RECLASSIFICATION OF MICROG ASTERINI 187 



only valid character for separating them is provided by the venation as pointed out 

 in couplet 33 of the key. The essential features of the octonarius-gvoup have also 

 been given in the key ; there is nothing to add. 



So far, I am acquainted with only two European species, octonarius (Ratzeburg) 24 

 and inclusus (Ratzeburg) — but the group is world-wide in distribution and Wilkinson 

 described several species from the Indo-Malayan region. 



The VITRIPENNIS-Grovp 



I have used the name " vitripennis " 25 to designate the group because it is the first 

 of the typical species mentioned by Haliday and was used by Wilkinson (1932b, 330) 

 for a subdivison of his major group A. Wilkinson's subgroup of vitripennis was 

 much wider in concept than my own definition of the whole vitripennis-group as now 

 introduced (see Text-figs. 129 and 152). 



The commonest species of the group and in many ways the most representative is 

 the abundant and gregarious fulvipes Haliday, with a wide range over Europe. 



The species of the group bear a close resemblance in general habitus to certain 

 segregates in Protomicroplitis, such as the groups of marginatum and calceatus. Whe- 

 ther this resemblance is due to convergence or is really an indication of genuine 

 evolutionary relationship is a matter on which, at the moment, I am not prepared to 

 express an opinion. 



The PALLIPES-Grovp 

 Apanteles pallipes Reinhard 



Apanteles pallipes Reinhard, 1880 : 366 [in key]. 



Apanteles pallipes Reinhard ; Reinhard, 1881 : 48 [description]. 



Apanteles reinhardi Wilkinson, 1936a : 222. syn. n. 



Apanteles pallipes has very much the facies of the species of the vitripennis-gvoup 

 and is separable from that group only on the presence of the propodeal keel and the 

 virtually undefined lateral pronotal keel. The median field of tergite (2 + 3) is 

 longtitudinally rugose-striate throughout and is obviously triangular in shape. 



On the material available to me in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.), I do not 

 believe reinhardi Wilkinson to be more than large, better nourished specimens of 

 pallipes. 



Europe. 



Type of pallipes in the Reinhard collection, Zoologisches Museum der Universitat, 

 Berlin. Type of reinhardi in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). 



Host : Plusia spp:- P. chrysitis L., P. gamma L., P. pulchrina Haworth. 

 Reinhard originally described pallipes as a parasite of Plusia gamma and the 



il Microgaster octonarius Ratzeburg, 1852 : 52. 



Apanteles octonarius (Ratzeburg) Reinhard, 1880 : 364. 



Apanteles octonarius (Ratzeburg); Wilkinson, 1945 : 127. 

 2i Microgaster vitripennis Haliday, 1834 : 248. 



Apanteles vitripennis (Haliday) Reinhard, 1880 : 366. 



