Genus Philositus Townes, 1970

Type species: Philositus enchophorus Townes, 1970; by original designation.

Diagnosis. Plump species; front wing 2.6–7.5 mm; clypeus weakly convex, sharp; mandible with upper tooth slightly longer than lower tooth, without lamella to with a weak lamella; posterior mesosternal carina complete; propodeal area superomedia confluent with area petiolaris; fore wing areolet absent; vein 1cu-a opposite of M& RS; hind wing with CU&cu-a vertical, not intercepted; hind tarsal segments with or without row of ventral setae medially; glymma absent; ovipositor stout and weakly compressed, almost straight, 3.0–3.4× longer than apical depth of metasoma; tip of ovipositor sheath weakly expanded.

Remarks. The hind tarsal segments of P. enchophorus without row of ventral setae medially according to the original description by Townes (1970). But P. parva sp. nov. obviously has row of ventral setae medially (Fig. 10E). Whether with or without such row of ventral setae medially is an important character to separate genera in the key by Townes (1970) and Kasparyan (2007). Only one genus Campoctonus has ventral setae present or absent in this large diverse subfamily with sixty-six genera (Yu et al. 2016). Either this character is misinterpreted by Townes (1970) or this character is variable in the genus, which remains to be confirmed.

Key to species of Philositus Townes (females)

1. Small species; occipital carina reaching hypostomal carina at mandible base; mesopleuron granulose (Fig. 10B); propodeal area basalis long trapezoid (Fig. 10C); external angles of second discal cell vertical (Fig. 10A); first tarsal segment with ventral row of setae medially (Fig. 10E); palpi pale yellow; fore and mid coxae yellowish brown; fore and mid trochanters and trochantelli pale whitish; hind trochanter and trochantellus whitish yellow; hind femur yellowish brown; hind tibia blackish brown subbasally and apically............................................................... P. parva sp. nov.

- Medium-sized species; occipital carina reaching hypostomal carina above mandible base; mesopleuron punctate; propodeal area basalis short trapezoid; external angles of second discal cell acute; first tarsal segment without row of setae medially; palpi fuscous or brown; fore and mid coxae ferruginous brown to blackish; fore and mid trochanters and trochantelli ferruginous and fuscous; hind trochanter and trochantellus blackish; hind femur ferruginous; hind tibia infuscated apically........................................................................................... P. enchophorus Townes, 1970