ICHNEUMON-FLIES, PART 2: EPHIALTINAE 353 



1. Theronia atalantae (Poda) 



Figure 314,a 



Front wing 7.5 to 12.5 mm. long; apical edge of clypeus slightly 

 concave; prepectal carina roundly curved forward, almost reaching 

 pronotum; scutellum not carinate laterally; metapleurum separated 

 from propodeum by a complete carina; median and lateral propodeal 

 carinae present, the latter usually fading out opposite propodeal 

 spiracle; lateral section of apical transverse carina weak; petiolar 

 area rather regularly hexagonal, its lateral bounding carinae stronger 

 than others on propodeum; apical half of femur with a ventral ridge 

 which in all but the smallest specimens bears several blunt teeth, a 

 character present in no other species of the genus (fig. 299,b); first 

 tergite about 1.5 as long as wide, its dorsal carinae strong on basal 

 0.67 ± ; ovipositor sheath about 1.5 as long as hind femur. 



Fulvous with some indefinite yellowish markings. The more defi- 

 nite of the yellow markings are on the face, subtegular ridge, scutel- 

 lum, postscutellum, and knee of middle leg. Flagellum brown; 

 prepectus near lower corner of pronotum blackish; ovipositor sheath 

 black. There are often dark brown markings on the head, thorax, 

 coxae, and middle and hind femora, and basal dark brown bands or 

 paired transverse spots on the abdominal tergites, the extent and 

 frequency of these dark markings being dependent on the popula- 

 tion. North American specimens rarely have them, European spec- 

 imens often have them, and Japanese and Korean specimens always 

 have them. The average frequency and extent of the dark mark- 

 ings is the basis for separating the population of Japan and Korea 

 as a distinct subspecies, as in the key below. Wings faintly tinged 

 with yellowish brown. 



Key to the subspecies of Theronia atalantae 



1. Abdominal tergites each with a dark brown basal band or pair of transverse 



spots occupying about their basal 0.3 to 0.4; thorax with extensive dark 

 brown markings; range: Japan and Korea. 



la. atalantae gestator (Thunberg) 



Abdominal tergites uniformly fulvous or sometimes each with a restricted 



basal brown band or pair of transverse spots; thorax with or without 



restricted dark brown markings 2 



2. Flagellum brownish fulvous; range: Europe, lb. atalantae atalantae (Poda) 

 Flagellum fuscous brown; range: North America. 



lc. atalantae fulvescens (Cresson) 



