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Key to northern European Ctenopelmatinae
Hymenoptera
Ichneumonidae
Ctenopelmatinae
How to use
Terminology
Steps
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Occupital carina
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1. Occupital carina complete.
2. Occupital carina interupted medially. Vertex and occupit without impression.
3. Occupital carina interupted medially by a deep impression on the vertex and occupit.
Color
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Color predominantly testaceus.
Color not predominantly testaceus.
Glymma
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1. Glymmae deep and ending in a translucent membrane either in the middle where both glymmae connect or in the 1st tergites basal depression.
2. Glymmae present but not ending in a translucent membrane.
3. Glymmae absent.
Areolet
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Areolet present.
Areolet absent.
Nervellus
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1. Nervellus intercepted above the middle.
2. Nervellus intercepted around the middle.
3. Nervellus intercepted below the middle.
Thyridia
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Thyridia present.
Thyridia absent.
Mandible
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1. Mandible with upper tooth longer or clearly broader than the lower.
2. Madible with both teeth about equal in size.
3. Mandible with lower tooth longer or clearly broader than the upper.
Clypeus
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1. Lower margin of clypeus with a distinct denticle.
2. Lower margin of clypeus sharp.
3. Lower margin of clypeus at least narrowly blunt medially, or if somewhat sharp then the margin is overlapped by a blunt buldge.
Eyes
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1. Eyes bare and very strongly converging ventrally.
2. Eyes sparsely hairy.
3. Eyes bare and not very strongly converging ventrally.
Tergite 8
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Tergite 8 of female produced backward between base of ovipositor sheaths and cerci.
Tergite 8 of female not produced backward between base of ovipositor sheaths and cerci.
Tergite 2 carina
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Each side of tergite 2 with a carina running between the base and the spiracle.
Tergite 2 without carinae between base and the spiracles.
Claws
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Claws pectinate.
Claws simple.
Dorso-lateral carina
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Dorso-lateral carina reaching apex of tergite 1.
Dorso-lateral carina not reaching apex of tergite 1.
Dorsal carina
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Dorsal carina of tergite 1 reaching level of the spiracles, usually distinct.
Dorsal carina of tergite 1 not reaching level of the spiracles, often absent or very weak.
Epicnemial carina
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ignore!
Epicnemial carina reaching the anterion margin of mesopleuron.
Epicnemial carina at least narrowly not reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron.
Propodeal carination
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Propodeal carination complete or almsot complete, median and lateral longitudinal carina rdistinct.
Propodeal carination reduced, median and lateral longitudinal carina absent or very short.
Trochanters
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Hind trochantellus flat or concave ventrally and with a strong transverse ridge.
Hind trochantellus rounded ventrally and without transverse ridge.
Ovipositor shape
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1. Ovipositor with a more or less distinct dorsal notch and relatively short.
2. Ovipositor slender, completely without notch and relatively short.
3. Ovipositor about as long as the abdomen.
Ovipositor curvature
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Ovipositor (and usually ovipositor sheaths) upcurved.
Ovipositor straight or downcurved.
Ovipositor sheath shape
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Ovipositor sheaths broad, sometimes almost circular or triangular.
Ovipositor sheaths relatively narrow.
Tergites
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Tergites 1 and 2 with a broad transverse impression.
Tergites 1 and 2 without broad transverse impressions.
Discocubital cell
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Discocubital cell with a brown sclerotized spot.
Discocubital cell without sclerotized spot.
Frons
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Frons with a strong median longitudinal carina.
Frons without strong median longitudinal carina.
Mesopleuron
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Mesopleuron with a distinct longitudinal furrow.
Mesopleuron without longitudinal furrow.
Vein 2-1A
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Vein 2-1A with a triangular thickening.
Vein 2-1A without a triangular thickening.
Occupital/hypostomal carina
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Occupital carina joinging hypostomal carina at the base of the mandible.
Occupital carina joining hypostomal carina above the base of the mandible.
Tarsi
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Fifth segment of hind tarsi much more elongate and curved than the previous segments.
Fifth segment of hind tarsi not particularly elongate or curved.
Ovipositor sheath direction
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Ovipositor sheaths pointed directly backwards or slightly downwards.
Ovipositor sheaths more or less angled upwards.
Median apical carina
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E23UWEEEE.
EWUWU23UWU.
Tergite 2
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Tergite 2 about as wide as long.
Tergite 2 at least 1.3 times as long as wide.
Mandible depression
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Mandible with a transverse basal depression.
Mandible without a transverse basal depression.
Occeli
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Ocelli of female very large, lateral ocellus separated from the eye by about 0.2 of its diameter.
Ocelli of female smaller, lateral ocellus separated from the eye by more than 0.2 of its diameter.
Mesopleuron sculpture
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ignore!
Mesopleuron entirely coarsely sculptured, wrinkled to rugulose-mat, except for the speculum.
Mesopleuron matt to polished, not coarsely sculptured.
Clypeus width
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Clypeus very short and wide, about 3.5 times wider than long.
Clyeus longer, less than 3.5 times wider than long.
Face
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Face densely covered by downwards-pointed white hairs.
Face not densely covered by downwards-pointed white hairs.
Metanotum
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Metanotum and propodeum separated by a distinct u-shaped grove medially.
