Leptochilus de Saussure, 1853

Fateryga, Alexander V., 2024, On some new and little-known Palaearctic species of the genus Leptochilus de Saussure, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), Zootaxa 5432 (1), pp. 38-53 : 39

Genus Leptochilus de Saussure, 1853

Leptochilus de Saussure 1853: 233 , genus.

Type species: Pterochilus mauritanicus Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1841 , by subsequent designation of Ashmead 1902: 209 (as “ Pterochilus mauritianus ”).

Diagnosis. Belonging to the group of genera of Odynerini s. l. without cephalic foveae in the female, with a basally obtuse second submarginal cell, and with an apical lamella of T2 (although may be reduced in the subgenus Zendalia ), known as clade D sensu Bank et al. (2017). Distinguished from other genera by the following combination of characters: head shorter or not much longer than wide; proboscis usually not reaching mid coxae; thorax not much longer than wide; pronotal carina usually present; tegula protruding posteriorly; metanotum sharply edged posteriorly (in most species); submarginal carina produced in a lobe above the valvula, which is not completely fused to the propodeum; T1 hardly petiolate, depressed subapically; apical lamella of T2 with basal row of small to large punctures. Representatives of the genus are usually very small wasps (except subgenera Leptochilus s. str. and Euleptochilus , which comprise rather medium-sized ones).