Mirabythus Cai, Shih et Ren

Cai, Yaping, Zhao, Yunyun, Shih, Chungkun & Ren, Dong, 2012, A new genus of Scolebythidae (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea) from the Early Cretaceous of China, Zootaxa 3504, pp. 56-66 : 59

Key to genera of Scolebythidae

Based on the key of Engel and Grimaldi (2007), we set up a new key to genera of Scolebythidae to include the new genus Mirabythus Cai, Shih et Ren , gen. nov.

1. Vein R1 of fore wing present, either fusing apically or nearly meeting Rs ......................................... 2

- Vein R1 of fore wing absent, and thereby not fusing with Rs apically............................................ 6

2. R1 and Rs fusing; pronotal collar absent.................................................................. 3

- R1 and Rs not meeting; pronotal collar present...................................... Boreobythus Engel et Grimaldi

3. Cell 1R1 not enlarged, shorter in length than cell 2R1; frons without median prominence between antennal toruli.......... 4

- Cell 1R1 elongate, longer than cell 2R1; frons with median prominence between antennal toruli............ Ycaploca Nagy

4. Crossvein r-m absent, cell 1R1 longer than cell 1M in length, Cu distad 1m-cu nebulous or absent..................... 5

- Crossvein r-m present, cell 1R1 nearly equal to cell 1M in length, Cu distad 1m-cu tubular........... Mirabythus gen. nov.

5. Occipital carina present; malar space short, less than one-half basal mandibular width; cell 2R1 apex situated along anterior wing margin; S5 without special patches of setae............................................... Scolebythus Evans

- Occipital carina absent; malar space well over one-half basal mandibular width; cell 2R1 apex arched away from anterior wing margin; S5 with two patches of appressed, dense setae...................................... Clystopsenella Kieffer

6. Apical portion of Rs tubular; fore wing with or without closed cell 1R1 .......................................... 7

- Apical portion of Rs nebulous; fore wing without closed cell 1R1 ............................................... 9

7. Fore wing without closed cell 1R1; dorsal-facing surface of pronotum greatly reduced, much smaller than mesoscutum.... 8

- Fore wing with closed cell 1R1; dorsalfacing surface of pronotum enlarged, larger than mesoscutum..................................................................................... Libanobythus Prentice et Poinar

8. Minute wasps (less than 2 mm in total length), with more typical scolebythid habitus; face without impressed medial line, without depressions lateral to antennal toruli; parapsidal lines faint but present; ocelli positioned just above upper tangent of compound eyes; one metatibial spur................................................ Uliobythus Engel et Grimaldi

- Small wasps (ca. 2.6 mm total length), with bethylid-like habitus; face with strong medial line impressed from between anten- nal toruli to upper tangent of compound eyes, with gentle depressions lateral to antennal toruli; parapsidal lines absent; ocelli positioned far behind upper tangent of compound eyes; two metatibial spurs............... Zapenesia Engel et Grimaldi

9. Frontal prominence present; occipital carina present; metafemur not flattened....................... Pristapenesia Brues

- Frontal prominence absent; occipital carina absent; metafemur flattened.......... Eobythus Lacau, Nel et Villemant, 2000