Pristocerinae (Female)

Lanes, G. O. & Azevedo, C. O., 2007, Redescription and placement of the Oriental Scaphepyris rufus Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), Zootaxa 1654 (1), pp. 55-60 : 56-57

Key to genera of Pristocerinae (Female)

The key is modified from Evans (1964) and Terayama (2003). It includes three genera, Proasapenesia Kieffer based on P. lacteipennis Kieffer , which is the only species of this genus with known female described by Krombein (1989); Caloapenesia Terayama based on C. brevis Azevedo , the only species of this genus with known female described by Azevedo (2004), and Scaphepyris based on S. rufus Kieffer described below.

The females of Pristocera Klug and Acrepyris Kieffer are indistinguishable in this key. Yasumatsu (1955) proposed Neopristocera as a subgenus of Pristocera with P. japonica Yasumatsu as the type species. Evans (1963) accepted Yasumatsu’s classification for Pristocera , but considered Neopristocera as a junior synonym of Acrepyris because P. japonica is very similar to the species of Acrepyris . According to Evans (1963), males of Acrepyris differ from those of Pristocera mainly by hypopygium and genitalia characters, and other characters such as the number of aedeagus valves, and digiti shape. Yasumatsu (1955) and Evans (1963) were not able to find characters to separate the females of these taxa. Terayama (1996) re-established the status of Acrepyris based on cladistic analysis, but he analyzed only male specimens. Characters to separate females of these genera are still unknown. Currently only geographic distribution has been used to separate females of these genera; Acrepyris is mostly distributed in the New World with a few species in the Oriental and southeast Palaearctic regions, whereas Pristocera predominantly occurs in the Ethiopian and the Oriental regions. So, we considered it appropriate not to separate these genera in the key.

1 Propodeum strongly constricted at its extreme anterior end; mesonotum elongate, mesopleuron does not cover the lateral of propodeum in dorsal view; eye eye absent, or consist of one facet.......................... 2

- Propodeum not constricted at anterior end, broadly in contact with mesonotum, constricted at or near spiracles if at all; mesonotum short, mesopleuron cover at least anterior third of lateral of propodeum in dorsal view; eye consist of more than one facet (some exceptions)........................................................ 3

2(1) Mesonotum triangular in dorsal view; eye absent ................................................... Prosapenesia Kieffer

- Mesonotum with lateral margin more or less parallel in lateral view; eye consist of one facet or sometimes absent..................................................................................................... Pseudisobrachium Kieffer

3(1) Mesopleuron, seen in dorsal view, very narrow; mesothorax barely wider than across prothorax in dorsal view; sides of propodeum more or less parallel in dorsal view, at most weakly constricted............... .............................................................................................................................. Dissomphalus Ashmead

- Mesopleuron, seen in dorsal view, quite large; thorax distinctly wider than elsewhere; propodeum with evident constriction at or near spiracles................................................................................................... 4

4(3) Propodeal disc strongly constricted anteriorly, maximum width at least 2.0x constriction width ......... 5

- Propodeal disc moderately constricted, maximum width <1.9x constriction width.............................. 6

5(4) Palpal formula 5:3, fore basitarsus strongly curved ........................................... Caloapenesia Terayama

- Palpal formula 6:3; fore basitarsus not curved .................................. Pristocera Klug / Acrepyris Kieffer

6(3) Body at most only weakly flat dorsoventrally; mid tibia spinose above; lateral of pronotum weak to moderately arched, moderately visible in dorsal view ........................................................................... 7

- Body strongly flattened; mid tibia smooth above; lateral of pronotum strongly arched, broadly visible in dorsal view ............................................................................................................................................. 8

7(6) Clypeus emarginated, truncate or somewhat produced medially (trapezoid in some species); mesopleuron smooth ................................................................................................................ Apenesia Westwood

- Clypeus strongly produced medially, apical margin subangulate; mesopleuron with large and long upper groove ............................................................................................................. Scaphepyris Kieffer

8(6) Base of pronotum not in contact with mesonotum in dorsal view; mesonotum divided into mesoscutum and scutellum ............................................................................................................ Afgoiogfa Argaman

- Base of pronotum in contact with base of mesonotum in dorsal view; mesonotum not divided ............. ........................................................................................................................... Parascleroderma Kieffer