NO. 2340. TRIBE EPHIALTINI OF THE ICHNEUMONINAE—CVSHMAN. 329 



Genus EPHIALTES Schrank. 



From ApecUUs, Ephialtes is amply distinct by the strongly punc- 

 tate, immaculate face; the longer first tergite; the straight ovipositor; 

 and the lack of the basal tooth on the claws in the female except 

 sometimes on the front tarsi. 



All of the characters employed in the following key for the separa- 

 tion of the two subgenera are subject to great variation, so much 

 so that no one character can be used to place a species in its subgenus. 

 The combinations of long malar space with nonemarginate eyes for 

 Eyliialtes and short malar space with deeply emarginate eyes for 

 Itoplectis form perhaps the best characters for the separation of the 

 two subgenera, but can not be depended on unsupported by other 

 characters. The inner margin of the eye varies from nearly straight 

 to deeply emarginate, the malar space from a fourth as long as the 

 basal width of the mandible to slightly longer, the clypeus from 

 truncate or even slightly rounded to deeply emarginate at apex, the 

 propodeal spiracle from round to very long oval, the position of the 

 antennal foramina from distinctly above to distinctly below the 

 middle of the eye, the front tarsal claws in the female from strongly 

 lobed to simple, and so on through the whole list of possible char- 

 acters, but the characters are not grouped in the same manner in 

 all species belonging to a given subgenus, and the variation in each 

 character is so gradual from species to species that it is difficult, if 

 not impossible, to draw a line of demarkation at any point in the 

 variation. 



The male is more slender than the female; the antennae are stouter; 

 the malar space shorter; the clypeus less deeply emarginate in those 

 species having it at all emarginate in the female; and not even the 

 front tarsal claws toothed basally. 



KEY TO SUBGENERA. 



Malar space at least half as long as basal width of mandible, shorter in male than in 

 female; inner margin of eye usually broadly curved, not deeply emarginate; clypeus 

 subtruncate to deeply emarginate at apex; lower margin of antennal foramina at or 

 below middle of eye; frons deeply concave; antennae long, filiform, frequently 

 attenuate at apex; notauli usually feeV)ly indicated anteriorly; propodeum long, 

 with lateral ridges strong, spiracle usually elongate; intercubitella usually less than 

 half as long as basal abscissa of radiella; hind tibiae usually not annulated, the tarsi 

 never annulated ; apical spines of tarsal joints very long, those of the fourth joint 

 of front tarsus reaching to or beyond middle of fifth joint, not especially long in 

 male; claws of front tarsi in female without basal lobe Ephialtes Schrank. 



Malar space rarely half as long as basal width of mandible, usually much shorter; inner 

 margin of eye deeply emarginate; clypeus truncate to broadly rounded at apex; 

 lower margin of antennal foramina above middle of eye; frons usually not deeply 

 concave; antennae usually not long, usually more or less thickened toward apex 

 and attenuate at base; notauli usually not at all indicated; propodeum usually short. 



