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Key to Families of African Chalcidoidea
(Derived fr. Prinsloo, 1980 & 1984 by E. F. Legner)
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[This key is in a
form commonly used in North America. If
the statement is true, proceed tothe designated couplet, whereas if it is
false, go to "b" portion of the couplet. Numbers inparentheses refer to previous couplet read].
Please CLICK on key desired:
Key to Families of African Chalcidoidea
Key to Most Common Families of African Chalcidoidea
[Please refer to <Principal Groups>for more illustrations]
Prinsloo (1980) characterized Chalcidoidea by their small size, about
2-4 mm. length, metallic appearance and elbowed antennae. He regarded them distinguished from most
other parasitic Hymenoptera by the reduced fore wing venation, comprising at
most a submarginal, marginal, stigmal
(radial) and postmarginal vein .
They are different from Proctotrupoidea, which resemble them, by the
pronotum which does not reach backwards to meet the tegulae, or wing
covers. The following keys are for
both males and females:
(Note: Not all illustrations are
African species):
Key to Families of African Chalcidoidea
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1a. Tarsi with 3
segments; fore wing without a postmarginal vein, the wing disc with setae
arranged in radiating rows body not <1.0 mm
......... Trichogrammatidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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1b. Tarsi with 4-5
segments, except in some apterous males of fig insects; setae on wing disc
arranged other than previous (1a)
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2a. Hind wing with a basal stalk composed of
submarginal vein, the wing disc ribbon-like, not extending to its base;
fore wing often with venation and setation as in; antennal sockets with
venation and setation; antennal sockets far apart, close to eye margins;
tarsi with 4-5
segments; slender, dainty, usually
<1.0 mm
long .......... Mymaridae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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2b. Hind wing not petiolate, fore wing shaped different from
previous (2a);
antennal sockets usually closer together, well separated from eyes; mostly
>1.0 mm
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3a. Hind leg with coxa much enlarged and flattened,
like a plate, the tibia with stout, dark setae, arranged in a definite pattern; female antenna with 3
funicle segments, that of male always branched; fore wing shaped like a
wedge; tarsi with 4
segments .......... Elasmidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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3b. Hind coxa not flattened, all other characters combined are
different than previous (3a)
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4a. Femur of hind leg swollen, its ventral
margin toothed; hind tibia curved
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4b. Hind femur normal, not swollen; hind
tibia not curved
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5a. Fore wing folded longitudinally when
resting; ovipositor generally long, recurved over apex and gaster dorsum;
frequently bear color patterns like wasps .......... Leucospidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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5b. Different from previous (5a)
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6a. Head and thorax coarsely sculptured,
with pits or large punctuations; body robust, does not refract light,
usually black, sometimes with
yellowish to orange markings ......... Chalcididae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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6b. Head and thorax finely sculptured, not coarsely punctate or
pitted; body often slender, always metallic or partially metallic
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7a. Gaster somewhat compressed
longitudinally, the dorsum almost convex in profile; hind coxa 2X as
long as fore coxa; ovipositor generally protrudes prominently at gastral
apex, often by more than body length (frequently primary parasitoids of
Mantidae oothecae) .......... Torymidae (part: Monodontomerinae) <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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7b. Gaster depressed, dorsally flattened; hind coxa not much
longer and larger than fore coxa; ovipositor usually at most slightly
exserted caudally; parasitoids of woodboring Coleoptera ........... Pteromalidae (part: Chalcidectinae) <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles> <View: Pteromalidae
Subfamiliea>
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8a. Head prognathous, elongated, flattened, sometimes
with a median longitudinal furrow or excavation; body smooth, shiny,
without sculpture, brownish or yellowish, without metallic reflections;
fore and hind tibiae stout, the femora often longer than tibiae; associated
with fig fruits (Ficus spp.)
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8b. Different than previous (8a); if head prognathous and
body smooth without sculpture (rare as in some Pteromalidae:
Cerocephaline and a few Encyrtidae),
then thoracic dorsum
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9a. Apterous males only; 3 pairs
of tarsi frequently differing in number of segments; eyes and ocelli frequently absent .......... Agaonidae & Torymidae (part = Sycophaginae)
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11a. Thorax characteristically shaped as
follows: scutellum like a transverse
band, axillae not distinct, propodeum with a median triangular area,
usually shiny; body frequently shorter than 1.0 mm,
dorsally flattened, smooth, usually blackish, sometimes yellow; short
antennae, with 2-4 very
small funicle segments, the club long, not segmented; fore wing often with
long marginal fringe. Femur and
tibia of middle leg with long spines, tibial spur strongly developed,
toothed ............ Signiphoridae
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11b. Not as previous (11a)
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12a. Thorax short and arched, with pronotum
reduced and not visible in dorsal view; apex of scutellum sometimes with
processes; head small, somewhat triangular; mandibles large, sickle-shaped;
abdominal petiole frequently long and slender; parasitoids of ants
.......... Eucharitidae (including Philomedes) <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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12b. Pronotum clearly visible from above, other characters in
combination different from previous (12a); no ant parasitoids
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13a. Thorax with mesopleura large, convex,
without any vertical grooves or lines; middle tibia with sturdily
developed, straight, apical spur
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13b. Mesopleura not large and convex, often with vertical grooves;
middle tibial spur comparatively small and weakly developed, except in
males of Eupelmidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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14b. Prepectus small, not swollen, does not
cover pronotum laterally
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15a. Middle coxae inserted close to fore
coxae, at about middle of mesopleuron; thorax with disc of mesoscutum
convex or flat, not impressed with grooves or ridges; marginal vein of fore
wing comparatively short, sometimes rudimentary; antenna rarely with more than
6
funicle segments ........... Encyrtidae <Habits>; <Adults-1> &
<Adults-2>; &
<Juveniles>
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15b. Middle coxa inserted close to hind coxa, at about posterior
end of mesopleuron; disc of mesoscutum almost impressed at least
posteriorly; antenna with 7
funicle segments (5 in Neanastatus);
marginal vein long, usually much longer than stigmal or postmarginal veins
........... Eupelmidae (part)
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16a. Hind tarsus with 4
segments
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16b. Hind tarsus with 5
segments
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17a. Males only: antenna with 11-12
segments; pronotum large, bell-shaped, usually indistinctly separated from
mesoscutum, the hind margin usually indistinct; scutellum without setae,
except for 2 pairs
of long bristles ........... Tetracampidae (part)
<Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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17b. Males not as previous (17a), or females
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18a. Abdominal gaster broadly sessile, its
base broadly associated with propodeum; body not refract light, <1.0 mm.
