Spanophatnus CAMERON, 1905

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 : 1528-1530

33. Spanophatnus CAMERON

Spanophatnus CAMERON 1905 - Rec. Albany Mus., Grahamstown I: 230-231.

Type species: Spanophatnus ruviceps CAMERON.

Spanophatnus: HEINRICH 1967 - Ichn. Stenop. of Africa 2: 425-426.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: South Africa. 5 species.

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

The roughly and densely wrinkly-punctured sculpture of all the body, including strongly sclerotized tergites 2-4, distinctly convex clypeus (as characteristically for the tribe), propodeum with atrophied area superomedia and costulae, developed hind transverse carina and only just marked lateral carinae of horizontal part are characteristic to this genus. Males of the species of genus have serrated flagellum, character for only the genus Pristiceros GRAVENHORST. Unusually rough sculpture of the anterior tergites is distinguished more sharply Spanophatnus from Pristiceros and also from Neeurylabia HEINRICH. Additionally it differed from them by the form of the clypeus and mandibles.

M o r p h o l o g y:

F l a g e l l u m: Bristle-shaped, beyond middle slightly flattened ventrally, practically not widened. Flagellum of males ( S. guillarmodi HEINRICH ) without tyloides in contrast to Pristiceros ; distinctly serrate (most visible from lateral and by lighting of object from below).

H e a d: Head contour from front strongly narrowed downwards, behind eyes from above sharply and smoothly narrowed. Occipital carina meeting with hypostomal carina before mandible base, abscissula approximately 2-3 times longer than mandible base width and distinctly lamellate, although only just high; genae at place of meeting occipital and hypostomal carinae (carinal junction) forming not great impression; mandibles moderately long and slender, normal, with short lower tooth; clypeus moderately convex, transversal, with thinned, almost straight front margin and oblique lateral margins, distinctly separated from middle field of face by impression; middle field of face distinct, but slightly elevated above lateral fields; antennal cavities moderately deep, small with sharp narrow tooth between antennal fossae; ocellar triangle only just elevated. Surface of clypeus roughly wrinkly-punctured, surface of face roughly-wrinkled, without microsculpture.

T h o r a x: Transverse furrow of pronotum not interrupted by keel; pronotal ridge rather strongly swollen; pronotal base smooth, gradually uniformly curved. Mesonotum strongly convex, of equal length and breadth; notauli only just marked at base; surface of mesonotum roughly and densely punctured; subalarum thick; sternauli not expressed; scutellum strongly roundly convex, laterally carinated up to apex. Hind margin of metanotum smooth, without prominences. Propodeum from lateral rounded; horizontal and declivous surface divided by apical transverse carina, other transverse carinae not developed; from longitudinal carinae only carina metapleuralis developed; both parts of propodeum very roughly irregularly reticulate-rugose, horizontal part without distinct areas; spiracles large, slit-shaped, elongated or longish-oval. Horizontal and lateral parts of propodeum roughly reticulate-rugose.

L e g s: Slender, moderately long.

W i n g s: Areolet from pentagonal narrow in front, to quadrangular; nervulus interstitial or very slightly antefurcal; radius almost straight with curved apex; ramulus sometimes very long. Front wing shorter than body length.

A b d o m e n Broadly-oval, sixth and seventh tergites only just visible from above; second tergite transverse; ovipositor not protrude behind apex of abdomen. Petiolus strongly flattened, in middle approximately two times wider than height; from lateral carinated by only ventrolateral carina and only just developed only at base dorsolateral carina, gradually transform to postpetiolus; from above uniformly broadened to postpetiolus; middle field not expressed, surface of postpetiolus wrinkly-punctured. Gastrocoeli slightly impressed, small, triangle, thyridia expressed; tergites 2-4 strongly sclerotized, roughly longitudinally wrinkly-punctured. Hypopygium rather short, compressed from sides, with fold and membranous apex.

C o l o r a t i o n: From completely black, to considerably red thorax and metallic blue abdomen.