Trichrysis, Lichtenstein, 1876

Rosa, Paolo, Aswathi, Pokkattu Gopi, Wiśniowski, Bogdan & Bijoy, Chenthamarakshan, 2022, Preliminary revision of the Indian cuckoo wasp genera Trichrysis Lichtenstein, 1876 and Chrysidea Bischoff, 1910, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae), European Journal of Taxonomy 852, pp. 117-143 : 134-135

Key to the currently known species of Indian Trichrysis

The key is mainly based on females. Males are usually recognizable by the subtruncate apex of T3, shorter apical teeth, and darker colouration dorsally; the shape of the black spots on S2 may slightly vary, but the shape is normally similar, although they may be slightly smaller or narrower.

1. Apex of T3 with five teeth ................................................................................................................ 2

– Apex of T3 with three teeth .............................................................................................................. 5

2. TFC faint or barely visible; lateral pronotal carina faint; black spots on S2 small, elliptic, medially largely separated as in Fig. 3F ; small species (5–6 mm) ............................ T. inops ( Gribodo, 1884)

– TFC sharp; lateral pronotal carina fully developed; black spots on S2 large, medially fused; large and stocky species (6.5–11 mm) ....................................................................................................... 3

3. Apical margin of T3 with three pointed teeth and two blunted ones between the median and lateral teeth; wings dark brown; female without median transverse carina below TFC; body punctures overall deep and dense; pits of the pit row deep, large to partially confluent; body colour dark blue with green or light blue spots laterally on T2 .................................. T. bengalensis ( Mocsáry, 1889)

– Apical margin of T3 with five pointed teeth; wings light with brown nervures; female with median transverse carina below TFC; body punctures sparse and shallower; pits of the pit row small and separated; body colour green with lateral golden spots on T2 ......................................................... 4

4. Vertex, pronotum, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum, mesopleuron, T1 and T2 laterally metallic coppery, in contrast with metallic blue colouration of the remaining part of the body; F1 only partially metallic green to blue; black spots on S2 fused medially as in Fig. 7B ; pit row of T3 with deep and mostly fused pits ............................................................... T. imperiosa ( Smith, 1874)

– Body metallic green to blue; T2 with greenish to golden or golden-red spot laterally; F1 fully metallic green to blue; black spots on S2 fused medially or separated by narrow metallic line as in Fig. 7C ; pit row of T3 with smaller and well-defined pits ....................................... T. lusca ( Fabricius, 1804)

5. Teeth on apical margin of T3 exceptionally elongate and thick ...................... T. poseidonia sp. nov.

– Teeth on apical margin of T3 not exceptionally developed .............................................................. 6

6. Metasoma with large, red, golden and purple lateral or apico-lateral markings contrasting with the green body colour; head and mesosoma with red and golden colours in nature, which are usually lost in the prepared specimens in collections .......................................................................................... 7

– Metasoma blue with greenish stripes and markings, not distinctly red or highly contrasting with the rest of the green-blue body colour .................................................................................................... 8

7. Black spots on S2 small, oval, and medially separated by a thin line as in Fig. 7E ; tegulae metallic blue; T3 with an apico-median darker bluish to purplish spot before median tooth; T3 intervals between median and lateral tooth convex .................................................. T. lanka ( Bingham, 1903)

– Black spots on S2 large, triangular and medially fused, as in Fig 7F ; tegulae brown, non-metallic; T3 with two separated, lateral bluish to purplish spots, and golden stripe before pit row; T3 intervals between median and lateral tooth concave ............................................. T. hexapholis Bohart, 1988

8. Black spots on S2 rounded and separated by a thin line, as in Fig. 7G T . scioensis ( Gribodo, 1879)

– Black spots on S2 medially fused, differently shaped as in Fig. 7H–J ............................................. 9

9. Tegula brown, at most with a weak metallic reflection basally; body colour usually metallic green or light greenish-blue, with characteristic olive green to blackish matt areas on interspaces between punctures on mesonotum; S2 as in Fig. 7H ...................................... T. tonkinensis ( Mocsáry, 1914)

– Tegula entirely with metallic reflection; body metallic blue or blue and green; S2 as in Fig. 7I–J ... ......................................................................................................................................................... 10

10. Black spots on S2 as in Fig. 7I ; TFC medially as an angle ................ T. triacantha ( Mocsáry, 1889)

– Black spots on S2 as in Fig. 7J ; TFC continuous .............................. T. excisifrons ( Mocsáry, 1912)

Figures

Fig. 3. Chrysis spectrum Wickar, 1908, ♀, lectotype (NHMUK). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Habitus, posterior view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Fig. 7. Species of Trichrysis Lichtenstein, 1876, shape of black spots on S2. A. T. inops (Gribodo, 1884). B. T. imperiosa (Smith, 1874). C. T. lusca (Fabricius, 1804). D. T. poseidonia sp. nov. E. T. lanka (Bingham, 1903). F. T. hexapholis Bohart, 1988 (modified from Bohart 1988). G. T. scioensis (Gribodo, 1879). H. T. tonkinensis (Mocsáry, 1914). I. T. triacantha (Mocsáry, 1889). J. T. excisifrons (Mocsáry, 1912).