long .......... Aphelinidae (part)
<Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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18b. Gaster definitely constricted at its junction with propodeum,
the petiole usually visible; body usually at least partly refracting light,
usually >1.0 mm.
long ......... Eulophidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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19a. Gaster broadly sessile; body <1.5 mm.
long, does not refract light; antennae with not more than 8
distinct segments; fore wing with stigmal vein at most short, the
postmarginal vein indistinct ............ Aphelinidae (part)
<Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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19b. Gaster definitely constricted at junction with propodeum, the
petiole frequently visible; antenna with 8 or
more segments; often larger species
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20a. Pronotum viewed dorsally, large,
subretangular; body usually black, never with metallic lustre; thorax and
head coarsely sculptured; parapsidal sulci complete .......... Eurytomidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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20b. Pronotum viewed from above, not subretangular, or if rarely
so, then body distinctly refracts light and thorax then finely sculptured
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21a. Dorsum of gaster occupied largely by the
somewhat fused basal two tergites (separated only by a thin line) which are
laterally separated, giving the gaster a triangular shape in lateral view; thorax
with prepectus fused with lateral part of pronotum; body robust, usually
metallic, the thorax frequently coarsely pitted but also finely striate;
antennae short with one ring segment and 7
transverse segments ............ Perilampidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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21b. Segmentation and shape of gaster not as previous (21a); prepectus not fused with
pronotum laterally; other characters in combination different
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22b. Parapsidal sulci complete, reaching hind
margin of mesoscutum
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23a. Fore wing with stigmal vein typically
enlarged button-like; body yellow to brownish, the thorax sometimes partly
metallic green; ovipositor protrudes strongly backward ....... Torymidae (part:
Megastigminae) <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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23b. Fore wing venation different from
previous (23a)
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24a. Hind coxa plainly larger and longer than
fore coxa, usually more than 3X as
long as the latter; fore wing with stigmal vein short ...........25
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24b. Hind coxa hardly larger than fore coxa,
the stigmal vein relatively long
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25a. Gaster finely sculptured, shiny; ovipositor
protruding strongly backward, often by more than length of body; body
somewhat slender ............ Torymidae (part)
<Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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25b. Gaster coarsely sculptured, often pitted, in female
subconical with a long epipygium (distal tergite); ovipositor protrudes at
most slightly backward; body robust
.......... Ormyridae
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26a. Males only: middle tibia with strongly
developed, straight, apical spur; antenna with one ring-segment and 7
funicle segments (5 in Neanastatus)
.............. Eupelmidae (part)
<Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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26b. Males and females:
middle tibial spur weak; antenna often with more than one ring
segment.
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27a. Scutellum without setae except for 2 long
pairs of bristles; pronotum large, bell-shaped, the hind margin usually
closely joined to mesoscutum; fore tibia with apical spur weakly developed,
usually straight ............. Tetracampidae (part)
<Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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Key to Most Common Families of African Chalcidoidea
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1b. Tarsi with 4-5
segments
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2b. Hind wing not petiolate
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3b. Hind coxa never flattened
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4b. Fore wing not folded longitudinally, the ovipositor not
recurved over gastral dorsum
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5a. Hind femur swollen, its ventral margin
toothed
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5b. Hind femur not swollen, very rarely
toothed
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7b. Mandible without previously noted
appendage (7a)
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8b. Thorax shaped different from that
described previously (8a)
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9b. Pronotum clearly visible from above
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10a. Thorax with mesopleura large, convex,
without any vertical grooves or lines
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10b. Mesopleura impressed, often grooved
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12b. Tarsi with 5
segments, if rarely some tarsi have 4
segments, then gaster broadly sessile
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13b. Gaster distinctly constricted at its junction with propodeum,
the petiole sometimes distinct.
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14b. Pronotum different than previous (14a), if rarely rectangular,
then body at least partially refracts light
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15b. Venation of forewing not as previous (15a )
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16a. Dorsum of gaster occupied largely by
partly fused basal tergites (separated only by a thin line) which are laterally
separated, the gaster triangular in lateral view ............ Perilampidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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16b. Shape of gaster and segmentation not as
previous
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17b. Parapsidal sulci complete
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18b. Males & females: middle tibial spur weakly developed,
small
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19a. Hind coxa large, more than 3X as
long as fore coxa; stigmal vein very short
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20b. Gaster coarsely sculptured, usually pitted; ovipositor at
most slightly protruding, but distal tergite often extended .......... Ormyridae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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REFERENCES:
Prinsloo, G. L. 1980. An illustrated guide
to the families of African Chalcidoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera).
Rep. So. AFr. Dept. Agr. & Fisheries Sci. Bull. 395. 66 p.
Prinsloo, G. L. 1984. An illustrated guide
to the parasitic wasps associated with citrus pests in the Republic
of South Africa. Rep. So. Afr. Dept. Agr. Sci. Bull. 402. 119 p.
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