Brachycyrtus Kriechbaumer, 1880

Giovanni, Filippo Di & Varga, Oleksandr, 2021, First record of the subfamily Brachycyrtinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from continental Africa, with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4985 (2), pp. 203-218 : 204

Genus Brachycyrtus Kriechbaumer, 1880

Brachycyrtus Kriechbaumer, 1880: 161 .

Type species: Brachycyrtus ornatus Kriechbaumer, 1880: 163 .

Diagnosis (after Cushman 1936, Walkley 1956, Townes et al. 1960, Baltazar 1964, Townes 1969, Gauld 1984, Gauld 2000, Bennett 2009). Small sized ichneumonids, fore wing length 2.9–5.4 mm. Clypeus small, in profile more or less flat, not separated from face by a distinct groove, its apical margin truncate or gently rounded and convex, without teeth; labrum small and partially exposed; mandible relatively short and wide, bidentate but with upper tooth apically indented so that mandible appears tridentate; malar space from strongly reduced to nearly as long as mandible base; eyes nearly parallel to convergent ventrally, inner margin of eye from weakly to strongly emarginate opposite antennal socket; frons flat to weakly convex, without median vertical carina; occipital carina complete, joining hypostomal carina or mandible base; flagellum often slightly clavate. Mesosoma short; notaulus vestigial, sometimes impressed and with a small crest anteriorly; epomia from almost absent and distinct only ventrally to strong and complete; scutellum usually laterally carinate; scuto-scutellar groove with or without longitudinal ridges; mesosternal region short, sometimes strongly reduced so that ventral part of epicnemial carina almost adjacent to mid coxa, attaining the position of posterior transverse carina of mesosternum; sternaulus short but distinct; propodeum abruptly declivous beyond short basal area; propodeal spiracle circular to oval; propodeal carinae variously developed, often with area superomedia joined to area petiolaris. Apex of fore tibia without a tooth on outer side; hind coxa in female without a vertical or oblique groove on inner side; hind tibia with a fringe of close long hairs on inner side; insertion of tibial spurs in an area confluent with the tarsus I; tarsal claw simple. Fore wing with 1cu-a distal to M&RS by at least 0.5 its length, often by its own length or more; fore wing without areolet, 3rs-m absent; 2m-cu with two close bullae, or rarely with one; hind wing with abscissa of CU spectral. Metasomal tergite I fused with sternite, without dorsolateral carina and with spiracle near its apical 0.35; glymma absent; metasomal tergites II–IV with pendant laterotergites; thyridium on metasomal tergite II present or absent. Ovipositor usually straight, rarely downcurved, extending beyond apex of metasoma; ovipositor without a subapical notch.