PTEROMALIDAE OF N.W. EUROPE 441 



PICROSCYTOIDES Masi 



Picroscytoides Masi, 1922c : 151-158. Type-species : P. cerasiops (Ruschka MS.) Masi, by 



original designation. 

 Picroscytoides Masi ; Nikol'skaya, 1952 : 232. 

 Picroscytoides Masi ; Peck et al., 1964 : 47. 



Two species of this genus from southern Europe (obscums and cerasiops) were 

 described by Masi (1922c). I have seen some other species from central Europe 

 and the Mediterranean region, but I do not think it advisable to describe them at 

 present, although I have mentioned their chief diagnostic characters in my key 

 (see below). Probably others will be discovered in the regions mentioned, but 

 hitherto no representative has been found in north-west Europe. 



Key to European Species 

 (Females) 



1 Head in dorsal view only i-gtoi -95 times as broad as long. Antennal flagel- 



lum fuscous proximally but becoming gradually paler, the distal part of the 

 funicle and the clava being yellowish testaceous. 



Antenna with combined length of pedicellus and fiagellum equal to breadth 

 of head ; fiagellum slender, proximally not stouter than the pedicellus in 

 dorsal view ; third segment of clava forming a sublinear stylus. Fore 

 wing with an incipient speculum, forming a narrow bare strip outside the basal 

 vein and below the marginal vein. Head and thorax black with weak 

 bluish and bronze reflections ; gaster violet-tinged . obscurus Masi (p. 442) 



Head in dorsal view 2-15 to 2-25 times as broad as long. Antennal fiagellum 

 black with at most the anelli and the clava pale. The other characters not 

 all present in combination ......... 2 



2 (1) Body black with weak bluish and bronze reflections ; eyes brown or reddish 



brown. Antennae with combined length of pedicellus and fiagellum equal 

 to or slightly greater than breadth of head ; fiagellum slender ; third 

 segment of clava forming a sublinear stylus. Edge of gena, for a short 

 distance above the base of the mandible, with a sharp lamina. Species not 

 more than 5-5 mm. in length. Gaster black or bronze-black sp. indet. A (p. 442) 

 At least the thorax bright green, blue, or violet ; eyes bright red. Antennae 

 with combined length of pedicellus and fiagellum distinctly less than 

 breadth of head ; fiagellum rather less slender ; clava tapering to an acute 

 point but having its third segment triangular, not styliform. Edge of gena, 

 near mandible, fairly sharp but without a lamina. Species up to 7 mm. in 

 length. Gaster sometimes partly red ....... 3 



3 (2) Gaster not red-marked, or at most very obscurely reddish about the attach- 



ment of the petiole, 2-2 to 2-5 times as long as broad. POL approximately 

 equal to OOL. Marginal vein of fore wing 1 -8 to 2 times as long as the 

 stigmal vein. Tibiae infuscate medially . . cerasiops Masi (p. 442) 



Gaster broadly red at base, sometimes the proximal half or more red . . 4 



4 (3) Gaster about twice as long as broad. Marginal vein about 1 -7 times as long as 



the stigmal vein. POL slightly less than OOL. Tibiae infuscate medially 



sp. indet. B (p. 442) 

 Gaster about 2-5 times as long as broad. Marginal vein 2-2 times as long as 



the stigmal vein. POL hardly less than OOL. Tibiae pale sp. indet. C (p. 442) 



I am unable to provide a key to males. 



