Cyphacolus

Valerio, Alejandro A., Masner, Lubomir & Austin, Andrew D., 2010, Systematics of Cyphacolus Priesner (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae s. l.), an Old World genus of spider egg parasitoid, Zootaxa 2645, pp. 1-48 : 9-10

Key species of Cyphacolus females (Unknown for C. asheri )

1 Mesoscutellum flat and transverse in shape (Fig. 32, 33) ........................................................................................... 2

- Mesoscutellum globose in shape (Fig. 4, 5) .............................................................................................................. 10

2 Notauli present, well defined, 0.5x length of mesoscutum, clear of sculpture (Fig. 56); netrion completely covered or almost so by well-developed longitudinal costate sculpture (Fig. 57) ........................................................................ 3

- Notauli absent; netrion well defined and clearly evident, partially covered by longitudinal costate sculpture .......... 8

3 Occipital carina strongly bent downwards medially, V-shaped (Fig. 56); apex of fore wing conspicuously setose; metasomal sterna with longitudinal costate sculpture ............ Cyphacolus jenningsi Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

- Occipital carina only slightly bent downwards medially or slightly convex (normal in shape); apex of fore wing glabrous; metasomal sterna without longitudinal costate sculpture .................................................................................. 4

4 Mesoscutum with obvious coriaceous sculpture (Fig. 22); mesoscutellum and frons with dense confused rugulose sculpture ..................................................................................... Cyphacolus axfordi Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

- Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum mostly smooth or with granulate sculpture (Fig. 32, 80); frons mostly smooth or with very few setigerous punctures ............................................................................................................................. 5

5 Mid posterior area of head deeply depressed; propodeal anterior spines short and broad; body size large (1.63–1.71 mm); T1 elongate in dorsal view; body color dark brown ....... Cyphacolus sallyae Valerio, Masner & Austin , n. sp.

- Mid posterior area of head not deeply depressed (normal in shape); propodeal anterior spines elongated and acute; body size smaller (<1.60 mm); T1 shorter in shape in dorsal view; body color yellowish ....................................... 6

6 Frons without clearly defined punctate sculpture; mesoscutum with coriaceous sculpture; lateral ocelli very small and well separated from occipital carina by more than 2x ocellar width ............ Cyphacolus bouceki Austin & Iqbal

- Frons with clearly defined punctures; mesoscutum variable in sculpture, but never totally covered with coriaceous sculpture; lateral ocelli normal in size and separated from occipital carina by less than 1.3x ocellar width ............. 7

7 Fan-like sculpture well developed on frons, reaching at least to mid height of frons (Fig. 94); mesoscutum smooth (Fig. 92); body color mostly honey yellow. .............................. Cyphacolus tullyae Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

- Fan-like sculpture on frons very weak and limited to lower 1/3 of frons (Fig. 88); mesoscutum with weak longitudinal sculpture on most of posterolateral 2/3, anterior 1/3 with coriaceous sculpture (Fig. 86); body color yellow ........ ..................................................................................................... Cyphacolus tessae Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

8 Hypostomal carina heavily crenulate at mid upper area; laterodorsal areas of pronotum smooth................................. ................................................................................................... Cyphacolus diazae Valerio, Masner & Austin , n. sp.

- Hypostomal carina not heavily crenulate at mid upper area; laterodorsal areas of pronotum with few, fine, weak transverse costae .......................................................................................................................................................... 9

9 Mesoscutellum about 3x as wide as long; T3 with longitudinal alutaceous sculpture, and transverse dark band; remainder of terga amber yellow ................................................................................ Cyphacolus veniprivus Priesner

- Mesoscutellum 3.5x as wide as long (Fig. 50); T3 mainly smooth, without any longitudinal sculpture (Fig. 53); metasoma light yellow with infuscate transverse areas across T2–T3, distal half of T4–T7 and distal 1/3 of propodeal spines ........................................................................................ Cyphacolus harteni Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

10 Mesoscutum completely covered by broad, longitudinal costae which converge anteriorly (Fig. 74) ..................... 11

- Mesoscutum completely covered by broad, parallel, longitudinal costae, which do not converge anteriorly (Fig. 98) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

11 Frons almost completely covered with semicircular fine ridges (Fig. 76); mesoscutellum in dorsal view large, strongly convex, oval in shape, posterior edge smooth .......... Cyphacolus normani Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

- Frons completely covered by dense, sinuate, transverse carinae (Fig. 40); mesoscutellum not as large and elongate, always sculptured dorsally, posterior edge with broad, longitudinal, costate sculpture ............................................ 12

12 Upper lateral edge of pronotum with dense, punctate sculpture (Fig. 39)...................................................................... .............................................................................................. Cyphacolus copelandi Valerio, Masner & Austin , n. sp.

- Upper lateral edge of pronotum with sparse, short, elongate foveate sculpture............................................................. ............................................................................................................... Cyphacolus bhowaliensis (Mani & Mukerjee)

13 Mesoscutellum with single row of punctures laterally, mostly smooth medially (Fig. 4); frons smooth....................... ............................................................................................... Cyphacolus watshami Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

- Mesoscutellum with two rows of punctures laterally (Fig. 5); frontal sculpture variable, but never completely smooth......................................................................................................................................................................... 14

14 Horn on T 1 in posterior view short and broad, lateral areas of posterior surface with carinae strongly reduced (almost absent in some specimens); body mostly dark brown (Fig. 61); frons mainly smooth except for antennal scrobes with transverse costae ................................................. Cyphacolus leblanci Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.

- Horn on T 1 in posterior view elongate and narrow, posterior lateral carinae conspicuously cristate; body mostly yellow (Fig. 67); frons with weak coriaceous sculpture throughout .................................................................................. ................................................................................................. C yphacolus lucianae Valerio, Masner & Austin, n. sp.