Sympherta, Forster, 1869

Watanabe, Kyohei, 2024, Taxonomic Study of Japanese Ctenopelmatinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), with Descriptions of 22 New Species, Bulletin of the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum (Natural Science) 53, pp. 39-102 : 93-94

Key to Japanese species of Sympherta (modified from the key in Hinz (1991))

1. Female. ...................................................................... 2

-. Male. ...................................................................... 9

2. Flagellum without a white band ( Figs. 36A , 37A ).

...................................................................... 3 -. Flagellum with a conspicuous white band ( Fig. 35A ).

...................................................................... 5 3. Dorsal end of epicnemial carina not reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron. Gena in dorsal view abruptly narrowed toward posteriorly. Metasomal tergites with a red area, but black in posterior segments.

........................... Sympherta kasparyani Hinz, 1991 -. Epicnemial carina well developed, dorsal end reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron. Other character states various. ...................................................................... 4 4. Metasomal tergites black ( Fig. 37A ), sometimes narrowly and slightly tinged with reddish brown. Hind tibia black ( Fig. 37A ). ............................... Sympherta townesi Hinz, 1991 -. Metasomal tergites with a distinct red area. Hind tibia largely yellowish brown to reddish brown. ........................... Sympherta facialis (Héllen, 1941) 5. Hind coxa reddish brown to red ( Fig. 35A ). Hind femur usually largely reddish brown to red. Fore and mid coxae usually reddish brown to red ( Fig. 35A ). Postero-dorsal corner of pronotum and tegula sometimes tinged with brown. Scutellum sparsely punctate, interspace of punctures ususally larger than diameter ot puncture. .............. Sympherta antilope ( Gravenhorst, 1829) 6 -. All coxae blackish brown to black. Hind femur sometimes entirely black. Postero-dorsal corner of pronotum and tegula blackish brown to black. Scutellum variously punctate. ...................................................................... 7 6. Fore coxa reddish brown to red. ....... Sympherta antilope antilope ( Gravenhorst, 1829) -. Fore coxa blackish brown to black ( Fig. 35A ). .................. Sympherta antilope sibiricus Hinz, 1991 7. Face and mesoscutum covered with reticulate surface and strongly polished. Scutellum sparsely punctate just behind of scuto-scutellar groove. Mesopleuron with a distinct concavity just behind of dorsal end of epicnemial carina. Face densely punctate. Mesopleuron without or with weak longitudinal striae between subtegular ridge and speculum. T II and T III always reddish brown. Apex of T I and base of T IV sometimes tinged with reddish brown. Hind femur black, its basal part sometimes tinged with reddish brown. ........................... Sympherta sulcatoides Hinz, 1991 -. Face and mesoscutum covered with dense reticulate or granulate surface and partly matt. Scutellum sometimes densely punctate or transversely rugulose just behind of scuto-scutellar groove. Mesopleuron with or without a weak concavity just behind of dorsal end of epicnemial carina. Face variously punctate, but the outline of punctures somewhat indistinct. Mesopleuron with longitudinal striae between subtegular ridge and speculum. Colouration of metasomal tergites and hind femur various. ...................................................................... 8 8. Metasomal tergites entirely black or red on posterior part of T II and T III. Scutellum densely punctate with coarse rugae, interspace of punctures just behind of scuto-scutellar groove narrower than diameter of puncture. Red markings of frons slightly present or absent.

............................... Sympherta nigritor Hinz, 1991 -. Metasomal tergites red on T II (sometimes only posteriorly) and T III. Apex of T I sometimes tinged with red. Scutellum sparsely punctate. Red markings of frons large and distinct.

........................ Sympherta sulcata (Thomson, 1894) 9(1). Occiput granulate and matt just behind of stemmaticum.

..................................................................... 10 -. Occiput punctate and polished just behind of stemmaticum. ..................................................................... 12

10. Fore and mid coxae each with yellow spot(s).

Postero-dorsal corner of pronotum yellow. T II and

T III usually with reddish brown area(s). Hind femur usually reddish brown, but sometimes darkened.

........................ Sympherta sulcata (Thomson, 1894) -. Fore and mid coxae without yellow spot(s). Posterodorsal corner of pronotum black. Colouration of metasomal tergites and hind femur various.

..................................................................... 11 11*. Metasomal tergite with red areas.

....... Sympherta antilope antilope ( Gravenhorst, 1829) -. Metasomal tergite without red area.

............................... Sympherta nigritor Hinz, 1991 12. Dorsal end of epicnemial carina reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron. Areolet present.

..................................................................... 13 -. Dorsal end of epicnemial carina not reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron. Areolet absent.

..................................................................... 14 13. Metasomal tergites black.

............................... Sympherta townesi Hinz, 1991 -. Metasomal tergites black with red area(s) medially.

........................... Sympherta facialis (Héllen, 1941) 14. Face and gena black. Vertex and dorsal part of gena strongly punctate. T I slender. Gena in dorsal view abruptly narrowed toward posteriorly.

........................... Sympherta kasparyani Hinz, 1991 -. Face and gena yellow. Vertex and dorsal part of gena weakly punctate. T I robust. Gena in dorsal view weakly narrowed toward posteriorly.

........................... Sympherta sulcatoides Hinz, 1991

* The male of S. antilope sibiricus is unknown. The difference between S. antilope and S. nigritor is sometimes overlaps. Further studies are therefore needed.

Figures

Fig.36.Sympherta kasparyani Hinz, 1991 (KPM-NK 84783, female) ―A: lateral habitus; B: head, frontal view.

Fig.37.Sympherta townesi Hinz, 1991 (KPM-NK 84766, female) ―A: lateral habitus; B: head, frontal view.

Fig.35.Sympherta antilope sibirica Hinz, 1991 (KPM-NK 84762, female) ―A: lateral habitus; B: head,frontal view.