72.61 ° E]; [460 m]; 22 Jun. 1958; V. I. Tobias leg.; [V. I. Tobias det.]; paratype of Apanteles contortus Tobias, 1964; CNC, CNCHYM 00168. – [Akmola Region] • 1 ♀; Kokshetau, “ Tersakkan W Akmol. ”; 15 Jun. 1957; V. I. Tobias leg.; [V. I. Tobias det.]; paratype of Apanteles contortus Tobias, 1964; CNC, CNCHYM 00169. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of the female and male paratypes of the junior synonym A. contortus stored in the CNC and the information available in Marshall (1885), Tobias (1964), Tobias & Kotenko (1986), Nixon (1965, 1973, 1976), and Papp (1981, 1988) → *.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF17054CC51BFDAFFBA79B13.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF17054CC51BFDAFFBA79B13.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Romania, Russia (KC, VOR), Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan. Molecular data We observed specimens of six barcoding clusters which morphologically rather resemble Illidops naso: BOLDAEI 3308 (Figs 2 B, 31), BOLD: AEI 9858 (Fig. 32), BOLD: AEK 1062 (Fig. 33) BOLD: AEO 8212 (Fig. 34), BOLD: AAD 3865, and a single disparate sequence of a male A. contortus paratype. However, these clusters are far apart from each other with minimum p-distances ranging between 6.03 % and 11.35 %. The clusters are clearly separated, even though only few specimens are available for some. The Nearest Neighbors (NN) in the BOLD database are different clusters, not identified to species level (compare Table 4). Only BOLD: AAD 3865 is quite close to its NN which is BOLD: AEA 1257 with a minimum p-distance of 2.37 %. However, we were unable to observe any specimens of the NN and the morphology observed by us so far is cryptic in any case, so we cannot draw any conclusions. Most NNs have no species-level identification associated and we do not currently have access to specimens associated with most of these clusters. Only BOLD: AAK 4166, which includes representatives from Canada that are stored at the CNC, allowed for some morphological analysis and we found the characters of representatives of this cluster similar to I. cloelia, not the I. naso complex. In addition, the NN BIN of BOLD: AEI 9858 includes representatives that we associated with I. cloelia. What we can conclude based on the molecular data available to us is that these clusters likely form a complex of morphologically cryptic species associated with the names I. naso (and its four junior synonyms), I. buteonis and I. dauricus. We attempted matching one of our clusters to a pre-existing name via DNA barcoding by sequencing a male paratype of A. contortus stored at the CNC and collected in Kazakhstan in Kyzylzhar, Karaganda. CNCHYM 00168 was included in the shotgun sequencing of historical DNA and was mapped to the COI sequence of ZSM-HYM- 33161 - C 11. Karaganda is the neighboring province to Akmola, in which the holotype locality “ 6 km NE from Ylektykol Lake ” is located. However, the sequence of this specimen did not match any of our clusters. We did a BLAST search in BOLD and the sequence matched the publicly available sequence of specimen CGTURK- 1496, part of BIN BOLD: AAH 1044 from northeastern Turkey with 99.05 % similarity. The specimen appears to be a male and we cannot draw any conclusions based on the photo available in the database.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF17054CC51BFDAFFBA79B13.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype male, NHMUK. Country of type locality: United Kingdom. The type was examined by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). This species is morphologically very similar to I. buteonis and I. dauricus. We do not think that it is currently possible to reliably differentiate these species based on morphological characters. Firstly, because we observed that some characters used by previous authors are quite variable, even in specimens within a single barcoding cluster we associate morphologically with these species. Secondly, we found additional cryptic diversity via DNA barcoding with at least six different barcoding clusters matching the morphology of these three species, which appear in several places in a NJ analysis of Illidops (Fig. 62). We did not find sufficient characters to differentiate these molecular clusters morphologically (see notes on T 2 shape and Fig. 5) or unambiguously match any of them to one of the previously described species. These species are likely part of a complex of morphologically cryptic species, hence, in this paper, we refer to them as part of the I. naso complex. In addition to that, the name Illidops naso currently has 4 junior synonyms associated with it (see Table 5). The holotype of I. naso is male, was not reared and no female paratypes are assigned or other female specimens from the same locality mentioned in the original description. The type locality according to the description is: “ On the sand-hills at the mouth of the Exe, opposite Star-Cross, Devon. ” (Marshall 1885: 203). The holotype of A. contortus is female and a rather long series of female and male specimens is mentioned in the original description, not reared, but partially collected from the same localities. The holotype of A. crantor Nixon, 1965 is female and in the original description only female specimens as material examined are indicated. The holotype of A. evander is female and a single female paratype is mentioned in the original description. The holotype of A. coresia Nixon, 1973 is female and the only specimen associated with this species in the original description. Apanteles coresia was described as part of the metacarpalis - group of Apanteles, not the butalidis - group. Nixon mentions that it is aberrant within this group due to its rather uniformly rugose propodeum. Nixon (1976) synonymized A. crantor under A. contortus, Papp (1981) synonymized A. evander and A. contortus under A. naso without providing details on his reasoning, and A. coresia was synonymized between 1981 and 1986, but we could not find by which author. The association between male and female specimens of I. naso were likely made based on the type series of A. contortus; however, matching female and male specimens of Illidops based on morphology is rather difficult due to the sexual dimorphism within this group observed by previous authors and ourselves. Tobias’ male and female specimens were partially collected from the same single localities, but that is by no means a guarantee that they belong to the same species. We have found 2 – 3 different BINs associated with the I. naso complex in a single Malaise trap collecting event in several independent cases. We conclude that there is no good way to associate male and females of a species of Illidops unless both specimens were reared from the same host individual (or, less ideal, at least the same host species), or via DNA barcoding. With this strong sexual dimorphism combined with morphological crypsis, we cannot judge whether all of these current synonyms were rightly synonymized, and they will need to be dealt with when attempting to resolve this complex. One of the sequenced specimens (ZSM-HYM- 42448 - E 05, a member of BOLD: AEI 9858) was reared by Tina Schulz from Aroga velocella (Zeller, 1839), a species of Gelechiidae.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054CC57AFE1BFD459F7F.taxon	description	Our species concept is based on the information available in Tobias (1964) and Tobias & Kotenko (1986). In addition to that, the species is quite morphologically distinct and unlikely to be confused. → **.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054CC57AFE1BFD459F7F.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054CC57AFE1BFD459F7F.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Kazakhstan, Russia (S). Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054CC57AFE1BFD459F7F.taxon	discussion	Remarks Type and depository unknown. Country of type locality: Kazakhstan. This species was formally described by Tobias & Kotenko (1986). Prior to that, Tobias (1964) regarded it as a variety of A. electilis, describing it as A. electilis var. nigritegula nov. (Tobias, 1964), providing more detailed information on the potential type locality that did not make it into the 1986 key. We translated this information, the locality indicated by Tobias (1964: 227) is: “ Tselinograd Region: Kokshetau Mountains, on flowers of Ferula songorica, 15 VI 1957, 2 females (V. Tobias) ”. This is one of the very few species of Illidops with a large pale spot from the base to beyond the middle of the pterostigma, in addition it is rather small, measuring only 1.9 – 2.2 mm (Tobias & Kotenko 1986: 755).