Parastephanellus, Enderlein, 1906

Amal, S., Kumar, P. Girish & Achterberg, Cornelis Van, 2024, Description of a new species of Parastephanellus Enderlein, 1906 (Hymenoptera: Stephanidae) from Western Ghats, India, Zootaxa 5481 (2), pp. 290-296 : 294-295

Key to Indian species of Parastephanellus (based on females; modified from Binoy et al., 2020)

1. Vein 2-SR+M of fore wing absent (see Fig. 91 of Binoy et al. 2020).... P. reductus Binoy, van Achterberg & Santhosh, 2020

- Vein 2-SR+M of fore wing largely present (see Figs 72, 80 of Binoy et al. 2020)................................... 2

2. Pale streak of temple scarcely noticeable. [see note on P. scitus Elliott, 1919 below]....................................................................................... P. binoyi Amal, Girish Kumar & van Achterberg sp. nov.

- Pale streak of temple distinctly developed.................................................................. 3

3. Ovipositor sheath distinctly longer than body (see Fig. 72 of Binoy et al. 2020); mesoscutum without median longitudinal row of pits but with a median carina; metapleuron without a smooth area separating from propodeum; [vertex with several cross carinae and with a medio longitudinal grove].............................. P. mufeedae Narendran & Sureshan, 2001

- Ovipositor sheath approx. as long as or slightly shorter than body; mesoscutum with median longitudinal row of pits and no median carina; metapleuron with a smooth area separating it from propodeum..................................... 4

4. Vertex mostly smooth, two strong carinae followed by weak striae (medially indistinct); pronotum smooth................................................................................. P. malabaricus Narendran & Sheela, 1995

- Vertex rugate, almost reaching the occiput (medially strong); pronotum finely transversely striate.............................................................................. P. narendrani Binoy, van Achterberg & Santhosh, 2020

Note. Parastephanellus scitus Elliott, 1919 , reported from ‘Pusha, West Bengal’ is known from the male holotype only but the holotype is missing ( Binoy et al. 2020). It shares with the new species the scarcely noticeable pale streak on the temple but differs by the strong arcuate striae on the frons (largely smooth in new species), hind coxa coarsely transversely striate (largely smooth or coriaceous), hind femur finely transversely striate (coriaceous), head dark red (black), fore femur and tibia, mid tibia and base of second tergite rufescent (black), and pterostigma basally pale and remainder rufescent (blackish brown and hardly paler basally).