Storeyinae incertae sedis new placement

Storeyinae Bouček, 1988. Type genus: Storeya Bouček, 1988.

Diagnosis.

Antenna with 8 flagellomeres, including an undivided clava; radicle elongate (Fig. 81). Intertorular prominence absent (Fig. 81). Eyes slightly divergent ventrally. Clypeus without transverse subapical groove. Labrum hidden behind clypeus, flexible, subrectangular and with marginal setae in a row. Mandibles with 3 teeth (may be 2 in some specimens in which it is difficult to see). Subforaminal bridge with a postgena separated by lower tentorial bridge. Notauli incomplete. Mesoscutellum with frenum indicated; with axillular sulcus. Mesopleural area without an expanded acropleuron; mesepimeron extending over anterior margin of metapleuron. Fore wing with a tuft of thickened leaf-shaped setae on the parastigma (Fig. 82). All legs with 5 tarsomeres; protibial spur stout and curved; basitarsal comb longitudinal. Metasoma with syntergum, therefore without epipygium.

Discussion.

Molecular and morphological data do not provide a clear signal on where this subfamily should be placed, and therefore we treat it as incertae sedis in Chalcidoidea . The elongate antennal radicle is an unusual feature also shared by its sister group ( Eopelma) in molecular analyses and, in comparable taxa, is only found in Louriciinae . The enlarged axillula, easily visible dorsally, invites comparison with Colotrechninae and Sycophaginae in Pteromalidae, and with Hetreulophidae, although each of these groups differs from Storeyinae in having complete notauli and in many other features as well. The low placement of the toruli may cause Storeyinae to key near Spalangiinae in family keys, although the toruli are not on lobes and the two groups differ in many features. The body coloration (excepted for one undescribed iridescent species) and the tuft of thickened, leaf-shaped setae on the parastigma recall Cerocephalidae, although Storeyinae lack an intertorular prominence and are not placed with cerocephalids using molecular data.