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	description	Figs 2 H – I, 35 – 36	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis This species resembles I. suffectus in the coarsely rugose to reticulate propodeum with a median carina. However, it differs in its overall coloration: entirely black to dark brown (compared to mostly yellow in suffectus), and T 1 shape: subrectangular to slightly barrel-shaped T 1 (compared to widening in suffectus).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	etymology	Etymology This species was collected from elevations above 1800 m in the Alps. The coarse propodeum sculpture including the median carina reminds the authors of an aerial view of a mountain range. Considering this, the species epithet is derived from Greek and translates to “ mountain range ”.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype GERMANY – Bavaria • ♀; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Zugspitze, Platt; 47.407 ° N, 11.008 ° E; 2005 m a. s. l.; 18 Jul. – 2 Aug. 2018; D. Doczkal and J. Voith leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dv. zugsp 5.3; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42389 - G 02. Paratypes GERMANY – Bavaria • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; 2 – 13 Aug. 2018; bulk ID: dv. zugsp 5.4; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42390 - A 02 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; 47.405 ° N, 11.009 ° E; 1980 m a. s. l.; 18 Jul. – 2 Aug. 2018; bulk ID: dv. zugsp 7.3; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42390 - G 06 • 1 ♀; Oberstdorf, Koblat; 47.423 ° N, 10.357 ° E; 2005 m a. s. l.; 4 – 25 Jul. 2014; D. Doczkal, S. Schmidt and J. Voith leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: ds. kobl 3.3; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 42470 - C 08.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	description	Description Female MEASUREMENTS. Body length: 2.90 (2.90 – 3.35) mm. Fore wing length: 2.95 (2.55 – 2.95) mm. Antenna shorter than body. HEAD. Face: eyes very slightly converging below, inner margin of eyes almost straight. Minimum face width / maximum face width: 0.95 (0.92 – 0.95). Malar distance / mandible width: 1.43 (1.06 – 1.67). Face softly punctate. Ocelli in high triangle, posterior tangent to anterior ocellus not touching posterior pair. OOL / POD: 2.44 (2.00 – 2.55). POL / POD: 2.05 (1.90 – 2.22). F 2 length / width: 2.54 (2.37 – 2.54). F 15 length / width: 1.33 (1.17 – 1.3). F 2 length / F 15 length: 2.36 (2.21 – 2.36). MESOSOMA. Anteromesoscutum mostly with shallow punctures. Mesoscutellar disc punctate. Posterior smooth band of mesoscutellum in some specimens, including holotype, appearing somewhat interrupted centrally by punctures of scutellar disc, giving impression of a very slightly sculptured area interrupting posterior smooth band of scutellum centrally. Propodeum sculpture coarse, with strongly elevated longitudinal median carina (which has some small rugosities or small carinae radiating perpendicularly). METASOMA. T 1 shape: slightly barrel-shaped with sinuous posterior margin. T 1 sculpture: mostly sculptured. T 1 width (anterior, maximum, posterior): 0.27, 0.41, 0.37 (0.20 – 0.27, 0.37 – 0.41, 0.24 – 0.39) mm. T 1 central length: 0.38 (0.35 – 0.40) mm. T 1 length / width at posterior margin: 1.03 (0.97 – 1.08). T 2 shape: more or less rectangular, posterior margin slightly sinuate, lateral margins concave. Mediotergite 2 sculpture: mostly coarsely sculptured. T 2 width at posterior margin / length: 3.06 (2.90 – 3.24). Posterior margin of T 3 – T 7 slightly desclerotized, but mediotergites not appearing to be pushed forward. Hypopygium not enlarged, its posterior end about in line with end of apical tergites. Ventral margin of hypopygium with desclerotized area showing few pleats. Ovipositor sheaths broad and setose over most of their length. Ovipositor sheaths length / metatibial length: 0.55 (0.53 – 0.57). Metafemur length / width: 0.27 (0.25 – 0.32). Tarsal claws: simple. WINGS. Length of fore wing veins r / 2 RS: 1.19 (1.06 – 1.20). Pterostigma length / width: 2.79 (2.58 – 2.79). Point of insertion of vein r in pterostigma: clearly beyond half length of pterostigma. Angle of vein r with fore wing anterior margin: clearly outwards, inclined towards fore wing apex. Length of vein R 1 / length of pterostigma: 0.94 (0.94 – 1.00). Length of vein R 1 / distance of distal end of R 1 to distal end of vein 3 RS: 1.25 (1.25 – 1.5). COLORATION. Body color: mostly dark brown to black, except for tibiae and tarsi. Head color: head including face, clypeus and labrum completely dark brown to black, palpi pale except for slightly darker base. Antenna completely dark brown to black. All coxae and femora dark brown to black, pro- and mesofemora with slightly paler apical tip. All tibiae orange-brownish. Tegula and humeral complex dark brown. Fore wing: pterostigma brown, wing veins in basal third dark brown, becoming slightly lighter towards apex. Male Unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Germany. Molecular data 4 Sequences in BOLD, BIN BOLD: AEO 8226.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF18054EC6A4FAF8FDB09D8D.taxon	discussion	Remarks We place this species in Illidops because it fits our current concept of the genus and due to its similarity to another species in the genus, I. suffectus. Both I. oroseira sp. nov. and I. suffectus have characters that fit within the current concept of Illidops: the posterior smooth band of the scutellum is interrupted centrally by a sculptured area (although it varies slightly between specimens in I. oroseira and the sculpture is very weak, similar to I. suevus, and limited to a small area on the anterior margin of the mesoscutellar bar); the fore wing vein R 1 is shorter than the pterostigma; the propodeum is strongly sculptured, with the sculpture reticulate. Illidops oroseira does not have some of the other characters typical of Illidops (but neither do some other species within the genus): the eyes are only very slightly convergent towards the lower inner margin (not at all in I. suffectus); T 3 – T 7 are only slightly medially desclerotized and do not appear pushed forwards (similar in I. suffectus). Both I. suffectus and I. oroseira have a similar propodeum sculpture which is quite unique in Illidops (coarsely reticulate rugose, with strongly elevated longitudinal median carina which has some small rugosities or small carinae radiating perpendicularly). The Nearest Neighbor (NN) of BIN BOLD: AEO 8226 has a minimum p-distance of 6.56 % (BOLD: ACP 4312). The NN-BIN includes a single specimen from Bulgaria, BIOUG 15445 - A 06, which is linked to a private sequence, but upon examination of a lateral habitus image could represent a species of Illidops (short R 1). We also performed a BLAST search in the BOLD database and found that the closest public match is BIOUG 85322 - C 11 (BOLD: AET 9368) which was collected in California, USA, and has 92.99 % COI sequence similarity. Apart from the Bulgarian and Californian specimens, which are the closest matches, the sequences mostly match specimens mostly identified morphologically by us as Illidops. But there are some similarly close matches which represent different genera: for one, there is a 92.69 % similarity in the COI sequence with a specimen identified as Dolichogenidea murinanae (CNCHYM 00190). Upon examination of a lateral photo, the specimen does not seem to be a misidentified representative of Illidops. The same is true for Parapanteles hyposidrae, which has several specimens at 92.08 % COI sequence similarity, but is clearly not a member of Illidops (at least upon photo observation and identification by a Microgastrinae expert). Another record of Pholetesor sp. with 91.95 % COI similarity also seemingly does not represent a misidentified specimen of Illidops. Since all of these molecular analyses are only based on sequences of the COI gene, microgastrine genera in general are in urgent need of revision, and no reliable phylogeny is available at the moment, we cannot draw any conclusions from this. More details are discussed below in the section on DNA barcoding. Summarizing this, it is difficult to clearly state whether this species is part of Illidops or not. Morphologically, it seems very similar to I. suffectus and most of the molecular data also places it in Illidops rather than any other genus. For now, we place this species within Illidops, but this status may need to be revised in the future.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF640532C530FBF3FAF69BEE.taxon	description	Fig. 37	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF640532C530FBF3FAF69BEE.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype MONGOLIA – Bayankhongor Province • ♀; “ Bajanchongor aimak ”, 47 km E of checkpoint Caganbulag, spring Talyn Bilgech bulag; 1200 m a. s. l.; 23 Jun. 1967; Z. Kaszab leg.; no. 838; HNHM, typ. no. 2405. