RECLASSIFICATION OF MICROGASTERINI 267 



polished band of the scutellum. Propodeum dull and showing a sculpture very similar to that 

 of the scutellar disc ; median keel very poorly defined ; de Saeger describes the propodeum as 

 divided by a "strong carina". Hind wing narrow ; metacarp of the fore wing about three times as 

 long as its distance from the apex of the radial cell (Text-fig. 337) . Spines of the outer side of the 

 hind tibia somewhat fine and not dense enough to give the tibia a markedly prickly appearance. 

 Gaster rugose all over. Tergite 2 without trace of a median, basal field. In appearance the 

 gaster is like that of the subfamily Cheloninae except that it is articulated between tergite 1 and 

 2 and the 2nd suture is deep and well marked. 



Belgian Congo : Rutshuri (type locality). S. Africa : Pondoland, Port St. 

 John, v., 2 <$<$, {R- E. Turner), in British Museum (Nat. Hist.). 

 Type in the Congo Museum, Tervuren. 



MICROGASTER Latreille 



Microgaster Latreille 1802 : 339. 



Hygroplitis Thomson, 1895 : 2244 [Muesebeck and Walkley, in Muesebeck, Krombein & Townes 



1951 : 135] 

 Type-species : Ichneumon deprimator * h Designated by Latreille, 1810 : 436. 



This genus, as I now restrict it, contains only those heavily built species which, in 

 temperate regions at any rate, have formed its typical representatives. 



The essential characters of Microgaster s.str. have been given in the key (Text-figs. 

 339 and 341) . The 1st abscissa of the discoideus is fully equal to the 2nd. 



Taxonomically, Microgaster is in a state of confusion and, with regard to the 

 European species, there has been no improvement on Thomson's treatment of the 

 genus. 



PHILOPLITIS gen. n. 



Type-species : Philoplitis coniferens sp.n. Monobasic. 



Mesoscutum strongly, evenly rugose ; notaulices deep, well defined. Scutellum prolonged 

 backwards in the form of a long cone (Text-fig. 234) that is extremely coarsely rugose-reticulate ; 

 the ridges of the reticulations are strongly raised so that the meshes appear very deep. A dark 

 cloud beneath the rather wide stigma. Inner spur of the hind tibia reaching slightly beyond 

 the middle of the hind basitarsus ; outer side of the hind tibia with sparse, fine, adpressed spines 

 as in Microplitis. 



Philoplitis coniferens sp. n. 



$. Hind femur and hind tibia blackish or very dark brown throughout. Except for the dark 

 cloud beneath the stigma which is very variable in intensity, the wings are only very faintly 

 darkened. 



Except for a small, shiny, median excavation, the head behind the ocelli and eyes is densely 

 rugose, the rugose area as long behind the ocelli as it is behind the temples and bounded against 

 the occiput by a raised margin. Frons with shiny, even, transverse striation. Propodeum 

 somewhat flattened, with strong, medial keel. Plate of tergite 1 three times as long as wide, 

 virtually parallel-sided and finely rugulose-aciculate, especially towards posterior end. 



Length: ca. 3-5 mm. 



65 Ichneumon deprimator Fabricius 1798 : 227. 

 Microgaster deprimator (Fabricius) Latreille 1805 : 190. 



