Tropicolabus HEINRICH, 1959

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

32. Tropicolabus HEINRICH (according to HEINRICH 1962)

Tropicolabus HEINRICH 1959 - Ent. News 70: 216.

Type species: Platylabus foxi DAVIS.

Tropicolabus: HEINRICH 1962 - Syn. Nearct. Ichn. Stenop.: 14, 754-755.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Nearctic.

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

The genus is relative to Platylabus WESMAEL being different by the very long, partially curved upwards apophysises of propodeum. The gastrocoeli are transverse, extremely broad and deep, with very narrow interval. This character evidently distinguishes Tropicolabus from the two other genera of the tribe with the projecting apophysises ( Ambloplisus HEINRICH and Afrectopius HEINRICH ). Type species Tropicolabus is distinguished moreover by unusual sculpture of mesonotum, mainly smooth and shiny, distinctly punctured only in front part and by morphology of propodeum with unusually projecting carinae and extremely rough reticulate-rugose sculpture. Scutellum is highly elevated above postscutellum, almost perpendicularly razed from basal furrow and than long and abruptly slanting to postscutellum; its lateral carinae are unusually projecting; spiracles of the propodeum are elongated.

M o r p h o l o g y:

M a l e

F l a g e l l u m: Black with white annulus; scape yellow ventrally.

H e a d: Yellow; black: antennal cavities, middle part of face broadly, ocellar triangle and occiput.

T h o r a x: Mesonotum mainly smooth and shining, distinctly punctured only in front part; scutellum high elevated above postscutellum, almost perpendicularly raised from basal furrow and than with long steep slant to postscutellum, laterally carinated by projecting carinae; all propodeum extremely roughly reticulate rugose; carinae of propodeum extremely sharply elevated; area superomedia of equal length and breadth, approximately hexagonal, slightly narrowed in front; spiracles of propodeum longishoval or elongated. Black with extremely reach yellow color; yellow: collar of pronotum, margin and base of pronotum broadly, subalarum, spot on tegula, longitudinal stripes on mesonotum.

L e g s: Light-red; segments 1 and 2 of hind tarsi white; apex of hind tibiae and segments 3-5 of hind tarsi black; coxae and trochanters white; base of hind trochanters and coxae ventrally at base, dorsally of apex and laterally red.

A b d o m e n Gastrocoeli very deep and extremely broad, with very narrow interval; postpetiolus sharply separated from petiolus, with projecting longitudinal carinae with rough wrinkle sculpture; tergites 2 and 3 very densely and roughly sculptured, dull. Tergites 1-3 saturated black, 4-7 red; petiolus and oblong apical bands of all tergites yellow.