Gonatopus groups
Gonatopus females were divided for convenience by Olmi and Virla (2014) into twelve groups. The above 12 groups are distinguished on the basis of the following characters:
1 Fully winged.................................................................................. Group 11
- Apterous........................................................................................... 2
2 Enlarged claw without subapical tooth (Fig. 9 in Olmi 1994b), or with one very small subapical tooth (Plate 181A in Olmi & Virla 2014) 3
- Enlarged claw with one large subapical tooth (Plate 168D, E in Olmi & Virla 2014)............................... 6
3 Distal apex of enlarged claw with group of lamellae (Fig. 9 in Olmi 1994b)................................. Group 8
- Distal apex of enlarged claw without lamellae (Plates 181A, E, 182E-G, 183C, D in Olmi & Virla 2014)................ 4
4 Pronotum crossed by strong transverse furrow (Plates 181C, D, 182A-D, 183A, B in Olmi & Virla 2014)......... Group 7
- Pronotum not crossed by transverse furrow or slightly impressed (Plates 202, 203A, C in Olmi & Virla 2014)........... 5
5 Palpal formula 6/3.............................................................................. Group 12
- Palpal formula different........................................................................... Group 6
6 Pronotum not crossed by transverse furrow or slightly impressed (as in Plate 172B in Olmi & Virla 2014).............. 7
- Pronotum crossed by strong transverse furrow (Plates 164C, 167E in Olmi & Virla 2014)........................... 8
7 Labial palpi 3-segmented......................................................................... Group 9
- Labial palpi 2-segmented.......................................................................... Group 5
8 Enlarged claw without lamellae, with or without bristles or peg-like hairs (Plate 153B, D in Olmi & Virla 2014).... Group 1
- Enlarged claw with lamellae (Plates 154E, F, 155 D, E in Olmi & Virla 2014)..................................... 9
9 Labial palpus 2-segmented............................................................................ 10
- Labial palpus 3-segmented............................................................................. 11
10 Maxillary palpus composed of 2–4 segments.......................................................... Group 2
- Maxillary palpus 5-segmented.................................................................... Group 10
11 Maxillary palpus 6-segmented..................................................................... Group 4
- Maxillary palpus with 4–5 segments.................................................................... 12
12 Maxillary palpus 5-segmented..................................................................... Group 3
- Maxillary palpus 4-segmented.................................................................... Group 10
The above groups are distributed in the zoogeographical regions as follows:
Palaearctic: groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11.
Afrotropical: groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11.
Oriental: groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10.
Nearctic: groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12.
Neotropical: groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12.
Australian: groups 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.
As far as, it is not possible divide also males into the above groups.
Afrotropical species of Gonatopus group 3
Key to the species
Eleven species are known.
Females
1 Enlarged claw with distal apex very broad (Fig. 11)............................................ G. fuscus (Olmi)
- Enlarged claw with distal apex tapering, not broad (Figs 2, 5, 6, 13–14, 16–19, 22)................................ 2
2 Metathorax + propodeum with strong median longitudinal furrow (Fig. 1)......................................... 3
- Metathorax + propodeum without strong median longitudinal furrow............................................. 4
3 Metanotum little hollow behind scutellum (Fig. 4)........................................... G. acuminatus (Olmi)
- Metanotum very hollow behind scutellum (Fig. 15)..................... G. nicator Olmi
4 Scutum and metanotum with two lateral pointed apophyses (Fig. 12)........................................... 5
- Scutum without lateral pointed apophyses; at most metanotum with lateral pointed protrusions (Fig. 7)................ 8
5 Meso-metapleural suture obsolete, at most hardly visible in posterior half........................ G. madecassus Olmi
- Meso-metapleural suture distinct and complete............................................................. 6
6 Scutum very slender, twice as long as broad (length calculated from anterior margin to imaginary line joining two lateral pointed apophyses of scutum).............................................................. G. mixtus Olmi
- Scutum less slender, about as long as broad (length calculated from anterior margin to imaginary line joining two lateral pointed apophyses of scutum)............................................................................ 7
7 Head shiny, unsculptured, except frontal line; distal apex of segment 5 of protarsus with less than 20 lamellae (Fig. 17)........................................................................................ G. pluvialis Olmi
- Head dull, with many longitudinal striae on face and many transverse striae on sides of ocelli; distal apex of segment 5 of protarsus with more than 20 lamellae (Fig. 19)..................................................... G. ruvidus Olmi
8 Metanotum with sides rounded, not protruding; metathorax + propodeum black....................... G. c a fe r (Olmi)
- Metanotum with sides protruding (protrusions rounded or pointed); metathorax + propodeum black, or testaceous-reddish.................................................................................................... 9
9 Anterior surface of metathorax + propodeum unsculptured......................................... G. ruber (Olmi)
- Anterior surface of metathorax + propodeum sculptured by numerous slight longitudinal striae...................... 10
10 Mesosoma testaceous-reddish............................................................... G. ceres (Olmi)
- Mesosoma mostly black, except scutum mostly yellow, metanotum brown and posterior apex of propodeum yellow......................................................................................... G. schwarzorum sp. nov.
Males. Unknown.