Corresponding author: Victoria G. Pook (
Academic editor: Ralph Peters
A dichotomous and an interactive key to the species of
The subfamily
Though only four species of
The four species of
A key to the genera of Nearctic
Type specimens for each species were checked for the diagnostic morphological characters assigned by
Females.
1 | A. Metasoma melanic (blackish-brown) and lacking yellow markings; ovipositor sheath about 3.7 times as long as fore wing | |
– | B. Metasoma ranging from brown to reddish-brown with conspicuous bright yellow markings; ovipositor sheath 1.8 to 3 times as long as fore wing | 2 |
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2 | A. Well-defined, yellow, roundish spot on each of tergites 4-6 | |
– | B. Angled yellow bands on each of tergites 4-6 | 3 |
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3 | A. Vertical black stripe on face below each antennal socket; ovipositor sheath about 3 times as long as fore wing | |
– | B. Vertical stripes on face absent; ovipositor sheath about 1.8 times as long as fore wing | |
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Males.
1 | A. Fore wing marked with brown patch at base of cell 2R1 | |
– | B. Fore wing lacking brown patch at base of cell 2R1 | 2 |
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2 | A. Mesopleuron blackish brown with yellow spot below wing insertion, no additional yellow markings | |
– | B. Mesopleuron ranging from blackish brown to reddish-brown, yellow spot below wing insertion and additional yellow markings | 3 |
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3 | A. Mesosoma color reddish-brown and yellow | |
– | B. Mesosoma color blackish-brown and yellow | |
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Modified from
Characters diagnostic of
Eastern Nearctic to about longitude 100 °W (
Female: Head and antenna mostly yellow, may or may not have a dark spot above the clypeus. Mesosoma and metasoma black. Mesosoma sometimes with a small yellow spot on posterodorsal corner of pronotum, rarely with yellow markings. Fore wing 15 to 30 mm long; wings infuscate or entirely black. Ovipositor sheath about 3.7 times as long as forewing.
Females may be distinguished from the other species occurring in the USA and Canada by their body color.
Male. Head yellow, may or may not have a dark spot above the clypeus. Mesosoma yellow and blackish brown; metasoma very dark brown to black with a yellow mark on the hind margin of the first tergite; wings hyaline, fore wing 16 to 22 mm long.
Males may be distinguished from
Most specimens are found in the eastern Nearctic to about longitude 96 °W, with some found as far west as Wyoming (
Female: Head mostly yellow; mesosoma reddish-brown and yellow. Metasoma reddish-brown, each tergite with an angled yellow band; bands on the third and following tergites interrupted on the midline. Fore wing 12 to 27 mm long. Wings hyaline and the fore wing usually with a large brown patch at the base of cell 2R1. Ovipositor sheath about 1.8 times as long as fore wing.
Females can be distinguished from
Male: Head mostly yellow; mesosoma reddish-brown and yellow; metasoma reddish-brown with yellow and black markings on first two or three tergites. Wings hyaline; fore wing 10 to 16 mm long.
Males can be distinguished from
The specific epithet macrura is commonly applied to this species, however the name
Female. Head yellow and dark brown, with two vertical stripes on face, one below each antennal socket. Mesosoma and metasoma ranging from dark brown to reddish-brown and yellow. Each tergite with an angled yellow band interrupted on the third to sixth tergites. Wings hyaline with brown patches; fore wing 18 to 29 mm long. Ovipositor sheath about 3.0 times as long as fore wing.
Females can be distinguished from
It should be noted that
Male. Head yellow and dark brown, with two vertical stripes on face, one below each antennal socket. Mesosoma yellow and blackish brown, metasoma brown, first and second tergites with a short yellow band on hind margin. Wings hyaline, fore wing 7 to 21 mm long with a brown patch at the base of cell 2R1.
Males can be distinguished from the other species occurring in the USA and Canada by the brown patch at the base of cell 2R1 of the fore wing and the presence of two vertical stripes on the face.
Female. Head black to blackish brown and yellow; mesosoma black or blackish brown, with yellow spots; metasoma brown and usually a little paler than mesosoma. Subtriangular median subapical spot on first and second tergites, large round yellow spot on side of tergites 3-5, and vertical yellow blotch on side of sixth and seventh tergites. Fore wing 13 to 29 mm long. Ovipositor sheath about 2.7 times as long as fore wing.
Females can be distinguished from
It should be noted that
Male. Head black to blackish brown and yellow; mesosoma black to blackish brown, with yellow spots; metasoma brown, the tergites usually darker medially; the first two tergites with a median subapical yellow spot. Fore wing 9.5 to 20 mm long.
Males can be distinguished from
The authors gratefully acknowledge Drs. Robert Kula, Dominique Zimmerman, Mike Fitton and Jeanne Robinson for loaning specimens and Drs. Gavin Broad, Jason Weintraub and Christine LeBeau for imaging specimens. Taxonomic information was taken from
Delta Editor Character Matrix
specimes data
Interactive Key
species key