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Key to the Chalcidoidea of New Zealand

(derived fr. Noyes & Valentine, 1989 & Valentine, 1971 by E. F. Legner)

(Email Contacts)

[This key is in a form commonly used in North America. If the statement is true, proceed to

the designated couplet, whereas if it is false, go to "b" portion of the couplet. Numbers in

parentheses refer to previous couplet read].

Please refer to <Guide> for illustrations (Powerful connections use <Guide-2>)]

Keys to New Zealand Chalcidoidea:

1a. Abdominal petiole long, with 2 segments (Fig. A); fore wing (when present) pedunculate, varying in shape but

commonly spatulate with a long marginal fringe (Fig. A), disc reticulately alveolate (Fig. A), and venation

reduced and indistinct; pronotum reaches tegulae, without an intervening prepectus; minute. <0.75 mm.

long ..........................................................................Mymarommatidae [Noyes & Valentine (1989) placed

this family in the Mymarommatoidea].

1b. Abdominal petiole with 1 segment, often indistinct or somewhat completely invisible; fore wing not as

previous, if pedunculate then not reticulate; pronotum does not reach tegulae, separated from them by a

prepectus (Fig. A); normally longer than 0.75 mm., but sometimes much shorter........(Chalcidoidea)......2

2a (1). Tarsi with 34 segments; antennae short, the funicle with no more than 2 segments (Figs. A-E); minute to

very small insects, not more than 1.2 mm. long ..........................................................Trichogrammatidae

2b. Tarsi with 4-5 segments; minute to moderate-sized insects varying from 0.2 mm. to more than 10 mm. long,

mostly exceeding 1.2 mm..............................................................................................................................3

3a (2). Antennal toruli situated much closer to eyes than to each other; frons with a straight, transverse suture a

little above toruli which connects with vertical sutures adjacent to each orbit, thus forming an H (Figs. A-

B); the winged species almost always with membrane of hind wing not extending to base, thus giving hind

wing a stalked appearance (Fig. C) [exception = Anagroidea spp. (Fig. D)]..............................Mymaridae

3b. Antennal toruli situated as close to or closer to each other than to eyes or very nearly so; frons sometimes with

a transverse suture, which may be straight or V-shaped, but never with vertical sutures running adjacent to

inner orbits; the winged species with membrane of hind wing always extending to base............................4

4a (3). Either winged, with stigmal vein of fore wing long and forming an angle of ca. 90 deg. with marginal vein

(Figs. A-B), or completely apterous (males only), with eyes minute, less than 1/2 as long as distance

between them (Fig. C). Males with fore and hind femora very stout, contrasting with relatively slender

middle femora (Fig. C) [associated with fig fruit].........................................................................Agaonidae

4b. Without previous combination of characters......................................................................................................5

5a (4). Hind leg with femur swollen and tibia curved; body black, without metallic hue......................Chalcididae

5b. Either hind leg with femur not swollen and tibia straight, or head and thorax metallic green...........................6

6a (5). Hind coxa elongated, at least ca. 2X as long as fore coxa (Fig. A); fore wings fully developed, with stigmal

vein short and uncus hardly separated from the well developed postmarginal vein (Figs. A-C); ovipositor

often well exserted .......................................................................................................................Torymidae

6b. Hind coxa not so enlarged, not or hardly longer than fore coxa; fore wing, if fully developed, usually with

stigmal vein longer and uncus well separated from postmarginal vein, or postmarginal vein absent;

ovipositor normally hardly exserted .............................................................................................................7

7a (6). Antennae with very long, unsegmented clava and funicle composed of 2-4 indistinct, strongly transverse

segments (Figs. A-B); body shining black or yellow; gaster sessile; axillae not distinctly marked off from

scutellum, the two together forming a strongly transverse band ca. 3X as broad as long; propodeum with a

large, shiny, central triangular area (Fig. C)............................................................................Signiphoridae

7b. Antennae not as previous; occasionally clava long and unsegmented, but then funicle composed of only 2

strongly transverse segments, and body metallic green; scutellum shield-shaped, almost as long as broad or

slightly transverse, usually with axillae distinctly marked off; propodeum without a distinct triangular

central area....................................................................................................................................................8

8a (7). All tarsi with 4 segments..............................................................................................................................9

8b. At least hind tarsi have 5 segments.................................................................................................................13

9a (8). Fore wing marginal vein indistinct, somewhat punctiform (Fig. A)............................................Encyrtidae

9b. Fore wing marginal vein distinct, several times longer than broad................................................................10

10a (9). Antennae with 14 segments; funicle and clava each composed of 6 segments (Fig. A)..............Rotoitidae

10b. Antennae with not more than 12 segments; funicle composed of not more than 5 segments, and clava never

with more than 3 segments........................................................................................................................11

