Platylabini BERTHOUMIEU

A. M, 2009, Illustrated key to the tribes of subfamilia Ichneumoninae and genera of the tribe Platylabini of world fauna (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (2), pp. 1317-1608 : 1331-1333

Tribe Platylabini BERTHOUMIEU

Platylabini BERTHOUMIEU 1904 - Genera Insectorum. 18: 4.

Platylabini : HEINRICH 1934 - Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin. 20: 64, 67, 130.

Platylabini : HEINRICH 1962 - Syn. Nearct. Ichn. Stenop. 27: 697.

Platylabini : HEINRICH 1967 -. Ichn. Stenop. of Africa 2: 393, 395.

Platylabini : HEINRICH 1977 - Ichn. Florida and Neigb. States 9: 272.

Type genus: Platylabus WESMAEL.

D i s t r i b u t i o n:World-wide.

I n t r o d u c t i o n:

It is most distinctly separated tribe of subfamily as by structure, and by biology too. Borders between it and other tribes is distinctly limited and not complicated by intermediate forms. Heinrichiellus TERESHKIN is only one genus, position of which is enough difficult to determine.

Combination of three typical sign as rule is determined Platylabini : convex clypeus, to some degree widened and dorsally flattened petiolus and amblypygous abdomen. From combination of first two characters is exceptions which compensated by elongated hypopygium and some additional characters, described below.

Flagellum, with very rare exceptions ( Apaeleticus , Ectopoides ) is long, slender, bristleshaped, not broadened or slightly broadened behind middle, approximately equal by length to front wing, more often with white annulus or semiannulus. Tyloides on flagellum of males are present or absent.

Basic tribal characters of Platylabini head are peculiarities of clypeus and mandibles morphology. As was already said, clypeus of Platylabini is strongly convex and slightly transversal, usually 1,5-2,5 times wider than height with more or less straightened front margin and usually distinctly separated from face. Exceptions are representatives of Clypeolabus , Poecilostictus and Platybirmania with practically flat uniformly arcuate rounded in front clypeus, Pyramidophorus with broad slightly convex clypeus with distinct lateral corners, and Neeurylabia with clypeus moderately convex at base and impressed apical part. And only for Clypeolabus absence of typical morphology of clypeus is compensated by mandibles typical to tribe. Other four genera have considerable divergences in morphology of mandibles from common for all of genera characters. Theirs tribal belonging is compensated by the characters peculiar to other parts of a body. Mandibles of Platylabini are one of the main tribal characters, usually slender, narrowed to apex in different degree, with delicate teeth, lower of them moved inside. Exception is broad and massive mandibles of Poecilostictus and Pyramidophorus , sharply, almost at right angle curved in middle, massive mandibles of Platybirmania and mandibles of Neeurylabia with large flat teeth, situated in the same plane and peculiar rather to Ichneumonini .

For thoracal part of Platylabini body, convex in different degree mesothorax, convex, and as a rule carinated scutellum and propodeum with convex, not flattened horizontal part, elevated at region of area superomedia are characteristic. The combination of these characters can be considered as tribal.

Such characters as thin, slender (long) legs, absence of scopa on hind coxae of females and smooth claws (with only exception of Pyramidophorus flavoguttatus TISCHBEIN ) can be considered as tribal.

Wings of Platylabini are often more long and broad relative to body in comparison with representatives of other tribes. Only this character can be marked out as tribal.

Abdomen of Platylabini is amblypygous, as rule without strong sclerotization (with exception of Abzaria ). Sternites of abdomen are slightly sclerotized. Petiolus of first tergite is, with rare exceptions, flattened, wider than height at base. Dorsal carinae, if developed, are merged with dorslateral carinae near bend, or (rare) near middle of petiolus (only one exception Linycus , of which dorsomedian and dorsolateral carinae are merged not far from base of tergite). Hypopygium is compressed from sides, more often with longitudinal fold, rarely flattened. Like tribal characters of other parts of a body, all of them have those or another exceptions.

M o r p h o l o g y:

F l a g e l l u m: Of females with very rare exceptions ( Apaeleticus , Ectopoides ), long, slender, bristle-shaped, not or slightly widened and slightly flattened ventrally beyond middle, more often with white annulus or semi-annulus; flagellum approximately equal by length to front wing or longer. Flagellum of males with or without tyloides; tyloides of representatives of most genera developed in a varying degree.

