244 g. e. j. nixon 



The FASCIIPENNIS-Grovp 

 Protomicroplitis fasciipennis (Gahan) comb. n. 



Microgaster fasciipennis Gahan, 1918 : 587. 

 Microgaster fasciipennis Gahan ; Wilkinson, 1929 : 116. 

 Microgaster fasciipennis Gahan ; de Saeger, 1944 : 77. 



The type locality of this species is Uganda, Kampala, and the type is in the U.S. 

 National Museum. 



De Saeger used the name of this species to designate a subgroup of Microgaster, 

 giving it a definition that corresponds almost exactly to my own definition of what I 

 now refer to as the fasciipennis-gvonp. 



The group differs from the xanthaspis-group only in that tergite (2 + 3) shows no 

 delimited median field. De Saeger has described several species in this group ; I 

 hope to deal with these and others, which may be different from them, at a later 

 date. 



The BASIMACULA -Group 



The species of this group represent only an extreme development of the form of the 

 first two gastral tergites. Apart from this, they show no character or combination 

 of characters that would exclude them from a close relationship with the groups of 

 xanthaspis and fasciipennis. 



De Saeger, who studied the species from the Belgian Congo, described a few that 

 are at present unknown to me. In the following key I am setting forth all that I 

 have found to be useful in separating the species available to me for study in the 

 British Museum. 



Key to Species 

 Females and Males 



1 Tergite 3 with a median, in greater part polished area or, polished and unsculptured 



over most of its apical half ; the elongate median area of tergite 2 in greater part 

 shining, smooth ; ocelli in a very low triangle, the transverse, posterior tangent to 

 the anterior ocellus cutting deeply into the paired ocelli. Old World species . . 2 



- Tergite 3 without a median area or, if there is an indication of one, then it bears fine 



surface sculpture ; ocelli in a higher triangle, the transverse posterior tangent to the 

 median ocellus only just touching the posterior pair. 



Edge of vannal lobe beyond its widest part straight or appearing even slightly 

 concave and here without projecting hairs ; propodeum more convex than in the 

 Old World species, the medial keel less emphasised and the whole propodeal 

 surface densely reticulate. New World species ...... 8 



2 Females .............. 3 



- Males 5 



3 Tergite 3 smooth, polished mid-basally and almost as smooth over most of apical half ; 



hind femur yellow and darkened only on apical third. 



Hairs of the fore wing longer, darker and sparser than in basimacula ; meso- 

 pleurum with rather fine rugose-striation that is concentric around the middle, 

 polished area ; vannal lobe with hair-fringe throughout ; tergite 1 less widened to 



