Dolerus coracinus

The name coracinus has been designated as the correct name for what is currenty known as anthracinus. However, renaming anthracinus as coracinus would leave this species with no name. Therefore, it retains the name coracinus for the time being. 

Benson (1952) was only aware of records from Speyside, although older specimens from Glamorgan have been found. Further records from the 1970s were made in Lancashire and Yorkshire, and most recently, it was recorded from two sites in Northumberland in 1992, falling just within the 30-year assessment period. Observations have declined in recent years. However, this is an early-flying species and it may not have been sought by entomologists early enough in the year (Musgrove, 2023).

There is very little published information on this entirely black species. The front lobe of the mesonotum has a fine medial groove. The mesosternum is almost impunctate.

Larvae are unknown but the species is found close to water bodies. 

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GB IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
GB Rarity Status: Nationally Rare

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales

Flight period: March

Plant associations: unknown

The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)

References:

Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London

Liston A, Knight G, Sheppard D, Broad G, Livermore L (2014) Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Sawflies, ‘Symphyta’. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1168. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1168

Liston, A., Mutanen, M., Heidemaa, M., Blank, S.M., Kiljunen, N., Taeger, A., Viitasaari, M., Vikberg, V., Wutke, S. and Prous, M., 2022. Taxonomy and nomenclature of some Fennoscandian Sawflies, with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera, Symphyta). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, 69(2).

Musgrove, A.J. 2023. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 2: The Athaliidae and the Tenthredinidae (excluding Nematinae). Natural England, unpublished