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of habitus photos of the holotype and the information available in Papp (1977, 1981) and Kotenko (2007) → **.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF640532C530FBF3FAF69BEE.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF640532C530FBF3FAF69BEE.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Mongolia. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF640532C530FBF3FAF69BEE.taxon	discussion	Remarks Illidops perseveratus is one of the species which challenge our concept of Illidops with its smooth propodeum and entirely polished posterior smooth band of the scutellum: “ Hind polished part of axilla reaching up to middle of scutellum. ” (Papp 1977: 253). However, it has a very short fore wing vein R 1 and based on the information available to us we could not place it unambiguously within any other genus.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF660533C535FE67FE4A9912.taxon	description	Our species concept is based on the information available in Tobias (1976), Tobias & Kotenko (1986) and Papp (1988). → *.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF660533C535FE67FE4A9912.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Tentative information provided in the original description, check remarks for more details.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF660533C535FE67FE4A9912.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Russia (DA). Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF660533C535FE67FE4A9912.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, ZIN. Country of type locality: Russia. Type depository inferred from Tobias & Kotenko (1986) by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). Tobias provided a tentative host identification for the holotype of I. planiscapus (Tobias, 1976), although he placed a question mark in front of it, so it is rather uncertain. Tobias’ (1976) putative host of this species is Talis quercella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), a Crambidae, collected from a Poaceae grass in the Caucasus region. This species was transferred to Illidops by Papp (1988), but he already stated that his placement of this species is rather provisional, as he only knew it from its original description. Tobias & Kotenko (1986) did not consider it part of the butalidis group, but rather proposed a new planiscapus group. We consider that the morphology potentially does not match the set of characters diagnostic of the butalidis and suevus groups in the past, and our more current concept of Illidops. The species has a much less angled radial vein (r) and it is not “ slanting outwards ” (Mason 1981) as it does in most species of Illidops (illustrated in Fig. 242; Tobias & Kotenko 1986: 751, drawing 2). We cannot verify this and we do not have specimens available resembling this species, or access to the holotype. We are not satisfied with the placement of this species in Illidops. However, similar to Papp (1988), we cannot transfer this species to any genus as we have not seen any material and the original description is not sufficient to place it with certainty in any other genus. The species is partially illustrated in Tobias & Kotenko (1986: 751). Original description sensu Tobias (1976) (translated from Russian and with updated morphological terminology) Female. 3.5 mm. Malar distance equal to basal width of mandible; face in upper part with shining tubercle, face height 1.5 × its width; distance between tentorial pits 3 × distance between tentorial pit to eye margin. Scape strongly compressed from sides so that its length is about same as its width frontally but looking 3 × as long when seen laterally; length of F 14 and F 15 1.3 × their width. Fore wing veins C + SC + R thickened; fore wing vein 1 cu-a arising from around basal third of 1 st discal cell. Length of metafemur 4.5 × its width. T 1 more or less barrel-shaped, with its anterior (strongly) and posterior (slightly) narrowed, T 1 length equal to T 1 greatest width (centrally); T 1 and T 2 with central impression on its posterior half; ovipositor sheaths slightly longer than half of metatibia. Sculpture. Head mildly punctured, slightly shining, antennal sockets smooth; mesoscutum roughly punctured, without granular microsculpture, shining between punctures, especially on sides; scutellum slightly punctured, shining; mesopleura anteriorly punctured, posteriorly smooth; mesonotum punctured; propodeum roughly wrinkly-punctured, T 1 and T 2 densely wrinkly-punctured, T 3 with soft granular punctures, shining, other tergites slightly rough, shining. Anteromesoscutum with sparse setae, thickened before scutellum and on anterolateral corners of scutellum. Coloration. Femora, except for base and apex of profemur, apex of mesofemur, metafemur medially, tibiae and tarsi of all legs, except brown apex of metatibia, yellowish-brown; veins C + SC + R and pterostigma, except for its brown margins, yellow. The male is unknown. Holotype: female, Dagestan, Makhachkala, steppe grass moth (? Talis quercella Schiff.) on wild grasses, 4 VIII 1972 (Krasova).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF670534C527FC1AFD8C9C5B.taxon	description	Our species concept is based on the information available in Tobias (1976), Tobias & Kotenko (1986), and Papp (1988). → *.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF670534C527FC1AFD8C9C5B.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF670534C527FC1AFD8C9C5B.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Armenia, Russia (KDA), Uzbekistan. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF670534C527FC1AFD8C9C5B.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, ZIN. Country of type locality: Russia. Type depository inferred from Tobias & Kotenko (1986) by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). We were unable to observe any identified or unidentified material matching this species, or the type. According to its original description, this species may resemble Napamus due to the enlarged mouthparts (“ proboscis, the protruding part of which is approximately equal to the height of face with clypeus ” (Tobias 1976: 248 )), however it lacks other diagnostic characters for the genus, such as the infumate wings, dark metatibial spurs, and more (Ghafouri Moghaddam et al. 2021). We are not entirely sure about the difference between this species and I. mutabilis as we found that the specimens of BIN BOLD: AEI 2559 which we consider to match I. mutabilis morphologically and also the paratype of A. szaboi have a rather enlarged glossa. Both species as well as A. szaboi should be reexamined and compared; additional differences that should be taken into account can be found in Tobias & Kotenko (1986). Original description sensu Tobias (1976) (translated from Russian and with updated morphological terminology) Female. 2.5 mm. Head elongated, with long malar distance and long proboscis, the protruding part of the proboscis approximately equal to the height of the face including the clypeus (fig. 67, 4); gena roundly narrowed, in lateral view half the width than the transverse width of eye; ocelli in strongly obtuse triangle; tangent to posterior margin of front ocellus crossing anterior margin of posterior ocelli; POL 4 × OD, and 1.5 × OOL; longitudinal diameter of eye 2.0 × that of transversal, and 3.5 × that of malar distance, shape of eye oval; face slightly wider than high; clypeus slightly separated from face, straight along front margin, distance between tentorial pits 2.0 × distance between tentorial pit and eye margin; malar distance 1,5 × basal width of mandible; maxillary palps equal to height of face with clypeus, their two apical segments together slightly longer than 3 rd, and equal to length of 2 nd. Antennae bristly, shorter than body; scape slightly shorter than F 1; segments in basal half of flagellum twice as long as their width, shortened towards apex of flagellum, so that F 14 and F 15 are more or less quadrate. Mesosoma length 1.25 × its height; notauli not developed; scutoscutellar suture narrow, weakly crenulated. Wings equal to length of meso- and metasoma taken together; fore wing vein R 1 length equal to pterostigma length, slightly longer than distance from it to apex of wing; vein r slightly longer than vein 2 RS, forming angle with it; fore wing vein 1 cu-a arising before middle of 1 st discal cell. Length of metafemur 4.0 × its width; larger spur of metatibia noticeably shorter than half of basitarsus; fifth segment of metatarsus slightly shorter than third, and 0.67 × second tarsomere; T 1 slightly longer than its width at the middle, roundly narrowed at apical third; T 2 length 0.3 × T 3 length, with broadly spaced oblique grooves. Ovipositor with comparatively narrow sheaths, equal in length to metatibia. Sculpture. Body with short setae, rather dense on mesonotum, concealing sculpture when viewed at an angle. Head, mesosoma and T 1 with dense, uniform grained punctation, matt, other tergites of metasoma mildly scabrous, shining. Coloration. Black; maxillary palps brown; tegulae yellow; apices of profemur, protibiae and tarsi, bases of meso- and metatibiae brownish-yellow; tibial spurs whitish; wings translucent, with light brown veins, pterostigma pale medially and brown at margins, veins C + SC + R yellowish, vein R 1 dark brown. Male. It differs from female by slightly longer R 1 (1.5 × distance from it to apex of wing), smoother sculpture posterolaterally on mesosoma, propodeum, and on basal half of T 1. Glassy-transparent wings with mostly unpigmented veins (only few veins on posterior half of wing are pigmented, such as r, 2 RS, and 2 M). Holotype: female, Krasnodar Territory, Gelendzhik, 8 V 1973 (Tobias). Paratype: male, Yerevan, Kanaker Garden, 16 V 1971 (Tobias).