Ctenopelmatinae

Description

Ctenopelmatinae is a large and diverse subfamily that is difficult to define morphologically. They are often recognized by the absence of characters defining other subfamilies. The shape of the first tergite varies greatly, ranging from petiolate with the spiracles clearly beyond the midpoint to broad and with the spiracles relatively close to the base. Glymmae exists in about two thirds of genera and are in the tribe Perilissini similar to what is found in Mesochorinae (deep and meeting in the middle, only separated by a translucent membrane). The claws are often pectinate. The wing vein 2m-cu usually has a single bulla, but few trends in wing venation exists besides this. In most cases (except in the tribe Pionini) the ovipositor has a subapical dorsal notch.

The presence of a tooth-like process on the outer apical face of the fore tibia is the most consistent character, though it can be nearly invisible in some specimens. This feature is however found in several other subfamilies, sometimes including the very similar Tryphoninae. Ctenopelmatines are best distinguished from Tryphonines by the absense of a row of long erect setae on the clypeus, a character almost all genera of Tryphoninae share.

Ecology

The Ctenopelmatinae is one of the two large subfamilies parasitizing Symphyta, the other being Tryphoninae. Ctenopelmatines are koinobiont endoparasitoids of sawfly larvae, with only a few parasitoids of leaf-mining lepidoptera breaking this rule. The host range of the different tribes and genera are rather poorly understood, in large part due to the relative difficulty of rearing sawfly larvae.

Distribution

Ctenopelmatine has a near global distribution, but with the greatest diversity found in the northern temperate regions.

Identification

Identification of Ctenopelmatinae is notoriously difficult and determining species is often impossible with the currnetly available literature. Townes (1970) is likely the best key to the palearctic genera, it is however difficult to use and based on the porly defined tribes. A interactive key is under development here.

Gallery

Alexeter fallax, Enslöv

Hadrodactylus gramanicola, Mölnlycke

Hadrodactylus nigrifemur, Mölnlycke

Homaspis analis, Mölnlycke

Lagarotis debitor, Tönnersjö

Lathrolestes verticalis, Linköping

Mesoleius melanoleucus, Enslöv

Mesoleius tibialis, Enslöv

Mesoleptidea cingulata, Mölnlycke

Perilissus albitarsis, Mölnlycke

Perilissus pallidus, Göteborg

Perilissus variator, Mölnlycke

Pion fortipes, Mölnlycke

Priopoda apicaria, Äsperöd

Protarchus testatorius, Dalarna

Saotis nigriventris, Knäred

Scolobates auriculatus, Mölnlycke

Sympherta antilope, Enslöv

Trematopygus melanocerus, Mölnlycke

Trematopygus vellicans, Mölnlycke

References

Ridedel, M., Florez, A. H., Schmidt, S. (2024). Revision of the Palaearctic species of Scopesis FÖRSTER (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ctenopelmatinae). Linzer biologische Beiträge, 56/1, 201-252

Townes, H. K. (1970). The genera of Ichneumonidae, Part 3. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 13: 1-307

Wharton, B. (n.d.). The Wharton Lab. http://mx.speciesfile.org/projects/8/public/site/wharton_lab/home [2024-11-12]

SLU Artdatabanken (2024). Artfakta: Ctenopelmatinae. https://artfakta.se/taxa/1000044 [2024-11-12]

Finlands Artdatacenter (2024). LAJI.FI: Ctenopelmatinae. https://laji.fi/en/taxon/MX.309379 [2024-11-12]

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