RECLASSIFICATION OF MICROGASTERINI 65 



Type in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). 



Host : Tirathaba rufwena Walker (Galleriidae). 



Important for the recognition of this species is the sculpture of the mesopleurum. 

 It is closely related to persephone. Also related to pertiades on most characters is 

 tirathabae, a species which differs from pertiades, however, in having tergite 1 strongly 

 narrowed behind and the setae of the gaster much more numerous. 



Apanteles persephone sp. n. 



?. Apart from the differences given in the key, differs from pertiades as follows: — 



Antenna thinner, slightly shorter in proportion to the length of the body. Sculpture of temples 

 slightly stronger and the frons with a slightly clearer indication of weak punctation. 



Punctures of mesoscutum unusually large but the interspaces shiny as in pertiades. Hind tibia 

 becoming gradually infuscate towards middle but the infuscation less intense than in pertiades ; 

 reddish rather than dark brown. 



Ovipositor sheath very slightly longer ; ovipositor thinner. 



W. Australia : Yanchep, 3-19.xii.1935, 1 $, the TYPE, (R. E. Turner) ; Don- 

 garra, 11-28. x.1935, 1 $, (R.E.T.). 



Type in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). 



This species is essentially characterized by the unusually coarse punctation of 

 mesoscutum and mesopleurum. 



Apanteles tirathabae Wilkinson 



Apanteles tirathabae Wilkinson, 1928b : 202. 



$. Closely related to pertiades and differing from it as follows : — 



Legs paler, more reddish ; hind femur brownish rather than blackish ; hind tibia becoming 

 infuscate after about middle. 



Mesoscutum more shiny, its punctation finer and tending to become finer, almost obsolescent 

 on posterior half of middle lobe ; posterior end of notaulic course with a small zone of 

 striate-punctation. No clearly discrete line of sculpture extending downwards from the dorsal 

 groove of the mesopleurum into the smooth, oblique depression. Areolation of propodeum 

 stronger, the three posterior areas shiny and almost polished. Inner spur of the hind tibia 

 slightly longer in relation to the outer one and reaching virtually the middle of the basal tarsal 

 segment ; spines along upper part of outer side of hind tibia thicker, denser, more numerous and 

 altogether more conspicuous than in pertiades. 



Tergite 1, by comparison with that of pertiades, strongly narrowed to apex (Text-fig. 46). 

 Tergites (2 + 3)-6 more or less setose all over. Ovipositor sheath slightly longer. 



Malaya : Sepang, type locality (recorded as probably parasitic on Tirathaba 

 rufwena). Java : long series in B.M. (N.H.) from Tirathaba mnndella. Fiji : (no 

 host data). 



Type in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). 



Host : Tirathaba rufwena Walker, Tirathaba mundella Walker (Galleriidae). 



Needs to be carefully distinguished from pertiades but certainly distinct from that 

 species. Also closely related to galleriae. 