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF600538C54BF9D4FCEE9857.taxon	description	Figs 2 A, 38 – 40	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF600538C54BF9D4FCEE9857.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Paratypes UNITED STATES – California • 1 ♂; Pasadena; J. E. Graf leg.; Muesebeck det.; ex. Phthorimaea operculella; CNC, CNCHYM 00212. – Florida • 1 ♀; Palm Beach County, Belle Glade; 30 May 1944; N. Hayslip leg.; “ reared from potatoes ”; CNC, CNCHYM 00213. Other material examined CANADA – Yukon Territory • 2 ♀♀; Champagne; 60.790 ° N, 136.437 ° W; 733 m a. s. l.; 8 Jul. 2006; H. Goulet and C. Boudreault leg.; CNC, HYM 00000588, HYM 00000627 • 1 ♀; Tahkini River road; 60.875 ° N, 135.386 ° W; 693 m a. s. l.; 6 Jul. 2006; H. Goulet and C. Boudreault leg.; CNC, HYM 00000560. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of habitus photos of the holotype (available via the Smithsonian Website), our examination of authoritatively identified and reared specimens stored in the CNC, and the information available in Muesebeck (1921) and Tobias & Kotenko (1986) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF600538C54BF9D4FCEE9857.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Type series (including holotype) reared ex Gelechiidae: Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller, 1873).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF600538C54BF9D4FCEE9857.taxon	distribution	Distribution AUS: Hawaiian Islands; NEA: United States (AZ, CA, FL, TX); NEO: Mexico; PAL: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Iran. Molecular data BOLD: AAA 8769.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF600538C54BF9D4FCEE9857.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, USNM. Country of type locality: United States. The type was examined. In the original description, the type is reported to have been reared from Phthorimaea operculella by J. E. Graf in California, together with four females and three males (Muesebeck 1921). Mason had this species available in his collection and considered it to be part of Apanteles, rather than Illidops (Mason 1981). Papp (1981) and Tobias & Kotenko (1986) listed it in the butalidis group and Papp (1988) transferred it to Illidops. This species fits well in our concept of Illidops.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6C0538C52DFDA0FD9A9D99.taxon	description	Our species concept is based mostly on the information available in Nixon (1976), which was reiterated in following publications by Papp (1981), Tobias & Kotenko (1986), and Kotenko (2007). → *.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6C0538C52DFDA0FD9A9D99.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6C0538C52DFDA0FD9A9D99.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Russia (ZAB, PRI). Molecular data We observed specimens of two barcoding clusters which morphologically resemble I. sophrosine (also see Table 6 and Figs 41 – 43): BOLD: ADU 8837 and BOLD: AEO 8202. However, these clusters are far apart from each other with minimum p-distances of 6.0 %. The clusters are clearly separated, also taking into account the within-BIN maximum p-distances of 0.8 % (BOLD: ADU 8837) and 0.16 % (BOLD: AEO 8202). The Nearest Neighbors (NN) in the BOLD database are different clusters, found in different biogeographic regions and not identified to species level. Only BOLD: ADU 8837 is quite close to its NN BOLD: AEI 2994 with a minimum p-distance of 1.77 %; however we were unable to observe any specimens of the NN BIN – and the morphology is quite cryptic in any case, so we cannot draw any conclusions based on morphology at this point. It is currently impossible to match any of these BINs unambiguously to the name I. sophrosine and there may be more barcoding clusters and cryptic morphology in the future, which is why we prefer to keep the clusters as I. cf. sophrosine for now.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6C0538C52DFDA0FD9A9D99.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, NHMUK. Country of type locality: Italy. The type was examined by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). This species is morphologically similar to the I. naso complex. According to Nixon (1976), I. sophrosine can be distinguished from A. contortus (jun. syn. of I. naso), A. evander (jun. syn. of I. naso) and I. cloelia based on the following characters: “ Eyes large; in lateral view of head fully twice as wide as width of head behind them; head from above markedly wider than mesoscutum ” (Nixon 1976: 709). We found the character regarding the width of the eyes rather difficult to observe depending on specimen orientation, but it seems to be relatively consistent among our barcoding clusters (compare Fig. 41). The two barcoding clusters we consider to be associated with I. sophrosine can currently not be clearly distinguished by morphology.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF68053CC524FCA0FAF69D5B.taxon	description	Figs 2 E, 44	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF68053CC524FCA0FAF69D5B.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined GERMANY – Bavaria • 1 ♀; Lkr. Kelheim, Siegenburg, ‘ Bombodrom’; 48.755 ° N, 11.791 ° E; 411 m a. s. l.; 8 – 26 May 2017; D. Doczkal and J. Voith leg.; Malaise trap; bulk ID: dv. sieg 3.02; Silbergrasrasen, Besenginster; SNSB-ZSM, ZSM-HYM- 33168 - H 06. Species concept Our species concept is based on Papp (1974, 1981) and Tobias & Kotenko (1986), habitus photos of the holotype, and the specimens we identified as this species based on morphology and their associated molecular data. In addition to that, the species is quite morphologically distinct and unlikely to be confused. → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF68053CC524FCA0FAF69D5B.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF68053CC524FCA0FAF69D5B.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Germany, Hungary, Russia (C). Molecular data BOLD: AEJ 7519.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF68053CC524FCA0FAF69D5B.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, HNHM. Country of type locality: Hungary. For more details see Höcherl et al. (2024).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6A0521C6CFFE97FAF59854.taxon	description	Figs 45 – 46	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6A0521C6CFFE97FAF59854.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis This species resembles I. kostjuki, but differs in its distinctly elongate glossa, its light / brown clypeus which distinctly contrasts with the entirely black face, its narrowing T 1, anteromesoscutum with deep, dense punctures, and fore wing vein 1 M entirely pale. The species can be distinguished from I. scutellaris by its dark brown profemur except for the apical 0.2 or less (compared to the entirely pale profemur in I. scutellaris), entirely dark metafemur (compared to the metafemur with lighter coloration in I. scutellaris), metatibia light with apical 0.3 dark / brown (compared to apical 0.1 dark in I. scutellaris), C + SC-R entirely dark (compared to light in I. scutellaris), maxillary palps dark (compared to light in I. scutellaris), and the labrum rather elongate with a width / length ratio of <1.40 (compared to> 1.45 in I. scutellaris).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6A0521C6CFFE97FAF59854.taxon	etymology	Etymology This species is named to honor Dr Stefan Schmidt (1962 – 2024), who brought the authors together for this project by selecting Microgastrinae as a taxon to be treated as part of the GBOLIII: Dark Taxa project. Stefan was our teacher and friend and he is being missed profusely.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6A0521C6CFFE97FAF59854.