11a (10). Hind leg with coxa strongly expanded, disc-shaped (Fig. A) and tibia on outer surface with coarse, dark

bristles arranged in longitudinal rows or diamond-shaped patterns; gaster in cross-section somewhat

triangular......................................................................................................................................Elasmidae

11b. Hind leg with coxa subcylindrical, not compressed, and hind tibia without darker bristles arranged in a

conspicuous pattern; gaster not triangular in cross-section.......................................................................12

12a (11). Gaster distinctly constricted at junction with propodeum; fore wing in winged forms with postmarginal

and stigmal veins often long and distinct; body almost always at least partly metallic; notaular lines, if

complete, almost always curved ................................................................................................Eulophidae

12b. Gaster at base about as broad as propodeum, not distinctly constricted; fore wing in macropterous forms with

postmarginal vein absent, or almost so, and stigmal vein very short (Figs. A-E); body not metallic, usually

brown or black; notaular lines complete, straight (Figs. C-D, F)................................................Aphelinidae

13a (8). Either mesopleuron undivided, relatively large and shield-shaped (Figs. A-C) or gaster broadly sessile

(Figs. D-G); middle tibia usually with a strong apical spur (Figs. B, D, F, H, I-K)..................................14

13b. Mesopleuron divided into mesepisternum and mesepimeron (Fig. A), the 2 parts often with distinctly

different sculpture; gaster never broadly sessile, at least with a distinct constriction at junction with

propodeum, often petiolate; middle tibia with spur of normal proportions (Figs. B-G)...........................16

14a (13). Thorax in profile with middle coxa inserted about level with middle of mesopleural shield (Fig. A) or

even slightly anterior to this; fore wing, if fully developed, with marginal vein short, usually not more than

3-4X as long as broad .................................................................................................................Encyrtidae

14b. Thorax in profile with middle coxa inserted about level with posterior margin of mesopleural shield (Figs. A-

C); fore wing, if fully developed, with marginal vein always at least 6-7X as long as broad.....................15

15a (14). Antennae with flagellum having not more than 7 segments; gaster sessile, broadly attached to

propodeum (Figs. A-F); mesoscutum at least slightly convex, with notauli always present and straight

(Figs. A-B, G); length not more than 1.5 mm ...........................................................................Aphelinidae

15b. Antennae with flagellum having 8-9 segments; gaster distinctly constricted at junction with propodeum, or

petiolate (Figs. A-B); mesoscutum either impressed or convex, with notauli very inconspicuous; length

almost always >1.5 mm.............................................................................................................Eupelmidae

16a (13). Pronotal collar large, subrectangular, at least about 2/3rds as long as mesoscutum (Figs. 58, 64);

antennae with not more than 6 funicle segments; head and dorsum of thorax with numerous conspicuous,

hairy punctures which often give rise to very coarse sculpture; gena sharply margined

posteriorly...............................................................................................................................Eurytomidae

16b. Pronotal collar not large and subrectangular, shorter than 1/2 length of mesoscutum, or if longer then

antennae with 7 funicle segments, or sculpture of head and thorax shallow, or gena not with a sharp

edge.............................................................................................................................................................17

17a (16). Fore wing with apex of stigmal vein much enlarged, deeper than long, and apex of uncus very close to

postmarginal vein (Fig. A); pronotum elongated, subconical; female with ovipositor strongly

exserted.........................................................................................................................................Torymidae

17b. Fore wing with apex of stigmal vein not or hardly enlarged, or if as above then pronotum transverse and not

well developed; female rarely with ovipositor strongly exserted...............................................................18

18a (17). Wings fully developed; fore wing marginal vein at least 3.5X as long as stigmal vein (Fig. A); gastral

petiole at least 1.5X as long as broad; antennae inserted above lowest eye margins, without a crest or

tubercle between them..............................................................................................................Perilampidae

18b. If wings fully developed, then fore wing marginal vein less than 3.5X as long as stigmal vein, or if relatively

longer then either gastral petiole not longer than broad, or antenna inserted well below lowest margin of

eye, or a sharp crest or tubercle present between antennal toruli...............................................................19

19a (18). Mesopleuron divided by a very weak, inconspicuous depression; notaular grooves complete; fore wing

marginal vein always more than 2X as long as stigmal vein; antenna with 7 funicle segments and a single

small anellus; scutellum conspicuously hairy; males only (Fig. A)............................................Eupelmidae

19b. Mesopleuron distinctly divided into episternum and epimeron; notaular grooves sometimes incomplete;

marginal vein mostly less than 2X as long as stigmal vein; antennae usually with 6 or fewer funicle

segments, often with as many as 3 anelli; scutellum usually not conspicuously hairy; males and females

.................................................................................................................................................Pteromalidae