Protichneumonini HEINRICH

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 : 1389-1390

Tribe Protichneumonini HEINRICH

Protichneumonini HEINRICH 1934 - Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin 20: 64, 84.

Type genus: Protichneumon THOMSON.

Protichneumonini : HEINRICH 1968 - Ichn. Stenop. of Africa 1: 27.

D i s t r i b u t i o n:World-wide.

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

The tribe differs from Ichneumonini by structure of propodeum. Form of propodeum is not of broken (box-shaped) type as of Ichneumonini , but slanting in different degree with distinctly expressed fields. Area dentipara is slanting to hind coxae thus, that its external carina follows parallel to metapleural carina or even drawing together with it toward apex (as for example of dissimilar tribe Compsophorini ). Apices of areae dentiparae never form apophysises, teeth or even weak projections. Area superomedia shows tendency to narrowing in a direction to area basalis up to arcual or horseshoe form, not always distinctly limited from area basalis in front, sometimes even confluent with it ( Apatetor SAUSSURE ).

Flagellum of Protichneumonini is bristle-shaped, of females widened, to strongly widened and flattened beyond middle, of moderate length. Head is with moderately narrowed genae and temples and with distinctly differentiated fields of face and flattened clypeus, strong mandibles with teeth situated in the same plane. Coxae of hind legs of females of majority of species are with distinct scopa. Abdomen of females of majority of species is oxypygous, rarely amblypygous (for example genus Amblyjoppa CAMERON distributed in Holarctic and Oriental Region). Median field of postpetiolus of first tergite is of various sculpture, coarse or (usually) striate, striate-punctuated or with regularly punctuated sculpture. Abdomen is with distinct gastrocoeli and thyridia. The tribe has world-wide distribution.

To the tribe Protichneumonini , the tribe Heresiarchini is closely adjoined. G. HEINRICH (1974) has placed it to Protichneumonini in a status of subtribe. We preferred to keep it as an independent tribe by the reasons described above.

Tribe is presented by two subtribes – African Apatetorina and world-wide distributed Protichneumonina .

1 Propodeum short, areae dentiparae rather abruptly curved; carinae of propodeum usually complete; area superomedia always narrowed in front, in a form of horseshoe, semioval, in form of gothic arch, or hexagonal; areolet of front wing pentagonal. Abdomen without white anal spots ......................................... Protichneumonina HEINRICH

- Propodeum more elongated, area posteromedia usually from distinctly to many more short than area superomedia and area basalis together; areae dentiparae more moderately fall to base of coxae III, with tendency to merge at apex with areae posteroexternae; area superomedia usually merged with area basalis, forming long central area, with tendency to protrude in middle to postscutellum and often reach it; areolet of front wing quadrangular. Abdomen often with anal spots .................................... ........................................................................................................... Apatetorina HEINRICH