Pristiceros GRAVENHORST, 1829

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 : 1519-1520

29. Pristiceros GRAVENHORST

Pristiceros GRAVENHORST 1829 - Ichn. Europ., 1: 635.

Type species: Pristiceros serrarius GRAVENHORST.

Pristiceros: HEINRICH 1962 - Synopsis Nearct. Ichn. Stenop.: 783-784.

Distribution: Holarctic.

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

The genus is characterized by specific morphology of the male’s flagellum. The segments beyond middle are deeply excised and connected by the narrow cord. The similarity morphology of flagellum, but expressed in a considerably lesser degree is marked in the males of African genus Spanophatnus CAMERON and in a Holarctic Pristicerops HEINRICH. The fields of propodeum are full; the first tergite of abdomen is gradually curved, without sharp bend. The gastrocoeli are deep, rectangular or almost triangle with thyridia equal to interval between them.

M o r p h o l o g y:

F l a g e l l u m: Of females bristle-shaped, long and slender, flattened ventrally beyond middle and slightly widened, strongly attenuated toward apex. Flagellum of males sharply serrate from segment 8, segments apically deeply cut with broad cavity between segments. Flagellum shorter than front wing and body length; at males of type species with large oval tyloides on white segments.

H e a d: Head contour gradually narrowed downwards; temples from above roundly and moderately narrowed behind eyes, long; occipital carina meeting with hypostomal carina before mandible base; mandibles gradually narrowed behind base, with form character to tribe; clypeus sharply separated from face by suture, strongly convex and with uniformly rounded front margin; middle field of face only just elevated, rather wide; antennal cavities deep with slight tooth between antennal fossae; ocellar triangle expressed, but slightly elevated.

T h o r a x: Transverse furrow of pronotum not interrupted by keel; pronotal ridge not thickened; epomiae developed; pronotal base gradually sinuously curved, hind angle strongly acute. Mesonotum strongly convex, only just longer than width; notauli only just marked at base; surface of mesonotum very densely punctured, without microsculpture; subalarum high, thick, not sharpened; sternauli practically absent; scutellum rather high elevated, laterally sharply carinated. Hind margin of metanotum with triangular projections. Propodeum from lateral short, without sharp division to horizontal and vertical parts, almost triangle; all carinae of propodeum developed, including coxal carina; basal area short and deep; areae dentiparae at apices without teeth (or with very slight teeth-like projections), spiracles large, slit-shaped. Surface of propodeum wrinkled, without microsculpture; propodeum of male with white pubescence.

L e g s: Long and slender.

W i n g s: Areolet quadrangular; radius almost straight, long; nervulus interstitial. Front wing shorter than body length.

A b d o m e n From above narrow, longish-oval; second tergite equal of length and breadth. First tergite long, without distinct bend; petiolus at base slightly flattened; laterally carinated by strong carinae; from above petiolus gradually and uniformly broadened to postpetiolus; middle field of postpetiolus sharply elevated, its surface slightly irregularly wrinkled. Gastrocoeli moderately deep, rather short; thyridia distinct, almost perpendicular to longitudinal axis of a body, wider than interval; lunulae not big, distinct.

C o l o r a t i o n: Female of type species with red-brown basic color of abdomen. Males uniformly black with yellowish internal orbits, traces of white or yellowish pattern along front margin and at hind corners of pronotum, yellowish spot on scutellum, often with spots at hind corners of propodeum. Legs mainly dark-brown.

S i z e: 11-12 mm.