Oedicephalini HEINRICH

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 : 1359-1360

Tribe Oedicephalini HEINRICH

Oedicephalini HEINRICH 1934 - Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin 67: 118-119.

Type genus: Oedicephalus CRESSON

Oedicephalini : HEINRICH 1967 - Ichn. Stenop. of Africa 2: 255-256.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Neotropic, Oriental and Ethiopian Regions (lowlands).

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

For representatives of tribe very long and slender, bristle-shaped flagellum (same as Platylabini tribe), not widened or slightly widened beyond middle, at males with slight tyloides or without them are characteristic. Head is very thick, almost cubical with convex vertex between hind ocelli and occipital carina and broad genae from lateral. Mandibles are strong with two almost equal teeth, situated in the same plane and divided by broad gape. Clypeus is almost flat, structurally slightly separated from face and bent forward. Thorax is convex with mesonotum abruptly slanting in front. Scutellum is from slightly to strongly elevated above postscutellum, carinated up to apex often by very high carinae, with thorn-shaped projection. Propodeum from lateral is roundly slanted and shortened with set of carinae, reduced in different degree and various shape of spiracles. Abdomen is of various form, more often flattened, of females oxypygous with projecting sheath of ovipositor. Gastrocoeli are large and deep, transverse with narrow interval.

M o r p h o l o g y:

F l a g e l l u m: Long and slender; of females bristle-shaped, attenuated toward apex, flattened ventrally beyond middle, but not or slightly widened. Flagellum of males with small, slightly noticeable tyloides, or without tyloides, not nodose. Flagellum of female often longer or equal by length to front wing.

H e a d: Extremely stout, almost cubic; vertex from lateral practically not sloping or only just sloping down, convex and very broad; genae between outer orbits and hypostomal carina very broad and visible from front; malar space shorter than the mandibles base width; mandibles strong, massive, frequently mandibles sharply curved at the mid- dle almost at right angle, tooth large, upper tooth slightly longer than lower with broad gape, situated in the same plane; mandibles frequently sharply twisted and turned up close beyond base in such a way that their upper surface is in the plane of face and clypeus; clypeus not convex, practically flat, not separated from face by suture, only bent forward, front margin gradually rounded or gradually turned from lateral corners to visible middle triangular projection; antennal cavities slightly impressed.

T h o r a x: Collar usually simple, of type species with two, and Imeriella HEINRICH from Madagascar with four lamellae; epomiae distinct. Mesonotum of equal length and breadth, convex, abruptly sloping at front; notauli atrophied, only in form of very slight impressions at base; hind transversal carina of mesosternum interrupted, slight, or not developed before hind coxae; sternauli slightly marked more often in a form of broad slight impression; scutellum from slightly to very strongly elevated above postscutellum with thorn-like projection ( Oedicephalus CRESSON ), laterally with high lamelliform carinae, ascending from base to apex, sometimes hind apices of lateral carinae more or less protrude on each side. Propodeum from lateral roundly slanted and shortened, area posteromedia some longer than horizontal part in middle; propodeum more often with narrow basal furrow behind postscutellum, distinctly short; set of carinae usually not complete; particularly coxal carina absent or weak, also carina metapleuralis often slight or atrophied, or lateral carinae of basal area absent; area superomedia not elongated; spiracles of propodeum from roundish or oval ( Aulojoppa CAMERON ) to slit-shape ( Oedicephalus CRESSON ).

L e g s: Distinctly long and thin; claws usually smooth, rarely pectinate.

W i n g s: Areolet pentagonal, often strongly narrowed in front; nervulus interstitial or slightly postfurcal; radius from almost straight to sinuous.

A b d o m e n From above from short-oval, almost conical to elongated; sheath of ovipositor distinctly protrude, usually on length of seventh tergite, or length of two last tergites of abdomen; abdomen of females oxypygous. Petiolus of first tergite not flattened, postpetiolus without distinct median field, convex, punctured, wrinkly-punctured or without any sculpture. Gastrocoeli rather large and deep, transverse, interval between them narrow; base of second tergite sometimes longitudinally-wrinkled; tergites 3-7, sometimes only 4-7 weakly sclerotized.

C o l o r a t i o n: Various variant of black-yellow-red coloration, sometimes with white pattern at apex of abdomen.