Ypsistocerus
A small genus with less than 10 species described [1], [2].
References
- , “Taxapad 2012, Ichneumonoidea 2011. Database on flash-drive.”. www.taxapad.com, Ottawa, Canada., 2012.
- , “Some interesting Braconidae that live with termites and their behavior (Hymenoptera; Isoptera: Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae)”, Sociobiology, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 257-264, 2000.
Parasitoid of Nasutitermes tatarendae and Nasutitermes cf. peruana nests [1].
References
- , “Some interesting Braconidae that live with termites and their behavior (Hymenoptera; Isoptera: Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae)”, Sociobiology, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 257-264, 2000.
Head. Head opisthognathous, that is inserted beneath the thorax and bent backwards so that the face is nearly parallel with the venter; face very flat with a shallow median impression; clypeus separated, basal margin deeply arched, apex concavely truncate at level of mandibular articulation; labrum exerted, triangular; mandibles edentate, acute; maxillae very long, galea scoop shaped, lacinia extending beyond apex of mandibles, palpi two-jointed; labial palpi apparently wanting; antennae inserted above eyes, flagellum stout, tapering, the joints becoming successively shorter and thinner from base to apex; eyes small to rudimentary; ocelli small, arranged in an approximately equilateral triangle; occipital carina missing.
Mesosoma. Pronotum very short medially; mesoscutum without notauli, medially longitudinally weakly impressed, with no carinae on posteriorlateral margins and without a distinct prescutellar fovea; prepectal carina absent; propodeum without carinae, not separated from metapleuron, spiracles minute, round; metapleuron not divided; coxae small; trochanters two-jointed; femora stout, thickest at apex; tibiae stout, slightly thickest just beyond base; tarsi very short, much shorter than tibiae, the joints short and thick, claws minute.
Wings. Wings ample, with very heavy veins; first intercubitus and postnervulus missing; stigma very narrow with radius very near base, distinctly separated from metacarpus; metacarpus and radius extending to apex; basal vein obsolete for a distance above medius; subcostella obsolete except at base, the mediellan cell therefore open in front; radiella and cubitella obsolete except at extreme base.
Metasoma. Abdomen elongate ovate, depressed, sessile, second suture connate but evident, epipleuron separated from second tergite by a fold; apical tergite prominent; ovipositor originating from a ventral cleft far before apex of abdomen, sheath narrow; entire body, including antennae, legs, and even the wings clothed with long hair [1].
References
- , “A new subfamily of Braconidae (Hymenoptera) from termite nests.”, Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 54-55 (and plate 4), 1923.
The genus Ypsistocerus Cushman was collected from termite nests in South America. Additional investigation of the venom glands and reservoirs, and structures of the ovipositor, revealed a proximity of this genus with Doryctinae. This genus lives in the termite nests, but probably infests larvae of termitophilous beetles or some other inquiline insects (from [1]).
References
- , “Two new Oriental genera of Doryctinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from termite nests.”, Journal of Natural History, vol. 36, no. 8, pp. 953-962, 2002.
Neotropical.