Syzeuctus Förster, 1869

Heydari, Maryam Zardouei, Riedel, Matthias & Rakhshani, Ehsan, 2022, Review of Syzeuctus Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Banchinae) in Iran, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 5100 (2), pp. 259-268 : 260-261

Genus Syzeuctus Förster, 1869

Type species: Ichneumon maculatorius Fabricius, 1787 .

Syzeuctus Förster, 1869: 167 . Type species— Ichneumon maculatorius Fabricius, 1787

Diceratops Förster, 1869: 167 . Type species— Pimpla bicornis Gravenhorst, 1829

Meyva Cameron, 1899: 191. Type species— Meyva villosa Cameron, 1899.

Rhynchotrevoria Cameron, 1906: 125. Type species— Rhynchotrevoria rostrata Cameron, 1906

Ephialtina Szépligeti, 1908: 74. Type species— Ephialtina apicalis Szépligeti, 1908 .

Leptoglyphis Brèthes, 1927: 319. Type species— Leptoglyphis minasensis Brèthes, 1927 .

Paratanera Rao, 1953: 171 . Type species— Paratanera indica Rao, 1953 .

Diagnosis. Syzeuctus species can be differentiated from other genera of the tribe Atrophini by the combination of the following morphological features: genal carina usually reaching the base of mandible; epomia distinctly developed; propodeum without lateral longitudinal carina ( Brock 2017), small and triangular areolet with a long frontal stalk, fore wing vein 2m-cu reclivous, with one bulla, sometimes tergal spiracles distinctly enlarged ( Townes 1970).

Distribution. This is a large worldwide genus, its members usually adapted to relatively dry habitats ( Townes 1970).

Key to the females of the Iranian species of Syzeuctus Förster, 1869

- Fore wing vein 1cu-a postfurcal; body with extensive dark patches, at most head and thorax yellow and metasomal tergites with a narrow yellow band on posterior margins; eyes parallel or slightly convergent in lower part......................... 2

2. The posterior transverse carina of propodeum complete....................................................... 3

- The posterior transverse carina of propodeum absents or shortly developed, laterally................................ 5

3. POL 1.5× OD; face mainly yellow; first to third metasomal tergites red with a narrow yellow band on posterior margins, the following tergites more brownish....................................... Syzeuctus brunneomaculatus Riedel, 2021

- POL 2.1× OD; face mainly black; first to fourth metasomal tergites black with a narrow yellow band on posterior margins... ................................................................................................... 4

4. Frons strongly swollen laterally; malar space about 0.5–0.6× as long as basal width of mandible; fore wing with apical brown spot; eyes slightly convergent in lower part; hind femur mostly black, yellow in apical 0.2; first to fourth metasomal tergites black with wide apical yellow bands........................................... Syzeuctus bicolor Szépligeti, 1899

- Frons slightly swollen laterally; Malar space about 0.6–0.8× as long as basal width of mandible; fore wing with subapical brown spot; eyes parallel in lower part; hind femur usually reddish; first to third metasomal tergites red, sometimes first to fourth metasomal tergites with apical yellow bands........................... Syzeuctus maculipennis ( Costa, 1883)

5. Face mainly black, at most clypeus and orbits yellow......................................................... 6

- Face entirely ivory or mainly yellow; at most black medially................................................... 7

6. Temple narrowed behind eye (0.45× as long as eye); clypeus 1.5× wider than long; first metasomal tergite stout (1.2–1.5× longer than wide); ovipositor 0.8–1.1× as long as fore wing; first metasomal tergite black with subbasal and apical yellow bands......................................................................... Syzeuctus irrisorius ( Rossi, 1794)

- Temple strongly narrowed behind eye (0.3× as long as eye); clypeus 1.8× wider than long; first metasomal tergite slender (1.9–2.0× longer than wide); ovipositor 1.2–1.4× as long as fore wing; first metasomal tergite black with wide apical yellow band.................................................................. Syzeuctus paraturcator Riedel, 2021

7. Face entirely ivory; OOL shorter than 1.7× (0.9–1.4) OD; clypeus 1.8× wider than long.... Syzeuctus persicus Riedel, 2021

- Face mainly yellow; OOL about 1.7× OD; clypeus 1.5–1.7× wider than long...................................... 8

8. Lateral ocellus large, OD as long OOL; temple narrowed behind eye (0.45× as long as eye); fore wing usually with a distinct dark spot apically........................................................ Syzeuctus kasparyator Aubert, 1977

- Lateral ocellus small, OD shorter than OOL; temple strongly narrowed behind eye (0.3× as long as eye); fore wing with a weak dark spot apically..................................................................................... 9

9. Posterior transversal carina of propodeum widely present laterally, obsolete medially; OOL about 1.1× OD; thorax mainly yellow, with extended black coloration; fifth to seventh metasomal tergites red....... Syzeuctus pseudoceballosi Riedel, 2021

- Posterior transversal carina of propodeum entirely absent or shortly present laterally and absent medially; OOL about 1.4× OD; thorax black, with extended yellow coloration; fifth to seventh metasomal tergites black, sometimes laterally red................................................................................... Syzeuctus turcator Aubert, 1984