tiny wasp interesting antennae

Toby · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 03:28 PM

Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park on bushes by pond. 2mm?

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 03:31 PM

Look in the NHM Chalcid database, I was thinking only yesterday I was unlikely to see one of these with the antler antennae but today I saw one! Got a few pics but it was only just over 1mm long and running, then it sat briefly around the corner of the wall in the shade. A male I think.

Janet

Toby · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 03:42 PM

your reply led me to another site which suggests:

Eulophidae, subfamily Elachertinae

JRsbugs · #4 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 03:51 PM

Yes I think Eulophidae which mine with the yellow Xmas tree on the abdomen is, not sure about the subfamily though.

There's one here in Entedoninae...

Eulophidae

ChrisR · #5 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 04:00 PM

We had a similar post on HymIS via diptera.info recently which turned out to be a pteromalid with multi-branched antennae ... the branches are typical of Eulophidae but they are not restricted to Eulophidae

JRsbugs · #6 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 04:21 PM

There's a list of Entedoninae on this site, you usually have to accept terms first. I went to the list on a link at the bottom, and to the final page 33 to find 3 species listed there in the UK. Maybe worth checking them out.. it might lead to something else

Sympiesis dolichogaster
Entedon calcicola
Entedon cionobius

Data Use Agreement - GBIF Portal[1].p=0&c[0].s=20&c[1].o=151.0W%2C13.0S%2C29.0E%2C77.0N&pageno=33&c[0].o=13143198&c[0].p=0&c[1].s=19

I've had a look around at Pteromalidae as Chris has suggested as an alternative,

is all I can say!

It might prove useful when I look at mine though, I got a green one this morning which has dark blobs at the wing vein termination.

Pteromalidae

I can see the rest of my life is going to be dedicated to searching out tiny wasps....

ChrisR · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

I've had a look around at Pteromalidae as Chris has suggested as an alternative,

is all I can say!

Pteromalidae seems to be a kind-of dumping group for anything that isn't one of the other families

Torymus · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 08:36 PM

Looks like Eulophidae but if so should only have 3-4 segments in the funicle. Each of the three branches is on a segment but although the picture is not clear there does seem to be ?several segments before the clava at the end. If so not Eulophidae. Notanisus species (Pteromalidae) have 5 branches so not that. Wonderful picture - any more showing wing venation or the top of the thorax?

JRsbugs · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 10:22 PM

Look at Pnigalio longulus, antennae have many segments. You can translate to English at the top but there's no description for this. It's on the UK list.

Pnigalio

Checklist of UK Recorded Eulophidae

Torymus · #10 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 10:26 AM

I am sure you are correct. Pnigalio does have 3 -4 funicle segments so it would be interesting to see how these and the rest of the antennal segments are arranged. The key that I have to this group is based largely on females and the photo does not show the characters needed to be sure of species but P. longulus is possible - the first segment of the hind tarsus is white. They seem to be mainly parasitoids of leaf miners.