Forum Entomologi Italiani

Biblio.
Broad G. - Identification key to the subfamilies of Ichneumonidae

http://www.brc.ac.uk/downloads/ichneumo ... ly_key.pdf

Horstmann K. - in "Revisionen von Schlupfwespen-Arten VI" - p.81/82 (Mitteilungen der Münchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft - 92 - 2002)

http://ia600209.us.archive.org/16/items ... 2002mn.pdf (p.405/406)

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Ciao,

# 3874 ♂ captured in Cne : St-Germer-de-Fly (Dépt. Oise - France) - 16.05.2005

To 2.20 m. of the ground on a "Tilia of Virginie".

- At first I thought that it was about Cryptinae, but impossible to specify because I met contradictions, I thus used the keys of Broad.
- I identified this capture as being a Cidaphus, with doubt because according to Townes :

Our Ichneumon seemed a little small and its abdomen was not compressed laterally.

- On the Forum of C. Thirion, P.N. Libert confirmed that it was well a Mesochorinae.
- I thus used descriptions of Horstmann.

It is well a Cidaphus alarius (Gravenhorst 1829) ♂ because :
- Its clypeus and its cheeks are not red (if not : C. atricillius).

See the 2 photos of the face (that of right-hand side is reddened, because I used a lighting with cold light).
- Its parameres are not pointed (if not : C. areolatus) (See photo).
- The face has 2 sub-lateral furrows (badly visible on the photos). (areolatus & atricillius, does not have such furrows).

Cidaphus includes 3 species (those referred to above), only C. alarius lives in Italy.

Saluti.
D & JP Balmer

Males of Mesochorinae are quite easy to distinguish because of their parameres. You did well to use Horstmann key for Cidaphus; there's some taxonomic problem with Schwenke key.

Only a thing:

"only C. alarius lives in Italy" --> only C.alarius is known for Italy !

Filippo

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"Non posso separare il piacere estetico che provo nel vedere una farfalla dal piacere scientifico di sapere che cosa è" (V.Nabokov)

Ciao,

Thanks for your Message.
"lives" for "know" :

I often read: "vivre" or "vole" in the French Authors, instead of "connu" !

PS: C. Thirion has validated to day my identification

Saluti.
D & JP Balmer

ERRATUM makes :

In my original message, 3rd line before the end :

areolatus NOT alarius ! ! !