Genus Spathius Nees, 1819

Type species

Cryptus clavatus Panzer, 1809 (= Ichneumon exarator Linnaeus, 1758), by monotypy.

Remarks

Spathius is one of the largest genera of the subfamily Doryctinae, including over 450 described and a vast number of undescribed species (Zaldívar-Riverón et al. 2018). This genus is widely distributed in the five continents, although most of its species richness is concentrated in the Afrotropical and Oriental regions (with more than 350 described species).

The genus Spathius has not previously been recorded for the Arabian Peninsula, in spite of its intermediate position between the Africa and Oriental Asia – with both being the most species rich continents for the genus.

Distribution

All zoogeographical regions.

Key to Arabian species of the genus Spathius

1. Face with very dense and rather fine aciculate sculpture (like the surface of a CD disk) (Figs 16B, 24B) .................................................................................................................................................. 2

– Face never with the above type of sculpture, usually rugose-striate or reticulate (Figs 18G, 20B, 22B) .................................................................................................................................................. 3

2. Vertex finely transversely striate in median anterior half, smooth laterally and posteriorly (Fig. 24D). Eye glabrous. POL almost equal to Od (Fig. 24D). Antenna long, almost as long as body (Fig. 24A). Praescutellar depression of mesosoma with six–seven complete carinae (Fig. 24H). Nervulus (cu-a) of fore wing distinctly postfurcal (Fig. 25A). Brachial (subdiscal) cell closed apically weakly behind recurrent vein; parallel vein (CU1a) arising almost from anterior third of the vein (3-CU1) closed brachial (subdiscal) cell distally (Fig. 25A). Medio-basal carina of propodeum long, about 1.5 times longer than anterior fork of areola (Fig. 24J). Length of setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia 0.9–1.3 times maximum width of tibia (Fig. 24G). Petiole in lateral view dorsally arched in anterior third (Fig. 25C). Body length 3.6–4.4 mm. – UAE ....................... S. subafricanus Belokobylskij sp. nov.

– Vertex entirely smooth (Fig. 16C). Eye with short and sparse pale setae. POL 1.7 times Od (Fig. 16C). Antenna short, 0.7 times as long as body(Fig. 16A). Praescutellar depression of mesosoma with only three complete carinae (Fig. 16G). Nervulus (cu-a) of fore wing interstitial or very weakly antefurcal (Fig. 17A). Brachial (subdiscal) cell closed apically distinctly behind recurrent vein; parallel vein (CU1a) arising almost from middle of the vein (3-CU1) closed brachial (subdiscal) cell distally (Fig. 17A). Petiole in lateral view dorsally arched submedially (Figs 16L, 17D). Medio-basal carina of propodeum short, 0.5 times as long as anterior fork of areola (Fig. 16G). Length of setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia 0.4–0.8 times maximum width of tibia (Fig. 16J). Body length 4.5 mm. – Yemen .................................................................................... S. alkadanus Belokobylskij sp. nov.

3. Metasoma behind petiole with dense small reticulate-areolate sculpture (Fig. 21C). Second to fourth metasomal tergites with separated laterotergites (Fig. 21D). Maxillary palp entirely dark reddish brown (Fig. 20C). Vertex entirely very densely granulate reticulate (Fig. 20D). Body length 3.6– 4.3 mm. – Yemen ................................................................................ S. lahji Belokobylskij sp. nov.

– Metasoma behind petiole smooth (Figs 19B, 23C). Only second metasomal tergite with separated laterotergite (Figs 19C, 23D). Maxillary palp yellow or yellowish brown (Figs 18C, 22D). Vertex mainly or entirely smooth (Figs 18B, 22C) ...................................................................................... 4

4. Hypoclypeal depression large and distinctly transverse, its width about twice distance from depression to eye (Fig. 22B). First (r) and second (3-SR) radial abscissae of fore wing forming almost single line. Parallel vein (CU1a) not interstitial, arising from anterior third of the vein (3-CU1) closed brachial (subdiscal) cell distally (Fig. 23A). Petiole long, its length 2.6–2.9 times posterior width, 1.8–2.0 times length of propodeum (Fig. 23B–C). Ovipositor long, its sheath 1.3–1.6 times longer than metasoma, 1.0–1.1 times as long as fore wing (Fig. 22A). Body length 3.0– 3.4 mm. – Japan, UAE, Yemen ........................................................................ S. nixoni Belokobylskij & Maetô, 2009

– Hypoclypeal depression medium-sized and rounded, its width 0.8 times distance from depression to eye (Fig. 18G). First (r) and second (3-SR) radial abscissae of fore wing forming distinctly obtuse angle. Parallel vein (CU1a) interstitial (Fig. 19A). Petiole short, its length 1.85 times posterior width, 1.6 times length of propodeum (Fig. 19B–C). Ovipositor short, its sheath 0.33 times as long as metasoma, 0.2 times as long as fore wing (Fig. 18A). Body length 2.6 mm. – Yemen ................. ............................................................................................ S. austroarabicus Belokobylskij sp. nov.