Pyramidophorus TISCHBEIN, 1882

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 : 1540-1541

37. Pyramidophorus TISCHBEIN

Pyramidophorus TISCHBEIN 1882 - Stettiner Entom. Zeitung 43: 484.

Type species: Pyramidophorus flavoguttatus TISCHBEIN.

Platylabus: TOWNES et al. 1965 - Cat. Reclass. East. Pal. Ichn.: 515. ( Pyramidophorus as synonym of Platylabus WESMAEL ).

Pyramidophorus: HEINRICH 1978 - East. Pal. Ichn.: 80.

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

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

The unique peculiarities of morphology and the parasitizing on Sphingidae indicate an independent status of this genus. Therefore after G. HEINRICH (1978), it is impossible to agree with synonymyzation of Pyramidophorus and Platylabus . Flagellum with extremely lot of the segments, uncharacteristic for Platylabus clypeus, approximately same height with middle field and gradually turning into middle field of face (as Hoplismenina ), slightly uniformly narrowed mandibles, strongly developed axillary tongue, not carinated pyramidal scutellum, propodeum with cellular sculpture and not developed fields, pectinate at basal part claws of females tarsi, presence of specific broadenings on apices of areae dentiparae, and also quadrangular asymmetrical areolet and large size (to 19-20 mm), indicate about specific place of Pyramidophorus among the genera of the tribe.

M o r p h o l o g y:

F l a g e l l u m: Of females bristle-shaped, slender, gradually attenuated toward apex, very slightly flattened ventrally, with white (yellow) annulus; with more than 50 segments. Flagellum shorter than the front wing and body length.

H e a d: Head contour almost rectangular, only just wider than height, genae roundly narrowed downwards; contour from above slightly transversal. Temples from above long, gradually roundly narrowed behind eyes; occipital carina from lateral parallel to hind margin of eye, meeting with hypostomal carina on considerable distance from mandible base; mandibles massive, gradually narrowed from base to apex with strong teeth; clypeus slightly separated from middle field of face, transversal, slightly uniformly convex, approximately same height with middle field, with straight front margin and distinct sharp lateral corners, gradually turn into middle field of face; clypeus and middle field of face high elevated above lateral fields; antennal cavities very deep with very strong, high narrow tooth (almost keel) between antennal fossae; ocellar triangle not elevated. Head surface dull with superficial punctures.

T h o r a x: Transverse furrow of pronotum not interrupted by keel; pronotal ridge not thickened; epomiae strong, but short; pronotal base sharply sinuous. Mesonotum moderately convex, distinctly longer than width; notauli not expressed; axillary tongue very strongly developed; surface of mesonotum very densely punctured, to wrinkle-punctured on middle lobe, with developed microsculpture; considerable part of prepectus visible from side; subalarum extraordinary thick; sternauli practically absent; scutellum from lateral triangle with rounded apex, not carinated laterally. Hind margin of metanotum with triangular projections. Propodeum from lateral roundly-convex; horizontal part of propodeum shorter than length of area posteromedia in middle; carinae of propodeum reduced, distinctly developed only carina metapleuralis; area superomedia marked by cellular structure and high elevated above lateral fields; apices of areae dentiparae with blunted transversal projections (resembling projections of Abzaria CAMERON ); spiracles large, long and broad. Surface of propodeum, with exception of metapleurae, cellularwrinkled.

L e g s: Slender. Claws large, thickened and of females pectinate at basal part.

W i n g s: Wings in comparison with other genera comparatively narrow. Areolet irregularly quadrangular, strongly asymmetrical; nervulus postfurcal.

A b d o m e n Abdomen broadly-oval, sheath of ovipositor from above not protrude; second tergite sharply transverse. Petiolus strongly broadened and flattened at base, laterally with sharp carinae; from lateral with gradual bend to postpetiolus, from above strongly and sharply broadened to postpetiolus. Gastrocoeli deep, only just oblique, thyridia distinct, closed to base of tergite, wider than interval between them; lunulae absent; middle part of second tergite with dense punctures; punctuation of tergite 3 superficial, on other tergites only just expressed. Hypopygium long, completely overlap slit of ovipositor, with cut apex, flat, without longitudinal fold.

C o l o r a t i o n: Black with numerous yellow spots.

S i z e: 19-20 mm.