H e a d: Head contour from the front always transversal, rarely, at Ectopius and Heinrichiellus width and height of head approximately equal; face always transversal in a varying degree; eyes large. Horizontal part of occipital carina always distinct, except Notoplatylabus where occipital carina reduced above and occiput impressed almost to level of hind ocelli; mandibles usually delicate, narrowed in different degree to apex, with delicate teeth and with lover tooth removed inside (with exceptions of Neeurylabia ); clypeus of Platylabini strongly convex and slightly transverse, usually 1,5-2,5 times wider than height, usually distinctly separated from face (with exceptions of representatives of Clypeolabus , Poecilostictus and Platybirmania with practically flat, gradually curved in form of arch front margin, Pyramidophorus with broad slightly convex with distinct lateral corners and Neeurylabia with impressed apex and thin front margin; antennal cavities more often deeply impressed with more or less developed tooth or tubercle between antennal fossae (with the exception of genus Heinrichiellus , antennal cavities of which practically not impressed); ocelli more often large on expressed ocellar triangle.

T h o r a x: Pronotum normal, only of Notoplatylabus pronotal base with angulate fracture above front coxae and of Spanophatnus and Platybirmania with thickened pronotal ridge. Mesonotum always convex; notauli more frequently not developed, or only just marked at base or expressed at first third, only of Carlsonia , Lamprojoppa, Apaeleticus , Linycus , Afrectopius , Notoplatylabus , Heinrichiellus notauli sharply expressed to middle and far than to middle of mesonotum; prepectus without any structures, only of Platybirmania strongly impressed behind front coxae, and of Pyramidodophorus in considerably extent protrude to lateral surface, thus, that considerable part of prepectus visible from lateral; subalarum varies in form from narrow to thickened in considerably extent; speculum of most genera distinct and differ by sculpture from other part of mesopleurae; mesopleural fovea often deep, rarely slightly expressed; sternauli from sharply developed to middle coxae of Heinrichiellus and to two third of mesopleura length, of Apaeleticus with sharply expressed transversal rugosity, to full lacking; scutellum convex and in varying degree elevated above postscutellum and commonly carinated; horizontal part from flat to conical ( Lamprojoppa ) or with knoll on horizontal part ( Pachyjoppa ); postscutellum usually smooth with normally developed lateral foveae with exception of Notoplatylabus and Acantholabus with sharp longitudinal wrinkles and Platybirmania with merged lateral foveae. Hind margin of metanotum usually with prominences opposite lateral longitudinal carinae, rarely smooth ( Abzaria , Spanophatnus , Pyramidophorus , Levansa ). Propodeum from lateral varies from broken type, also not so obvious as of Ichneumonini , to slanting and almost triangle; horizontal part overwhelming majority of genera shorter than vertical, its middle area elevated (convex); complete set of propodeum carinae varies from complete to almost entirely their reduction; apices of areae dentiparae more often with tooth-like structures, developed in varying degree, rarely without them, or with lamellar widening at apex; spiracles of propodeum vary in shape and size from small and round to large and slit-shaped. Surface of propodeum with various sculpture to smooth and polished ( Abzaria ), usually without microsculpture, with exception of Pachyjoppa .

L e g s: Thin, slender, stumpy of Neeurylabia and Neolevansa ; scopa on hind coxae of female always absent; claws smooth with only exception of genus Pyramidophorus .

W i n g s: Wings in form comparatively broad. Shape of areolet practically of all species, with predominance of most of genera irregularly quadrangular shape, petiolate only of genera Platybirmania and Ambloplisus ; radius from straight to slightly sinuous; nervulus of front wing more often interstitial, rarely slightly postfurcal and as exception ( Spanophatnus ), slightly antefurcal; ramulus as rule expressed; stigma of representatives of most of genera dark; membrane of wing mostly hyaline, rarely of yellow coloring, or with darkened apices ( Pachyjoppa , Neeurylabia ); veins of most genera dark colored. Wings long; length of front wing more often almost equal to body length, rarely maximum 1,3-1,4 times shorter.

A b d o m e n: Of females amblypygous, as rule without strong sclerotization (with exception of Abzaria ). Sternites of abdomen slightly sclerotized. Petiolus of first tergite, with rare exceptions ( Ectopoides , Apaeleticus , Hypomecus , Heinrichiellus ) flattened, wider than height at base. Dorsal carinae, if developed, merged with spiracle carinae near bend, or (rare) near middle of petiolus (only one exception Linycus of which dorsomedian and dorsolateral carinae merged not far from base of tergite). Gastrocoeli and thyridia more often developed, of genera Asthenolabus , Ectopius atrophied and of Abzaria absent completely. Lunulae with exception of genera Abzaria , Pachyjoppa and Lissolaboides distinct in varying degree. Hypopygium compressed from sides, more often with longitudinal fold, rarely ( Lamprojoppa , Neeurylabia , Neolevansa ) flattened.

S i z e: Mainly small species 5-10 mm with some exceptions of Pachyjoppa and Lamprojoppa (12,5) Abzaria (13,5), and Pyramidophorus (19,5 mm).

B i o l o g y:

Parasites of Geometridae and Drepanidae (some species), female deposits the egg into the larva.