Metanotum and propodeum not separated by a distinct u-shaped grove medially.
Spur
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Length of longest spur of hind tibia / length of fifth segment of hind tarsus =
Wing length
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mm
Tergite 1
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Tegite 1 length / Tergite 1 width =
Tergite 2 and 3
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Suture between tergite 2 and 3 usually rigid so that they are immovably joined. Tergite 2 often with a pair of central warts.
Suture between tergite 2 and 3 not rigid. Tergite 2 without pair of central warts.
Male genitalia
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1. Each paramere with with a single, large, spine-like seta ventrally.
2. Aedeagus reflexed and pointed apically and ending in an adze-like blade.
3. Parameres without spine-like setae. Adeeagus not as in option 2.
Campodorus/Hyperbatus/Mesoleus
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Abdomen less elongate, portion behind tergite 3 shorter than hind femur. Clypeus margin blunt and usually buldging centrally. Nervellus usually inclivous.
Abdomen more elongate, portion behind tergite 3 about as long as hind femur. Clypeus margin blunt and usually buldging centrally. Nervellus usually inclivous.
Abdomen variable. Clypeus usually bilobed and with margin sharp medially. Nervellus more or less vertical.
Synomelix/Zemiophora/Pantorhaestes
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Hind tibia without distinct black basal band, though sometimes somewhat darkened basally. Petiolar carina extending at least over half the propodeum.
Hind tibia ivory with a distinct black band basally and apically.
Hind tibia without distinct black basal band, though sometimes somewhat darkened basally. Petiolar area extending over less than half the propodeum.
Oetophorus/Perilissus
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Females with thin lateral lobes along the ventral margin of the clypeus. Nervellus subvertical.
Females without lateral lobes along the ventral margin of the clypeus. Nervellus subvertical to reclivous.
Anisotacrus/Hadrodactylus
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Apical tarsal segments almost always at least slightly elongate and curved. Clypeus moderately short, its apical margin moderatly to strongly curved.
Apical tarsal segments normal. Clypeus very short and wide, its margin subtruncate or weakly cruved.
Alexeter/Neostroblia/Scopesis
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Clypeus relatively broad. Setae on the hypopygium slanted backwards. Notauli strong, sharply impressed at least anteriorly. Tergite 1 1.7 to 4 times as long as wide
.
Clypeus relatively broad. Setae on the hypopygium slanted backwards. Notauli usually weak, if sharply impressed then only anteriorly. Tergite 1 1.5 to 2.3 times as long as wide.
Clypeus narrow. Setae on the hypopygium erect. Notauli weak, short and not sharpy impressed.
Likely taxa
Absyrtus
Alexeter
Alochera
Anisotacrus
Anoncus
Arbelus sanguinipes
Asthenara
Azelus erythropalpus
Barytarbes
Campodorus
Ctenopelma
Cuboscopesis fraterna
Dentimachus politus
Euryproctus
Glyptorhaestus
Gunomeria
Hadrodactylus
Himerta
Hodostates
Homaspis
Hypamblys
Hyperbatus
Hypsantyx lituratorius
Labrossyta scotoptera
Lagarotis
Lamachus
Lathiponus semiluctuosus
Lathrolestes
Lethades
Lophyroplectus oblongopunctatus
Mesoleius
Mesoleptidea
Neostroblia
Notopygus
Occapes selandriae
Oetophorus naevius
Olethrodotis modesta
Opheltes glaucopterus
Otlophorus
Pantorhaestes xanthostomus
Perilissus
Perispuda
Phaestus
Phobetes
Pion
Priopoda
Protarchus
Rhaestus
Rhinotorus
Rhorus
Saotis
Scolobates
Scopesis
Seleucus cuneiformis
Semimesoleius exophthalmicus
Smicrolius parvicalcar
Sympherta
Syndipnus
Synodites
Synoecetes
Synomelix
Syntactus
Trematopygodes aprilinus
Trematopygus
Xenoschesis
Zaplethocornia procurator
Zemiophora scutulata
Info
Key in early stages of development. Use with care!
This key covers the genera of Ctenopelmatinae known to occur in northern Europe. It is mainly based on the descriptions provided by Bob Wharton at
The Wharton Lab
, though Townes (1970) functions as the backbone. It is worth noting that Wharton's descriptions are not perfect. He often focuses on the Nearctic fauna and sometimes underestimate the variation within genera. I've improved the data with personal observations where possible, but further work is needed until it is completely satisfactory.
The current number of steps isn't always enough, so there might be cases where you must use other sources to distinguish similar genera. More steps will hopefully be added in the future.
If you find any errors, please contact me. Illustrations will be added eventually.
References
Finlands Artdatacenter (2024). LAJI.FI: Ctenopelmatinae.
https://laji.fi/en/taxon/MX.309379
[2024-11-12]
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.
SLU Artdatabanken (2024). Artfakta: Ctenopelmatinae.
https://artfakta.se/taxa/1000044
[2024-11-12]
Townes, H. K. (1970). The genera of Ichneumonidae, Part 3.
Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 13
, 1–307.
Wharton, B. (2024). PEET Ctenopelmatinae.
The Wharton Lab
.
http://mx.speciesfile.org/projects/8/public/otu_group/show/194
