ICHNEUMON-FLIES — GELINAE I MESOSTENINI 5 



sublateral projection opposite sublateral longitudinal carina of 

 propodeum; propodeum usually areolated, but sometimes with only 

 transverse carinae or in some species of Gelis (usually wingless 

 species) without carinae. 



This is the tribe Hemitelini of authors, plus the Gelini (=Pezo- 

 machini), Phygadeuonini, and Stilpnini, and minus the new tribe 

 Hemigasterini. The GeUni has traditionally been a small tribe 

 containing wingless species. It is based on Gelis, which is commonly 

 wingless at least in the female, but recent study has shown that species 

 with wings in both sexes should also be referred to Gelis. Though 

 the absence of wings is a convenient character, it cannot in this case 

 be used to separate a natural tribe, or even a genus, so the Gelini 

 and the Hemitehni (formerly distinguished from the Gelini as having 

 wings in both sexes) must be combined. 



The absence of the areolet, traditionally the major tribal character 

 of the Hemitelini, is an artificial distinction. Genera or species 

 that are obviously closely related differ m the presence and absence 

 of the areolet. Moreover, the second intercubital vein may be present 

 as a definite vein or in various degrees of vestigial development, 

 making it often difficult to decide whether or not it should be con- 

 sidered as present. Disregarding the areolet character as both 

 artificial and unreliable, there is no usable dividing line betwen 

 the Hemitelini of authors and the Phygadeuonini, so the Phygadeu- 

 onini also must be merged with the combined Hemitelini and Gehni. 



The Stilpnini, except for the somewhat intermediate genus Caeno- 

 meris, may be distinguished as a unit by means of the propodeal 

 character that is commonly used (fusion of areola with median 

 apical area), but in other structures and in host relations the group 

 is very close to the genus Phygadeuon, and it seems best to include 

 the Stilpnini also in the broadened Gelini. 



Uniting the former tribes Gehni, Hemitelini, Phygadeuonini, and 

 Stilpnini, as suggested above, is only part of the modification needed 

 for the development of a more natural classification. There is a 

 distinct group of genera, included formerly in the "Phygadeuonini," 

 which have the second recurrent vein vertical and with a single bulla. 

 These seem nearer to the Mesostenini than to the Gelini, and since 

 they form a rather compact unit, with many features in common, 

 they are made to constitute the separate tribe Hemigasterini, as 

 characterized in the key and the discussion below. 



The Gelini as defined here contains a diverse set of genera which 

 should have some grouping along natural lines of relationships. 

 Our work toward this objective, however, is still too incomplete to 

 publish. 