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CANADA – Yukon Territory • ♀; Kluane National Park; 60.683 ° N, 138.005 ° W; 625 m a. s. l.; 13 Jul. 2006; H. Goulet and C. Boudreault leg.; CNC, HYM 00001781. Paratype CANADA – Yukon Territory • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; CNC, HYM 00001782.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6A0521C6CFFE97FAF59854.taxon	description	Description Female MEASUREMENTS. Body length: 2.63 (2.33) mm. Fore wing length: 2.15 (2.30) mm. Antenna shorter than body (head to apex of metasoma). HEAD. Face: eyes not converging below, inner margins of eyes almost straight. Minimum face width / maximum face width: 0.97 (0.97). Malar distance / mandible width: 1.00 (0.94). Glossa and labrum elongated. Face softly punctate. Ocelli in high triangle, posterior tangent to anterior ocellus not touching posterior pair. OOD / POD: 2.85 (2.57). POL / POD: 2.92 (2.5). F 2 length / width: 2.27 (2.42). F 15 length / width: 1.10 (1.05). F 2 length / F 15 length: 2.27 (2.30). MESOSOMA. Anteromesoscutum: densely punctate. Mesoscutellar disc: punctate. Posterior smooth band of the scutellum interrupted centrally by a sculptured area (rugose) and also with a thin, rugose area on the entire posterior margin (of the posterior smooth band of the mesoscutellum) (Fig. 45 D). Propodeum sculpture completely irregularly rugose. METASOMA. T 1 shape: posterior half parallel-sided then slightly narrowing posteriorly with straight posterior margin. T 1 sculpture: mostly sculptured. T 1 width (anterior, maximum, posterior): 0.21, 0.27, 0.23 (0.19, 0.28, 0.23) mm. T 1 central length: 0.31 (0.27) mm. T 1 length / width at posterior margin: 1.36 (1.16). T 2 shape: more or less rectangular, very short, posterior margin sinuate. Mediotergite 2 sculpture: mostly sculptured. T 2 width at posterior margin / length: 3.78 (3.88). Posterior margins of T 3 – T 7 slightly desclerotized but mediotergites not appearing to be pushed forward. Hypopygium not enlarged, its posterior end about in line with end of apical tergites. Ventral margin of hypopygium with desclerotized area showing several pleats. Ovipositor sheaths broad and setose over most of their length. Ovipositor sheaths length / metatibial length: 0.76 (0.74). Metafemur length / width: 0.28 (0.27). Tarsal claws: simple. WINGS. Length of fore wing veins r / 2 RS: 1.22 (1.17). Pterostigma length / width: 2.55 (2.41). Point of insertion of vein r in pterostigma: clearly beyond half length of pterostigma. Angle of vein r with fore wing anterior margin: clearly outwards, inclined towards fore wing apex. Length of vein R 1 / length of pterostigma: 0.82 (1.00). Length of vein R 1 / distance of distal end of R 1 to distal end of vein 3 RS: 1.33 (1.37). COLORATION. Body color: mostly dark brown to black. Head color: head dark brown to black, clypeus and labrum lighter brown contrasting with almost black face, palpi brown. Antenna completely dark brown to black. All coxae and femora dark brown to black, pro- and mesofemora with slightly paler apical tips. All tibiae and tarsi orange-brownish. Tegula and humeral complex dark brown. Fore wing: pterostigma brown, holotype with lighter area on basal third of pterostigma, barely visible in paratype. Wing veins in basal third dark brown (C + SC + R), brown (M + CU) to light brown (1 A). Male Unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6A0521C6CFFE97FAF59854.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology / ecology Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF6A0521C6CFFE97FAF59854.taxon	distribution	Distribution NEA: Canada (YT). Molecular data This species clusters in BIN BOLD: AAC 7888, the Nearest Neighbor (NN) is BOLD: AET 9368, with one publicly available sequence, BIOUG 85322 - C 11. The minimum p-distance between both BINs is 1.45 %. In our NJ-analyses, the species clusters close to I. scutellaris, which clusters in BIN BOLD: AAA 8769. The NN of this BIN is BOLD: AFQ 9589 and the distance between both BINs is 1.44 %. Illidops stefanschmidti sp. nov. and I. scutellaris sequences differ by a minimum p-distance of 3.01 %. Both species can be distinguished morphologically by the combination of several characters (see diagnosis).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF750521C572FDA0FDC29C58.taxon	description	Fig. 47	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF750521C572FDA0FDC29C58.taxon	description	Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Tobias & Kotenko (1986) and Kotenko (2007). In addition, the species is morphologically very distinct and unlikely to be confused. → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF750521C572FDA0FDC29C58.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF750521C572FDA0FDC29C58.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Russia (NVS).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF750521C572FDA0FDC29C58.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype RUSSIA – Novosibirsk Region • ♀; Karasuksky District, Troitskoe; [53.72 ° N, 77.82 ° E]; [100 m]; Aug. 1974; Kulikov leg.; steppe; SIZK. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF750521C572FDA0FDC29C58.taxon	discussion	Remarks This is one of the very few species of Illidops with T 1 widening. Transferred to Illidops (likely by Kotenko) in Zerova et al. (2006).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF75052AC525F9D4FEDB9844.taxon	description	Fig. 48; Tables 7 – 8	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF75052AC525F9D4FEDB9844.taxon	materials_examined	Other material examined UKRAINE – Kherson Region • 1 ♀; Chornomorsk [Chornomorskyi Nature Reserve], Ivano- Rybalchansky area; [46.457 ° N, 32.149 ° E]; [4 m]; 14 Aug. 1978; A. Kotenko leg.; A. Kotenko det.; mixed grass; CNC, CNCHYM 01526. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of an authoritatively identified female specimen stored in the CNC (CNCHYM 01526, identified by Kotenko) and the information available in Tobias (1964), Nixon (1965, 1976), Papp (1981), and Tobias & Kotenko (1986). In addition, the species is morphologically very distinct and unlikely to be confused. However, molecular data showed high cryptic diversity in this species, so we consider our overall current concept moderate rather than good → **	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF75052AC525F9D4FEDB9844.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Psychidae: Rebelia sp. (Papp 1984), Epichnopterix sp. according to Nixon’s (1976) treatment of junior synonym A. dion.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF75052AC525F9D4FEDB9844.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia (IRK), Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom. Molecular data We observed specimens of three barcoding clusters which morphologically match the concept of I. suevus: BOLD: ACT 9426 (Fig. 49), BOLD: AEI 1345 (Figs 50 – 51) and BOLD: AEJ 7522 (Fig. 52). However, these clusters are far apart from each other with minimum p-distances of 9.63 % (BOLD: AEJ 7522 – BOLD: ACT 9426), 13.57 % (BOLD: AEI 1345 – BOLD: ACT 9426), and 13.63 % (BOLD: AEI 1345 – AEJ 7522). The clusters are clearly separated, also taking into account the much lower within-BIN maximum p-distances ranging between 0.32 % and 2.03 % (see Table 7). The Nearest Neighbors (NN) in the BOLD database are different clusters, not identified to species level, and, in two cases, only male specimens are available. All three BINs match the morphology of I. suevus, and we cannot find consistent morphological differences other than some difference in size between the specimens of BOLD: ACT 9426 and the other two clusters. We consider it likely that I. suevus represents a complex of morphologically cryptic species but we cannot match any of our clusters to the name I. suevus or other junior synonyms based on morphology. In addition to that, the NN BINs (and their NN’s) would also need to be considered and identified.