26 G. E. J. NIXON 



Key to subdivisions of the ater-GROW s.l. of the old world 



A Propodeum with a distinct areola and a costula that, in its extension towards the 

 lateral margin of the propodeum, forks to enclose the spiracle ; frequently only the 

 posterior fork is present ; if the costula and its forks are virtually absent, then the 

 surface of the propodeum still shows much coarse rugosity. 



Metacarp of the fore wing much longer than its distance from the apex of the 

 radial cell, except in argiope and ippeus . . ater- group (in part) (p. 26) 



B Propodeum with at most a feebly denned areola and never with a costula ; hence, the 

 spiracle neither wholly nor in part enclosed by keels ; propodeum to sides of 

 areola with a dull microsculpture or even nearly smooth, or, if rather strongly 

 rugose (trabea), then the metacarp hardly one and half times longer than its 

 distance from the apex of the radial cell. 



Small, dark-legged spp. with the hind tibia deeply infuscate to blackish ; linns 

 is exceptional in respect of leg colour ; gaster beyond tergite 2, that is, beyond the 

 mid-basal field of tergite (2 + 3), always with a dull sheen 



eublemmae- subgroup (p. 104) 



The A TE R-group (in part) 



Key to species 

 Females 



1 Whole body yellow-fulvous. 



Aberrant species not falling easily into either the ater- or the w/for-group. 

 Flagellum long, thick, tapered distally, bristly and with the preapical segment one 

 and a half times longer than wide ; mesoscutum highly polished and only in- 

 distinctly punctate ; propodeum with complete areolation but the postero-lateral 

 area distinctly transverse ; wings brownish ; metacarp extremely long ; vannal 

 lobe with its edge beyond widest part more or less straight and fringed throughout ; 

 ovipositor sheath as long as the hind tibia. Philippines . . bakeri Wilkinson 1 



- At most the gaster pale-marked ......... 2 



2 Disc of scutellum strongly narrowed behind and in profile with a short, truncate or 



subtruncate posterior face (Text-fig. 9) ; usually with at least a trace of vaguely 

 defined pits or punctures and often with much rugosity ; propodeum usually with 

 complete areolation ; metacarp at least four times as long as its distance from the 

 apex of the radial cell ; tergite 1 elongate but not evenly wedge-shaped, the 

 distance between its median hump and apex at least as long as wide (except in 

 cypris) ; median field of tergite (2 + 3) at least twice as wide as long . . 3 



If the disc of the scutellum answers to above description, then either the propodeum 

 shows incomplete areolation (no costula present) or the stigma is pallid (pellucid) 

 or the median field of tergite (2 + 3) is much less transverse or tergite 1 is 

 obviously wedge-shaped, that is, evenly narrowed from base to apex ... 34 



3 Antennal scrobes greatly deepened, the excavation extending outwards and 



touching the eye-margin. Philippines .... cavifrons sp. n. (p. 44) 



- Antennal scrobes of ordinary form, the excavation never reaching as far as the eye- 



margin ............. 4 



4 Ovipositor sheath very short, about one third as long as the hind tibia ; apical 



segment of front and middle tarsus much enlarged (Text-fig. 12). 



Tergite (2 + 3) yellow with the median field darker. Philippines crius sp. n. (p. 46) 



- Ovipositor sheath at least two thirds as long as the hind tibia (about half as long in 



the African arsanes but this species has tergite (2 + 3) entirely dark) ; apical 

 segment of front and middle tarsus not enlarged ...... 5 



1 Apanteles bakeri Wilkinson, 1932a 1 : 143. 



Type in U.S. National Museum ; paratypes in British Museum (Nat. Hist.). 



