Key to subfamilies

This is the first attempt to develop a key to the Afrotropical subfamilies of Pteromalidae; it is a preliminary step before a key to genera. The work is in progress, images will be added soon.

For morphological terms see Morphology. Definition of terms can be found here.

Suggested citation: Mitroiu M.-D., 2016. Provisional key to Afrotropical subfamilies of Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera). Available on-line at: https://sites.google.com/site/pterotaxa/the-afrotropical-pteromalidae/key-to-afrotropical-subfamilies-of-pteromalidae [Accessed DD/MM/YYYY].

PROVISIONAL KEY TO AFROTROPICAL SUBFAMILIES OF PTEROMALIDAE

1 Antennal radicle about 4 times as long as broad, toruli wide apart and close to mouth; antenna 11253; face collapsing so eyes virtually touching; body and legs very slender; ovipositor long; marginal vein at least 8X as long as the very short stigmal vein; postmarginal vein long

LOURICIINAE – Callimomoides Girault [probably introduced]

- Antennal radicle at most slightly longer than broad; toruli usually close to each other; antennal formula sometimes different; face rarely collapsing, eyes not touching; body and legs usually not very slender; ovipositor sometimes short; wing venation usually different

2 Antennae inserted very close to clypeus, almost touching it; head subprognathous; body entirely black, except sometimes tarsi; head; pronotum and mesoscutum usually with conspicuous piliferous punctures; gaster petiolate; antenna 1171; marginal vein long, stigmal and postmarginal veins short

SPALANGIINAE– Spalangia Latreille

- Antennae inserted at least slightly above clypeus, although sometimes distinctly lower than ocular line; head usually not subprognathous; body rarely black; pronotum and mesoscutum usually without conspicuous piliferous punctures; gaster sometimes sessile; antennal formula and wing venation usually different

3 Head globose or subprognathous, with a distinct ridge or strong tooth between antennae; occipital carina present; body surface smooth, often yellowish to blackish, metallic color rarely present; wings mostly always bare, but with long marginal ciliation and a usually a conspicuous tuft of black hairs on parastigma

CEROCEPHALINAE

- Head usually not globose or subprognathous, mostly without a distinct ridge or strong tooth between antennae; occipital carina present or not; body surface usually distinctly sculptured and metallic; wings usually distinctly pilose, but without a tuft of black hairs on parastigma

4 Stigmal vein forming an almost right angle with the shorter postmarginal vein (males sometimes brachypterous); body non-metallic, yellowish to blackish

EPICHRYSOMALLINAE

- Stigmal vein forming an acute angle with the postmarginal vein, this longer, equal or shorter then the stigmal (males usually macropterous); body metallic or not

5 Face with additional vertical grooves parallel to genal ones; prepectus very small, invisible or hardly visible; pronotum medially very short; females with mid tarsi very long and 4-segmented, first segment as long as the others combined; males with all tarsi 5-segmented

MACROMESINAE – Macromesus filicornis (Delucchi)

- Face without additional vertical grooves parallel to genal ones; prepectus usually not small, clearly visible; all tarsi 5-segmented in both sexes

6 Scape very short, not longer than pedicellus; axillae strongly advanced; gaster subsessile; head and mesosoma with dense pilosity; body without metallic colour

PARASAPHODINAE – Parasaphodes Schulz

- Scape not unusually short, much longer than pedicellus; axillae usually not strongly advanced; head and mesosoma mostly with sparse pilosity; body metallic or not

7 Vertex, mesoscutum and scutellum with long paired bristles; first gastral tergite often covering most of the gaster

DIPARINAE

- Vertex, mesoscutum and scutellum without long paired bristles; first gastral tergite often shorter

8 Propodeal spiracles situated about midway between anterior and posterior margins of propodeum; antennae inserted below ocular line, with 3 anelli; body sculpture delicate [brachypterous, yellowish, pronotum long, about as long as mesonotum; scutellum wide but short; propodeum short; gaster globose]

CEINAE – Bohpa maculata Darling

- Propodeal spiracles situated closer to anterior margin of propodeum; antennae sometimes inserted higher, number of anelli sometimes different; body sculpture often strong

9 Internal eye margins clearly diverging; antennae with at most one anellus; hind or fore femora sometimes enlarged; pronotum usually longer than half length of mesoscutum

CLEONYMINAE

- Internal eye margins parallel or virtually so; if somewhat diverging (some Pteromalinae) then antennae with at least 2 anelli

10 Occipital carina present and notauli complete; pronotum dorsally quadrangular; gena carinate; antennae inserted below ocular line; gaster petiolate, petiole with longitudinal rugae

ASAPHINAE

- Occipital carina absent or notauli incomplete; other characters not in the above combination

11 Pronotum reduced, dorsally not visible; eyes, scutellum and fore wings covered with dense pilosity; notauli complete

AUSTROTEROBIINAE

- Pronotum clearly visible in dorsal view, even if short; pilosity less dense; notauli complete or not

12 First gastral tergite very large and convex, covering most of the gaster, not collapsing; antenna at most 12-segmented

- First gastral tergite usually small or moderate, mostly collapsing; if very large then antenna 13-segmented

13 Marginal vein very long, stigmal vein very short; whole fore wing, head (including eyes) and mesosoma, densely pilose; antenna 11163, segments strongly transverse

HERBERTIINAE – Herbertia Howard

- Marginal vein shorter, stigmal vein well developed; fore wings with bare areas; body not unusually densely pilose; antenna with 4-5 funicular segments, mostly not strongly transverse

EUNOTINAE

14 Clypeal margin with asymmetric teeth (except Ammeia Delucchi, with no teeth), in middle mostly with a deep incision; notauli complete, usually deep; antennae 13-segmented

MISCOGASTERINAE

- Clypeal margin symmetric, with teeth or without; notauli complete or not; antennae 10-13-segmented

15 Antennae always inserted in lower third of face, 10-12-segmented, with 1-2 mostly invisible anelli and sometimes with at least part of the funicular segments anelliform; clypeus conspicuous, convex, lower margin produced

PIRENINAE

- Antennae usually inserted higher, 12 or 13-segmented, mostly with 2-3 anelli and no anelliform funicular segments; clypeus usually different

16 Notauli always deep and complete; scutellum without distinct frenum; propodeum relatively short, always without distinct nucha; either body non-metallic, robust, and antenna 13-segmented; or body metallic, tentorial pits deep, and antenna 12-segmented

ORMOCERINAE

- Notauli mostly not deep, complete or incomplete; frenum usually distinct; propodeum sometimes long, with well developed nucha; other characters not in the above combination

17 Female gaster with a very long and thin "tail" formed either by the ovipositor itself or the last 1-2 tergites which are unusually narrow and tubular, covering the true ovipositor; antenna 12-segmented

- Female gaster without such "tail"; antenna 12 or 13-segmented

18 Body smooth; head mostly unusually high and narrow; ovipositor distinctly shorter than gaster; males usually fully winged, very rarely apterous

SYCOECINAE

- Body distinctly reticulated; head not unusually high and narrow; ovipositor usually longer than gaster; males either fully winged or apterous

SYCORYCTINAE

19 Female gaster with apex laterally compressed and curving downward; antenna 12 or 13-segmented; males usually wingless or with filamentous fore wings

OTITESELLINAE

- Female gaster with apex not laterally compressed, straight; antenna 13-segmented; males always fully winged

PTEROMALINAE