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF75052AC525F9D4FEDB9844.taxon	discussion	Remarks The posterior smooth band of the scutellum of the material available to us is barely invaded by punctures from the scutellar disc and shows little to no sculpture, and the propodeum is very coarsely reticulate, much more sculptured than in most Illidops. The hypopygium of voucher specimens of the BINs we tentatively associate with this species is also much less flexible and pleated than in other species of Illidops. This species represents one of the more aberrant species of Illidops and the former butalidisgroup (e. g., Nixon 1965, 1976; Papp 1984) but has been considered to fit the concept of the genus by many authors (e. g., Papp 1988; Fernandez-Triana et al. 2020). Nixon (1965, 1976) did not include Apanteles suevus in his butalidis - group. However, he described a junior synonym of the species, Apanteles dion, as part of the group and commented that A. dion is a “ is a highly aberrant species and I am not satisfied that I am correct in placing it in the butalidis-group ” (Nixon 1965: 183), and later comments that the species is “ occupying a marginal position within the group ” (Nixon 1976: 713). He had also included A. sesostris Nixon, 1976 in the butalidis - group, only known from the male holotype and another future synonym of I. suevus. Papp (1984), in his own words, “ developed ” Nixon’s species groups and described the suevus - group as a new species group which comprised this single species. In that process, he studied many types and synonymized several species under the concept of A. suevus. Papp (1988) later integrated the Palearctic species into Mason’s genera and in that process considered A. suevus as part of Illidops. The species is represented by three barcoding clusters (BINs) in our dataset. There are no significant morphological differences between these clusters (compare Figs 49 – 52), except for one specimen being noticeably larger than representatives of the other two clusters. Additional specimens matching this species morphologically have been located by JFT in MNCN and there is another specimen stored at the CNC from Iran. This ‘ species’ may potentially represent a complex of morphologically cryptic species. The genus of the potential Psychidae host, Rebelia sp., was identified through rearing experiments by Dr L. Gozmány in Montenegro and includes some very widespread species. Locality details of the junior synonym types and additional information can be reviewed in Papp (1984). Illidops suevus has five junior synonyms (see Table 8). Apanteles polonicus Fahringer, 1936 is listed as a junior synonym of I. suevus in Taxapad (Yu et al. 2016), the world checklist (Fernandez-Triana et al. 2020), and potentially more literature. However, Fahringer (1936) did not describe this as a new species, he merely mentioned a variant of A. suevus described by Niezabitowski (1909). His wording is: “ Niezabitowsky describes an ab. [aberration] (polonicus m.) as follows ” (Fahringer 1936: 205) and then repeats Niezabitowsky’s (1909) morphological description of a specimen collected in Poland, Bieńkowice. We conclude that this name was never formally assigned and can hence be disregarded as a junior synonym of I. suevus for potential efforts to match the different barcoding clusters to existing names. The specimen described by Niezabitowsky is most likely stored in Krakow, Museum of Natural History and Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences collection (Haris 2016).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052AC569FDD2FE889C72.taxon	description	Fig. 53	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052AC569FDD2FE889C72.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype KAZAKHSTAN – Almaty Region • ♀; near Almaty, Kargalinka River; [43.31 ° N, 76.82 ° E]; 8 Jun. 1964; Savicheva leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Tobias & Kotenko (1986). In addition, the species is morphologically very distinct and unlikely to be confused → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052AC569FDD2FE889C72.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052AC569FDD2FE889C72.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Kazakhstan. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052AC569FDD2FE889C72.taxon	discussion	Remarks Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020) list ZIN as the depository of the holotype, but it is currently located at SIZK on loan, where a female paratype with the same label as the holotype is also stored (Zerova et al. 2006).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052EC52AF9FBFA849E14.taxon	description	Figs 54 – 55	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052EC52AF9FBFA849E14.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Paratypes UNITED STATES – California • 1 ♀; Thousand Palms; 21 Mar. 1955; W. R. M. Mason leg.; CNC, CNCHYM 01520. – Florida • 1 ♀; Oneco; 4 Jun. 1953; J. C. Martin leg.; CNC, CNCHYM 01521. – Texas • 1 ♀; Kerrville; 19 Jun. 1959; W. R. M. Mason leg.; CNC, CNCHYM 01522 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 17 Jun. 1959; CNC, CNCHYM 01523. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of habitus photos of the holotype (available via the Smithsonian Website), our examination of a female paratype stored at the CNC, and the information available in Wharton (1983). → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052EC52AF9FBFA849E14.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Parts of the type series (including holotype) reared from Pyralidae: Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller, 1848). For more details see Wharton (1983).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052EC52AF9FBFA849E14.taxon	distribution	Distribution NEA: United States (CA, FL, GA, TX). Molecular data Currently, only a very short fragment of COI (164 bp) of a female paratype CNCHYM 01520 stored at the CNC is available for this species. When blasted, it matches a public sequence with the Specimen-ID BIOUG 02764 - D 01 in BIN BOLD: ABY 3260 at a similarity of 99.33 %. Specimen BIOUG 02764 - D 01 was collected in Florida and all four sequences in the BIN were obtained from specimens collected in the United States, which matches the known distribution range of the species. We consider it likely that these specimens are representatives of I. terrestris but have not seen the material to confirm our hypothesis.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7E052EC52AF9FBFA849E14.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, USNM. Country of type locality: United States. The type was examined by Fernandez-Triana et al. (2020). This species was reared from a Pyralidae host, Elasmopalpus lignosellus, associated with peanut (holotype) and from Elasmopalpus sp. associated with cowpea (some paratypes).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7A052EC518FBE3FAF69D89.taxon	description	Fig. 56	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7A052EC518FBE3FAF69D89.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype TAJIKISTAN – [Khatlon Province] • ♀; Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve; [37.27 ° N, 68.47 ° E]; [331 m]; 2 Apr. 1981; Plyushch leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Tobias & Kotenko (1986) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7A052EC518FBE3FAF69D89.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7A052EC518FBE3FAF69D89.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Tajikistan, Turkmenistan. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF7A052EC518FBE3FAF69D89.taxon	discussion	Remarks In addition to the holotype, there are 12 female and 1 male paratypes stored at SIZK (Zerova et al. 2006).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF440512C520FE97FC3F9895.taxon	description	Fig. 57	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF440512C520FE97FC3F9895.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype RUSSIA – [Zabaykalsky Krai] • ♀; [Ononsky District], Chitinsk Province, Daurskiy Nature Reserve, north side of Zun-Torey Lake, tract Irel’zhin; [50.23 ° N, 115.78 ° E]; [738 m]; gully; 7 Jul. 1990; A. Kotenko leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Kotenko (2007). → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF440512C520FE97FC3F9895.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF440512C520FE97FC3F9895.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Russia (ZAB). Molecular data No molecular data available. Original description sensu Kotenko (2007) (translated from Russian and with updated morphological terminology and comments in brackets when our observations did not match Kotenko’s) [Diagnosis: Similar to I. kostjuki, but differs in the following characters:] T 2 wider, width ~ 3 × central length. T 2 1.5 × shorter than T 3, posterior margin weakly arcuately curved. Ovipositor sheaths shorter, about 0.5 × metatibia length. Pterostigma uniformly colored, dark brown. Fore wing vein R 1 2.3 – 2.5 × longer than the distance from it to apex of 3 RS. Anteromesoscutum with less noticeable setae and denser punctation, mostly matte, posteriorly with smooth sheen. Smaller: 2.5 [mm]. Head 1.7 × as wide as long, slightly narrower than mesosoma width, roundly narrowed behind eyes. Gena 1.5 × shorter than the eye width (laterally). Ocelli in obtuse triangle [ocelli in low triangle], its base 1.9 – 2.0 × as long as OOL [POL 1.2 × OOL]. POL 1.4 × greater than OD [POL 2.2 × OD]. Tangent to anterior edge of the posterior ocelli crossing posterior edge of the front ocellus [imaginary tangent posterior to the anterior ocellus touches the posterior ocelli]. Eyes noticeably converging downwards, their longitudinal diameter 1.7 × the transverse diameter and 1.6 × the height of the face. Upper width of face 1.2 × more than the