Sendaphne

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., Whitfield, James B., Smith, M. Alex, Winnie Hallwachs, & Janzen, Daniel H., 2014, Revision of the neotropical genus Sendaphne Nixon (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 41, pp. 1-29 : 4-6

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Genus Sendaphne

Sendaphne Nixon, 1965: 203.

Diagnosis.

Glossa elongate and bilobate (Figs 2, 9, 34, 48, 58, 70). Lateral face of scutellum with polished area (=lunules) occupying most of the lateral face (Figs 5, 12, 19, 28, 44, 49, 56). Propodeum usually smooth and without carina (exceptionally having sparse punctures and few rugae on the nucha) (Figs 7, 13, 19, 28, 33, 44, 49, 60, 74). Metacoxa very long, about the same length as metafemur length and metatibia length (Figs 8, 13, 15, 29, 50, 54, 61, 68, 74). Mediotergite 1 strongly narrowing towards posterior margin (Figs 4, 14, 19, 50, 51). Mediotergite 2 subtriangular, much longer medially than its width at its anterior margin (and usually also longer medially than its width at posterior margin). Ovipositor very long for a microgastrine wasp (two times longer than metatibia length) and strongly curved (Figs 1, 20, 35, 53, 54, 57, 64, 68); apex of ovipositor usually not sinuate (exceptionally with very slight sinuation). Fore wing with very wide first discal cell, and with small areolet (Figs 3, 17, 17, 24, 39, 55, 62, 69) (areolet sometimes not well-defined because veins 3RSa and r-m are spectral, as in Figs 10, 31, 47). Body color often mostly yellow to orange (with a few exceptions from species collected at higher altitudes, which have head, mesosoma and parts of metasoma dark brown to black). Body length longer than the fore wing length, usually by 0.2-0.4 mm. Within Microgastrinae, Sendaphne can only be confused with Promicrogaster , but the later has a more transverse mediotergite 2, apex of ovipositor clearly sinuate, and propodeum usually with more sculpture and carination present.

Key to Sendaphne species

[This key is intended for female specimens, although two species are only known from males, and in those cases the key accommodates them. Generally, males tend to have darker coloration than the females, especially on the metasoma].