Keryinae incertae sedis new status, new placement

Keryini Bouček, 1988. Type genus: Kerya Bouček, 1988.

Diagnosis.

Antenna with 10 flagellomeres, including a single anellus (Fig. 70). Clypeus with lateral sulci but without a dorsal sulcus; ventral margin protruding and slightly convex but not bilobed (Fig. 70). Toruli slightly above center of face, immediately below a forked sulcus that exposes conjunctiva. Trabeculae absent (although sulcus present in middle of upper face). Notauli complete, incised. Frenum present, indicated by a complete frenal sulcus (Fig. 71). Axillular sulcus present. Acropleuron not enlarged (Fig. 71). Fore wing densely setose, without speculum; basal fold pigmented. Legs with 4 tarsomeres on all legs; protibial spur short and straight. Cerci surrounded by conjunctiva.

Discussion.

The combination of having just 4 tarsomeres on all legs, 10 flagellomeres, and a frenum, together with a lack of trabeculae, makes Kerya antennalis Bouček distinct from all other chalcidoids. It was once placed in Eulophinae ( Bouček 1988), although analysis of 28S D2 ribosomal DNA indicated that it is not a eulophid and it was moved to Ormocerinae based on the placement of the toruli and the arched body (Gauthier, et al. 2000). Indeed some Melanosomellidae resemble K. antennalis in body shape, color, and smooth surface sculpture, but they have 11 or more flagellomeres, a bilobed clypeal margin, 5 tarsomeres, a stout and curved protibial spur, cerci surrounded by cuticle, no axillular sulcus, and no forked sulcus on the face. Eulophidae and some Aphelinidae also have 4 tarsomeres and are relatively generalized (unlike Calesidae and Idioporidae), but have fewer flagellomeres and no frenum. Given the strong differences between K. antennalis and all the taxa with which it has been previously placed, and because it has not been analyzed using next-generation molecular data, Keryini is here elevated to subfamily status and placed as incertae sedis in Chalcidoidea .