lower width, and 1.6 × its height. Front margin of the clypeus convex, its height 3.2 × less than face height. Gena height 3.7 × shorter than longitudinal eye diameter. Antenna slightly longer than body, F 15 length 1.3 × its width. Mesosoma barely shorter than metasoma. Mesosoma length 1.6 × more than its height. Fore wing 1.2 × as long as hind wing, and slightly shorter than body. Pterostigma 2.6 × as long as wide, slightly shorter than vein R 1. Vein r slightly shorter than 2 RS. Vein 1 cu-a arising at around middle of the 1 st discal cell length; hind wing vein cu-a almost straight; metafemur length 3.2 – 3.3 × its width and 1.3 × less than the length of the metatibia. Metatarsus 1.2 × as long as metatibia, Ratio of holotype metatarsomere lengths as follows 3.5: 1.9: 1.4: 1.0: 1.2. T 1 slightly widened posteriorly, 1.3 × longer than maximum width. Sculpture. Head dorsally, clypeus and frontal part of gena (narrow stripe behind eyes) with sparser punctures, more or less shiny. Face and posterior side of gena densely punctured, matte. Scutoscutellar suture narrow, crenulated. Scutellum with punctation less dense than mesoscutum, shiny. Propodeum, T 1, T 2 densely and softly wrinkled (except for posterior part of propodeum), matte. Metacoxa densely punctated apically, matte, their outer side more sparsely punctured, with satin sheen. Coloration. Body black. Antennae almost black. Palps and tibial spurs yellowish. Tegulae, R 1 and most veins in the middle of the fore wing dark brown. Wings slightly smoky. Legs mostly black. Apices of the front and middle femorae and all of tibiae reddish-brown, apex of metatibia and all tarsi slightly darkened. Holotype – ♀, Chit. [Chitinsky District, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia], Daursky Reserve, N [orth] shore of Lake Zun-Torey, tract Irel’zhin, beam, 7. VII 1990 (A. K.) [SIZK].	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF460514C519FD62FC0C9CDA.taxon	description	Fig. 58	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF460514C519FD62FC0C9CDA.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype KAZAKHSTAN – [Aktobe Region] • ♀; Aktyubinsk Province, Mugodzhary, 25 km north of the settlement Borly, locality of Baymen; [49.44 ° N, 58.90 ° E]; 13 Jun. 1985; A. Kotenko leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Kotenko (2004, 2007). In addition, the species is morphologically very distinct and unlikely to be confused. → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF460514C519FD62FC0C9CDA.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF460514C519FD62FC0C9CDA.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Kazakhstan, Russia (SAR). Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF460514C519FD62FC0C9CDA.taxon	discussion	Remarks In addition to the holotype, there are at least 5 female paratypes stored at SIZK (Zerova et al. 2006). Original description sensu Kotenko (2004) (translated from Russian and with updated morphological terminology and comments in brackets when our observations did not match Kotenko’s) Diagnosis. The new species is close to I. urgo, from which it differs in having a matte anteromesoscutum, the smooth band posterior to the scutellum interrupted in the middle by a wrinkled area, smooth posterolateral part of scutellum, darkly colored legs, black or dark reddish-brown metacoxa, comparatively more long and narrow T 1, and ovipositor almost as long as metatibia [ovipositor and sheaths appearing shorter than metatibia in holotype photos]. Description. Female. Body length 2.3 – 2.5 mm. Width of head twice its length [dorsal head width and length], slightly greater than width of anteromesoscutum; head roundly narrowed behind eyes. Ocelli in strongly obtuse triangle [ocelli in high triangle]; tangent to anterior margin of posterior ocelli running along posterior margin of anterior ocellus [imaginary tangent posterior to the anterior ocellus does not touch or cross the posterior ocelli]; POL distinctly greater than OD. Eyes strongly converging downwards, their transverse diameter 1.6 × less than longitudinal diameter and almost twice as long as gena width laterally. Face height with the clypeus slightly more than lower face width. Clypeus shortened, slightly incised along anterior margin, almost straight. Antennae shorter than body; length of F 15 around 1.3 × its width. Mesosoma noticeably shorter than metasoma, its length 1.5 × its height. Fore wing equal to or slightly shorter than body; length of pterostigma 2.4 × its width; vein R 1 slightly shorter than pterostigma and only slightly longer than distance from its apex to wing apex; vein 1 cu-a arising at around middle length of 1 st discal cell [vein 1 cu-a arising at around basal third of length of 1 st discal cell]; hind wing vein cu-a nearly straight. Metatibia noticeably shorter than metatarsus; inner spur of metatibia only slightly longer than outer spur, distinctly shorter than half length of basitarsus; Ratio of metatarsomere lengths as follows 4.3: 2.1: 1.4: 1.0: 1.3. T 1 long and narrow, distinctly narrowed towards apex in posterior (sculpted) part, its length almost twice its maximum width; T 2 comparatively large and wide. Ovipositor sheaths equal or slightly shorter than metatibia [ovipositor and sheaths appearing shorter than metatibia in holotype photos]. Sculpture. Face, gena, head dorsally, mesoscutum and scutellum with dense punctures, matte or with slight satin shine. Propodeum weakly sculptured, shining [sculptured, with smooth, shining area anteriormedially]. Basal half of T 1 almost smooth and shining, its apical half and most of T 2 with identical dense sculpture, with satin sheen; tubercle at base of median field of T 2 with smoothed sculpture, shining. Coloration. Body black, often metasoma (except T 1 and T 2) dark reddish-brown; antennal flagellomeres black or dark reddish-brown; visible mouthparts, clypeus, scapes and usually pedicels, tegulae, fore and often middle legs light-colored, yellowish-brown or brown; metacoxae black, rarely dark reddish-brown; metafemur brown or dark brown; metatibia brown with darkened apical third [metatibia light / yellowbrownish with darker apical third]; metatibial spurs whitish. Wings slightly milky; pterostigma brown, in basal half and usually along the anterior margin light; vein R 1 and veins in middle part of fore wing brown. The male is unknown. Material. Holotype: ♀, Kazakhstan, Aktobe region, Mugodzhary, 25 km N of Borly settlement, tract Baymen, 13 VI 1986 (A. Kotenko). Paratypes. Kazakhstan, Aktobe region: 1 ♀, labeled as holotype; 1 ♀, Mugodzhary, Shevchenko village, steppe, on spurge [Euphorbia], 14 VI 1986 (A. Kotenko); 1 ♀, Mugodzhary, 25 km W of Yubileyny settlement, 16 VI 1986 (A. Kotenko); 1 ♀, Mugodzhary, western slope of Dva Brata [Eкі ағайынды] mountain, 17 VI 1986 (A. Kotenko). Russia: 1 ♀, Saratov Region, vicinity of Ozinki, Blue Mountains, 27 V 1986 (A. Kotenko).	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF400517C508F952FCFD9F32.taxon	description	Figs 59 – 60	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF400517C508F952FCFD9F32.taxon	materials_examined	Other material examined GREECE – Crete • 1 ♂; Canea; 6 Jul. [year unknown]; Biró leg.; J. Papp det. 1974; CNC, CNCHYM 01529. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of habitus photos of the female holotype and the information available in Nixon (1965, 1976), Papp (1981), Kotenko (2007), and Tobias & Kotenko (1986). In addition, the species is morphologically very distinct and unlikely to be confused → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF400517C508F952FCFD9F32.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF400517C508F952FCFD9F32.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Mongolia, Russia (S), Slovakia, Turkey. Molecular data One sequence was retrieved via sequencing of a male specimen available at the CNC which was identified by Papp. When entering the sequence into the BOLD identification engine, the sequence most closely matches (maximum 94.7 % barcode similarity) some sequences of specimens from Canada collected in British Columbia. These specimens cluster in BIN BOLD: ACL 9661 but the single female specimen with photos available does not at all show any of the rather distinct coloration of I. urgo. First, it should be noted that the match between the low-quality sequence of CNCHYM 01529 and the Canadian specimens is quite low and both might very well represent different species. Specimens of no other barcoding cluster were found to match the morphology of I. urgo. Secondly, the male specimen identified by Papp may very well be misidentified as sexual dimorphism in Illidops is quite strong. It might be the case that Papp identified the specimen based on its collection locality from Crete (Biró), which is where the holotype of I. urgo was collected. For another such case where Papp apparently matched male and female specimens mostly based on the collection locality, compare the remarks section for I. barcinonensis. Summarizing this, we currently cannot match this species reliably with any DNA sequences, but as reference our sequence of CNCHYM 01529 mapped to ZSM-HYM- 33161 - C 11 is provided as a fasta file in Supp. file 11. It should be noted that this sequence is of very poor quality and we are not certain about its accuracy and the accuracy of the identification of the male specimen as I. urgo.