Apaeleticus WESMAEL

A. M, 2009, Illustrated key to the tribes of subfamilia Ichneumoninae and genera of the tribe Platylabini of world fauna (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (2), pp. 1317-1608 : 1438-1439

1. Apaeleticus WESMAEL

Apaeleticus WESMAEL 1884 - Mem. Acad. Bruxelles 18: 238.

Type species: Apaeleticus bellicosus WESMAEL ; designated by ASHMEAD 1900.

Apaeleticus: HEINRICH 1962 - Syn. Nearct. Ichn. Stenop.: 791-792.

Apaeleticus: HEINRICH 1977 - Ichn. Florida and Neigb. States 9: 282.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Holarctic. 1 species in Nearctic and 9 in Palaearctic.

I n t r o d u c t i o n:

There are small species with circular or roundish spiracles with combination of characters which distinguishes them from other Platylabini : strongly developed sternauli, sharply protruded middle field of face, roughly irregularly cellular-wrinkled sculpture of propodeum with developed teeth, pentagonal areolet with wide base and truncated apex of abdomen with hidden under fifth sixth and seventh tergites. Besides that, collar of pronotum is interrupted by longitudinal carina, character, which is marked still only for Notoplatylabus . Flagellum is bristle-shaped or semi bristle-shaped, shorter than front wing and wing is distinctly shorter than body length.

Habitually species of the genus remind small Barichneumon (peregrinator group). Strongly protruded middle field of face, interrupted furrow of pronotum, tubercle on area basalis and form of gastrocoeli and thyridia add to the said.

M o r p h o l o g y:

F l a g e l l u m: Of females bristle-shaped, from moderately long and moderately slen- der, ventrally flattened to very long and very slender, ventrally flattened beyond middle, from not widened to slightly widened, from moderately to strongly attenuated and pointed toward apex. Flagellum of males without tyloides.

H e a d: Head contour from front strongly, almost straightly, narrowed downwards, behind eyes from above backwards; occipital carina meeting with hypostomal carina on mandible base; mandibles with form character to tribe, gradually narrowed to apex and sharply carinated along upper border; clypeus transverse, convex, with straight impressed front margin, sometimes with teeth or tubercles; middle field of face strongly protrude, narrow.

T h o r a x: Transverse furrow of pronotum interrupted by keel; pronotal ridge not thickened, epomiae very sharp; pronotal base strongly sinuous. Mesonotum moderately convex, slightly wider than length; notauli distinct almost to middle; subalarum not sharpened; mesopleurae at lower part without sharp break; sternauli extraordinary sharp, deep, reach hind third of mesopleurae; scutellum convex, moderately elevated above postscutellum, laterally carinated (at least at basal third), with gradually rounded apex. Hind margin of metanotum with triangle projections opposite lateral longitudinal carinae. All fields of propodeum distinct; basal area deep with tooth; area dentipara with tooth at apex; spiracles small, roundish. Surface of propodeum, except roughly-wrinkled metapleurae and area basalis extremely roughly reticulate rugose, cellular, without microsculpture, at expressed fields.

L e g s: Quite strong. W i n g s: Areolet pentagonal, rather symmetrical, narrowed in front; radius uniformly curved, almost straight, short. Front wing distinctly shorter than body length.

A b d o m e n Of females from above elongated, truncated apically, tergites 6 and 7 usually hidden under fifth. Petiolus at base not flattened, from lateral with rather sharp bend to postpetiolus and developed lateral carinae; middle field of postpetiolus not limited by carinae with punctured or with finely irregularly-wrinkled surface. Gastrocoeli distinct, moderately impressed, vary in size subject to species, sometimes interspace slightly narrower, than each of them, usually some wider; lunulae distinct, large. Sheath of ovipositor only just sclerotized, directed from hypopygium upwards.

C o l o r a t i o n: Reddish-brown and black, with very limited white pattern; scutellum white; of males white pattern on head and thorax more reach than of females.