Phycitiplex, Porter, 1987

Porter, Charles C., 2008, New Phycitiplex Porter (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Subandean Desert in northwest Argentina, Insecta Mundi 2008 (56), pp. 1-13 : 2-3

Key to the Subandean species of Phycitiplex

1. Hind face of propodeum entirely black; ovipositor 0.3-0.6 times as long as forewing .................. 2

— Hind face of propodeum with a broad white band on each side from crista, inclusive, to hind margin; ovipositor 0.6-0.8 times as long as forewing ............................................................... 5

2(1). Front tibia stout and inflated; ventral valve of ovipositor on tip with well spaced vertical ridges; gaster with dorsally complete or nearly complete white apical bands on tergites 4-7 ................ ........................................................................................ Phycitiplex eugrammus (Porter)

— Front tibia stout but not inflated; ventral valve of ovipositor on tip with inclivously oblique ridges; gaster with white on dorsum of tergite 4 but on 5-7 with white only ventro-laterally ............ 3

3(2). Notauli weak, 0.5 times or less length of mesoscutum; mesoscutum with fine micro-reticulation, its punctures adjacent to confluent; scutellum wider than long; wing membrane with a large hairless area beneath pterostigma; gaster black except white on tergite 4 ............................... ............................................................................................... Phycitiplex eremnus (Porter)

— Notauli fine but traceable 0.7-0.8 times length of mesoscutum; mesoscutum shining with sharp, mostly subadjacent to adjacent punctures; scutellum as long as or longer than wide; wing membrane mostly setose beneath pterostigma; gaster black and red or sometimes black with white on much of tergite 4 and less extensively on 5 ............................................................... 4

4(3). Humeral margin of pronotum white; legs mostly red; malar space 0.80 times length of basal width of mandible; ovipositor 0.8 times as long as forewing Phycitiplex doddi (Cushman)

— Humeral margin of pronotum black, sometimes with a little white anteriorly; legs mostly black; malar space 0.50-0.60 times as long as basal width of mandible; postpetiole shining with delicate micro-aciculation; ovipositor 0.6-0.7 times as long as forewing .................................................. ................................................................................................. Phycitiplex obscurior Porter

5(1). Ovipositor straight ....................................................................................................................... 6

— Ovipositor decurved ..................................................................................................................... 7

6(5). Gaster with a white apical band on tergites 1-3 but without white on 4; white blotch in lower front quadrant of mesopleuron; upper metapleuron pure white; coxae red and white; postpetiole 1.8- 2.2 times as wide at apex as as long from spiracle to apex; tergite 2 with dense but not confluent, sharply defined, medium sized punctures .............................. Phycitiplex tricinctus Porter

— Gaster with a white band only on tergite 4; no white markings on lower mesopleuron or on upper metapleuron; coxae red; postpetiole 1.5 times as wide at apex as long from spiracle to apex; tergite 2 with many small, faint punctures .......................... Phycitiplex unicinctus Porter

7(5). Postpetiole 1.6-2.0 times as wide at apex as long from spiracle to apex; ovipositor 0.4-0.5 times as long as forewing ........................................................................................................................ 8

— Postpetiole 1.2-1.7 times as wide at apex as long from spiracle to apex; ovipositor 0.6 times as long as forewing ................................................................................................................................ 9

8(7). Gaster with a complete subapical white band on tergite 2; second gastric tergite with numerous medium sized very shallow but well defined punctures ............. Phycitiplex peralta Porter

— Gaster often without white on tergite 2 or with a dorsally incomplete white band; tergite 2 with sparser, smaller, very obscure punctures .............................. Phycitiplex charieis (Porter)

9(7). Upper metapleuron pure white throughout; first flagellomere 6.6 times as long as deep at apex at apex; malar space 0.44 times as long as basal width of mandible .............................................. ............................................................................................... Phycitiplex trichroma Porter

— Upper metapleuron entirely black or sometimes obscurely stained with brownish white; first flagellomere 4.5-5.4 as times long as deep at apex; malar space 0.66-0.75 times as long as basal width of mandible ........................................................................ Phycitiplex lepidus Porter