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF400517C508F952FCFD9F32.taxon	discussion	Remarks Holotype female, HNHM. Country of type locality: Greece.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF43051AC526FA3AFE159C84.taxon	description	Fig. 61	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF43051AC526FA3AFE159C84.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype TURKMENISTAN – [Lebap Region] • ♀; Repetek [Repetek Biosphere State Reserve?]; [38.61 ° N, 63.21 ° E]; sands; 27 Apr. 1992; A. Kotenko leg.; SIZK. Species concept Our species concept is based on our examination of photos of the holotype and the information available in Kotenko (2004, 2007) → ***.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF43051AC526FA3AFE159C84.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology / host information Host unknown.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF43051AC526FA3AFE159C84.taxon	distribution	Distribution PAL: Turkmenistan. Molecular data No molecular data available.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
9B215D01FF43051AC526FA3AFE159C84.taxon	discussion	Remarks In addition to the holotype, there are 5 female and 2 male paratypes stored at SIZK (Zerova et al. 2006). Original description sensu Kotenko (2004) (translated from Russian and with updated morphological terminology and comments in brackets when our observations did not match Kotenko’s) Diagnosis. The new species is most similar to Illidops electilis, but differs from it by eyes more strongly converging downwards, usually more articulated sculpture of the propodeum, short and wide T 1 and shorter ovipositor sheaths. Description. Female. Body length 2.3 mm. Width of head almost 2 × its length [in dorsal view head width versus head length], slightly wider than width of mesonotum; head behind eyes comparatively sharply roundly narrowed [in dorsal view head behind eyes comparatively narrow]. The occiput is rather strongly concave. Ocelli arranged in a strongly obtuse triangle [ocelli in high triangle]; tangent to the anterior margin of the posterior ocelli passing along the posterior margin of the anterior ocellus [imaginary tangent posterior to the anterior ocellus does not touch or cross the posterior ocelli]; POL distinctly greater than OD. Eyes noticeably converging downwards, their transverse diameter 1.6 × less than longitudinal diameter, and almost 2.0 × longer than length of gena (laterally). Face with longitudinal median elevation, which is more distinct before frons. Height of the face with the clypeus approximately equal to its width at its lower part. Clypeus well separated, shortened, with dense setae, almost straight along the front margin. Antennae shorter than the body; length of F 15 1.5 × as long as its width. Mesosoma slightly shorter than metasoma, its length 1.3 × its height. Fore wing length 1.3 × hind wing length, approximately equal in length to the body; length of pterostigma 2.3 × its width; vein R 1 shorter than pterostigma length and noticeably shorter than the distance from the apex of the R 1 to the apex of the wing; vein 1 cu arising around the middle of the 1 st discal cell; hind wing vein cu-a almost straight. Metatibiae slightly shorter than metatarsi; inner spur of metatibia not longer than outer, distinctly shorter than half of basitarsus; Ratio of metatarsomere lengths as follows 4.4: 2.1: 1.4: 1.0: 1.3. T 1 short and wide, its length 1.2 × its maximum width; T 2 large and wide. Ovipositor sheaths relatively short, their visible part barely longer than half length of metatibia. Face, gena, and head dorsally with shallow sculpture, slightly shiny; occiput densely wrinkly-sculptured, matte. Mesoscutum and scutellum densely punctured, with slight satin shine, almost matte. Propodeum along anterior margin and in postero-lateral corners sculptured, matte, in middle part with smoothed sculpture and more or less shiny; propodeum often softly sculpted and matte. T 1 and T 2 equally densely sculptured, matte. Body black; antennae and palps reddish-brown or brown; tegulae and legs (except mostly black metacoxa) yellowish-brown or brown; metatibial spurs whitish; wings very faintly yellowish; pterostigma light brown, usually in the basal half and along the anterior margin lighter; vein R 1 and veins in the middle part of the fore wing light brown or brownish-yellow. Male. It differs from female by longer (longer than body) antennae and darker coloration of legs (metafemur, apical half of middle and metatibiae, and metatarsus darkened). Material. Holotype: ♀, Turkmenistan, Repetek, sands, 27 IV 1992 (A. Kotenko). Paratypes. Turkmenistan: 5 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, labeled as in the holotype; 1 ♀, Repetek, ridge sands, white saxaul, ephedra, 9 IV 1993 (V. Perepechaenko). Hosts of Illidops Only a few species of Illidops have associated host information. We went through all of the literature available to us and collected the information in Table 9. This information needs to be interpreted carefully (Shaw 2023). DNA barcoding and COI sequence analysis of Illidops A total of 13 out of 32 Holarctic species of Illidops are currently linked to DNA barcode sequences. From these, eight show significant cryptic diversity and are only tentatively associated with one or several barcoding clusters, and one additional sequence is of very low quality (I. urgo). We performed a NJ analysis of the Holarctic COI sequences of Microgastrinae in BOLD, including only the longest sequence per BIN. With this method, we found a larger cluster which we associate with Illidops and another cluster which contains I. albostigmalis and I. mutabilis (see Supp. file 10). In total, 50 different BINs in the Holarctic were associated with Illidops in the BOLD database. Of these, 29 BINs include sequences linked to voucher specimens stored in the collections accessible to us, 14 BINs include sequences which are publicly available, often with associated images, and 7 BINs include only private data. By reviewing the BIN pages and the information on Nearest Neighbors (NN), we found nine additional BINs potentially linked to Illidops, but we do not have access to these sequences and BINs. For most of the BINs listed below, we were able to observe voucher specimens, or at least photos of the vouchers, but we did not have access to voucher specimens of all BINs. BIN distances in Illidops In general, we observed that the overall COI divergence between the BINs of Illidops is higher than in other genera of Microgastrinae (see Table 10 for p-distances). The distance to the NN in our dataset ranges between 10.18 % in I. albostigmalis and 1.18 % in I. doreenae sp. nov. However, the low distance in I. doreenae sp. nov. represents the distance between both BINs currently associated with this species. Neighbor-Joining topology of Illidops Our Neighbor Joining (NJ) analyses of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene for the Holarctic diversity of microgastrinae wasps show Illidops as potentially polyphyletic, with I. cf. mutabilis and I. albostigmalis clustering apart from a different, larger cluster of other species of Illidops (e. g., Supp. file 10). Neighbor Joining analyses of our Illidops data (Fig. 62, Supp. file 4) supports the results of the BIN approach as most species and BINs show high bootstrap values. Illidops stefanschmidti Höcherl & Fernandez-Triana sp. nov. and I. scutellaris appear as sister taxa, as well as I. butalidis and an unidentified BIN BOLD: AAK 1598 from Canada, and I. mutabilis and I. albostigmalis. The NJ topology also clearly shows the most divergent species, with I. butalidis and I. sophrosine (pink coloration) showing high intraspecific divergence and being represented by various BINs. The same is true for the clusters tentatively associated with I. naso (blue) and I. suevus (green), which do not appear as sister taxa to each other.	en	Höcherl, Amelie (2025): Revision of Holarctic Illidops Mason (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): A first step towards resolving a dark taxon and descriptions of three new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1031: 1-121, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.1031.3133, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3133/13943
