Pseudomalus auratus?

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Pseudomalus auratus?

Postby xJochemx » 06 Jun 2021 15:41

Hi all,

I've just spent a good amount of time trying to key a 4 mm wasp using the key Paukkunen J, Berg A, Soon V, Ødegaard F, Rosa P (2015). I'm pretty sure this must be P. auratus, but can someone please confirm?

Kind regards, Jochem Kühnen, Beek-Ubbergen, the Netherlands.
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Re: Pseudomalus auratus?

Postby Euchroeus » 06 Jun 2021 16:37

Hi Jochem,

thanks for your pictures.

The distinction between Ps. auratus and Ps. triangulifer is not always easy and immediate, and needs experience.
The easiest way to separate the two species is looking at the lenght of the antennal segments.
If the median flagellomeres are longer than broad, then it is Ps. triangulifer.
However, this character is less evident in males.

Moreover, the shape of the median notch on the last visible tergum is more variable in specimens of Central and Southern Europe and the median notch may be deeper than broad, as in your specimen.

Taking in consideration this two morphological observations, and based on your images, I would ID your female as Ps. triangulifer, however I can be wrong without direct examination.

I hope this may help.
Cheers
Paolo
Paolo Rosa - www.chrysis.net
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Re: Pseudomalus auratus?

Postby Alex » 06 Jun 2021 18:39

I would lean towards auratus myself, but it's always hard to judge such relative characters from photographs as opposed to having in under the microscope yourself.
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Re: Pseudomalus auratus?

Postby xJochemx » 06 Jun 2021 20:11

Thank you Paolo for the kind explanation and thank you Alex. I too lean to auratus, I have caught and identified triangulifer before and do think this specimen has different antennal segments matching with auratus.
Kind regards, Jochem.
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