RECLASSIFICATION OF MICROGASTERINI 235 



above. The hypopygium is always evenly sclerotised throughout and does not show 

 lateral, longitudinal creases. The ovipositor is always very short. The edge of the 

 vannal lobe is straight or convex beyond its widest part and here shows at least a few 

 minute, projecting hairs (the ippis-group and Maps of the Maps-group are excep- 

 tional). 



Most of the species I have examined have the posterior, polished band of the scutel- 

 lum interrupted at middle by a small area of rugosity that is an extension of the 

 rugosity of the disc of the scutellum. This is the most important character for 

 recognising Protomicroplitis and applies to both sexes. 



For reason of convenience I have included Microgaster tegalaris Szepligeti in 

 Protomicroplitis, giving it group status for the sake of consistency, though I doubt 

 very much if it is correctly placed here. Unfortunately I know it only from the 

 type, a male. 



Key to Species-groups 

 Females 



1 Posterior, polished band of the scutellum interrupted at middle by a small area of 



rugosity that may be continuous with the rugosity of the scutellar disc or separated 

 from this by a short transverse keel or lip ; or this small area of rugosity may be 

 contrasted with an almost smooth scutellar disc ...... 2 



- Posterior, polished band of thescutellumnot interrupted at middle by rugosity (except 



rarely a few punctures present in lelaps-group) . . . . . . 18 



2 Inner spur of the hind tibia about one quarter as long as the hind basitarsus. 



Legs long, thin ; 2nd transverse cubitus arising from the radius so that the arc* ilel 

 is 4-sided ; median field of tergite (2 -f- 3) showing as an elongate, ill defined, finely 

 aciculate area. S. Africa ....... rea/es-group (p. 239) 



- Inner spur of the hind tibia always longer than half the hind basitarsus, usually about 



two thirds as long ........... 3 



3 Tergite 3 as heavily sclerotised as 2, the two tergites together forming a sculptured 



carapace, beneath which the more apical tergites are completely or in part hidden. 

 2nd transverse cubitus reduced to a mere hyaline point. Old and New World 



basimacula- group (p. 244) 



- Tergite 3, that is, posterior half of tergite (2 -f- 3), always smooth, polished and never 



forming with 2 a carapace such as above ....... 4 



4 Metacarp very short, hardly one and a half times as long as its distance from the apex 



of the radial cell (Text-fig. 294) ; lateral, polished field of scutellum reduced to a 

 thin, parallel-sided strip (Text-fig. 323). 



Propodeum polished and with medial keel ; middle tarsus very short (Text-fig. 

 295) ; claws of female long, bent almost at right angles and armed with a fine basal 

 tooth. Philippines ....... periander- group (p. 240) 



- Metacarp rarely as short as this and then the propodeum is sculptured all over 



(spretus -group) ; lateral, polished field of scutellum at least distinctly convex 

 anteriorly (Text-fig. 321) .......... 5 



5 Anterior margin of the postscutellum closely applied to the posterior margin of the 



scutellum so that, laterally, the phragma of the scutellum is completely concealed ; 

 lateral sulci of tergite 2, if distinct at all, either directed towards the lateral margin 

 of the tergite and incomplete, or, if they appear to enclose a median field, then 

 this field is not widened behind (except in the ippis-group but in this group 

 tergite 1 is very long, linear and constricted medially) ..... 6 



