Litus, Haliday, 1833

Huber, John T., Read, Jennifer D. & Triapitsyn, Serguei V., 2024, Illustrated key to the genera and catalogue of Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) in the Neotropical region, Zootaxa 5557 (1), pp. 1-263 : 79-80

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5557.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6CE8CC38-F965-4404-ACCD-6D0DBDB942FB
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14597190
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F879DB6E-9977-FFA3-FF35-F8F8FD60FD5C
treatment provided by	Plazi (2025-01-03 19:34:00, last updated 2025-01-03 21:01:14)
scientific name	Litus
status

Treatment

LITUS Haliday, 1833 View in CoL

( Figs 176–180 View FIGURES 176–178 View FIGURES 179, 180 )

Litus Haliday 1833a: 269 View in CoL ; 1833b: 345. Type species: Litus cynipseus Haliday, 1833 View in CoL , by monotypy.

Congolia Ghesquière, 1942: 320 View in CoL . Type species: Congolia sycophila Ghesquière, 1942 View in CoL , by monotypy. Synonymy by Debauche, 1949: 17. This genus and its type species were accidentally omitted from the list of generic synonyms in Huber et al. (2021).

Diagnosis. Funicle 6-segmented ( Fig. 177 View FIGURES 176–178 ); mandibles crossing or barely meeting when closed, each with 2 subequal teeth ( Fig. 176a View FIGURES 176–178 ); ocelli forming an obtuse triangle with the lateral ocellus at posterolateral angle of vertex; head posteriorly without evident sulci, the occiput separated from gena/postgena by slight change in sculpture lateral to dorsal margin of foramen ( Fig. 176b View FIGURES 176–178 ); fore wing narrow, only slightly widening towards apex ( Fig. 178 View FIGURES 176–178 ); mesophragma projecting into gaster; propodeum posteriorly with a short but wide ring-like nucha (neck) separated from rest of propodeum by a distinct narrowing ( Fig. 180a View FIGURES 179, 180 ); petiole (not visible unless metasoma detached) short and narrow; metasoma smooth, laterally compressed, cynipoid-like, with gt 1 the largest tergum ( Fig. 180a View FIGURES 179, 180 ).

Remarks. Huber et al. (2020) had placed Litus in the Alaptus group but this is incorrect. Litus apparently belongs to the Camptoptera group of genera because of its narrow petiole (usually completely hidden so removal of the metasoma is needed to see it). The most similar genus is probably Ptilomymar . The strongly sculptured head and mesosoma contrasting with the smooth and shiny metasoma helps separate the species of Litus from other genera in the group.

Neotropical hosts. Unknown.

Important reference. Ogloblin (1935).

References

Debauche, H. R. (1949) Mymaridae (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea). Exploration du Parc National Albert, Mission G. F. de Witte (1933 - 1935), 49, 1 - 105, pls. I - VII, legends on unnumbered pages.

Ghesquiere, J. (1942) Contribution a l'etude des hymenopteres du Congo Belge. IX. - Remarques sur la famille des mymarides et description d'especes nouvelles. Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines, 36 (3), 317 - 328.

Haliday, A. H. (1833 a) Essay on the classification of the parasitic Hymenoptera of Britain, which correspond with the Ichneumones minuti of Linnaeus. Entomological Magazine, 1 (3), 259 - 276.

Haliday, A. H. (1833 b) An essay on the classification of the parasitic Hymenoptera, etc. (continued). Entomological Magazine, 1 (4), 333 - 350.

Huber, J. T., Read, J. D. & Triapitsyn, S. V. (2020) Illustrated key to genera, and species catalogue of Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) in America North of Mexico. Zootaxa, 4773 (1), 1 - 411. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4773.1.1

Huber, J. T., Read, J. D. & Triapitsyn, S. V. (2021) Illustrated key to genera, and species catalogue of Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) in the Afrotropical Region. Zootaxa, 5036 (1), 1 - 166. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 5036.1.1