Chrysis indigotea?

[Mayke]

I would like to know which species I have observed. Can it been seen from these photos if it is Chrysis indigotea, Chrysis iris or Trichrysis cyanea?

It concerns this observation: https://waarneming.nl/observation/217444536/.

date: 2021-06-16
location: Tilburg - Noord-Brabant - Netherlands

[Euchroeus]

Mayke!


Very nice species!

Cheers

[Mayke]

Thanks Paolo, beautiful little wasp indeed! But is it clear from the photos which species it is? Best, Mayke

[Euchroeus]

Sorry Mayke, it was late at night and I simply reply to the question in the title
Yes, it is Chrysis indigotea.
Trichrysis cyanea has only three teeth on the apical margin of the abdomen and
Chrysis iris is much larger and darker.

Cheers

[Mayke]

Thank you, Paolo, nice to know!

[Alex]

It's not Chrysis ragusae then?, I'm acutally not sure how they differ apart from general "habitus". I suppose the length of the antennal segments differ from the ignita-group.

[Euchroeus]

Hi Alex,

good question.
I excluded Chrysis ragusae for its distribution, because it is known for Mediterranean countries and a few central European ones (e.g. Hungary). Based on pictures it's not easy to separate them.

As you said, the general habitus is really important to discrimate these species. Chrysis indigotea is a relatively robust and large species in the ignita group (7-9mm), whereas Chrysis ragusae is usually a slender and small one (4-6mm, rarely larger) in the [i]varidens [/i]group. Moreover Chrysis indigotea has the median area of mesoscutum darker, vs. mesoscutum uniformely coloured in Chrysis ragusae . Males of Chrysis ragusae have some antennal segments ventrally gibbous and completely differently shaped genitalia, whereas females of Chrysis indigotea have a stout ovipositor, vs. normally shaped in Chrysis ragusae and different placement of the four apical teeth.

In Mayke pictures I cannot see any of these diagnostic characters, excluding the darker median area of mesoscutum and the tip of the ovipositor, which shuold be large and stout, but unfortunately not fully visibile outside. We can ask Mayke to collecte some specimens of take other shots