Ephedrus, Haliday, 1833

Davidian, Elena M., Manukyan, Andranik R. & Belokobylskij, Sergey A., 2023, Third new fossil species of the genus Ephedrus Haliday, 1833 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) from Baltic amber, Zootaxa 5389 (3), pp. 386-392 : 390-391

Key to known fossil species of the genus Ephedrus

1. Ovipositor sheath long, 4.0 × and more longer than its maximum width.......................................... 2

– Ovipositor sheath short, distinctly less than 4.0 × longer than its maximum width.................................. 3

2. Ovipositor sheath upcurved and narrowed towards apex, 4.0 × longer than its maximum width. Second abscissa of radial vein (3-SR) 2.7 × longer than first radiomedial vein (2-SR).................................... E. mirabilis Timon-David

– Ovipositor sheath straight, narrowed from base to subapex and widened apically, 4.6 × longer than its maximum width. Second abscissa of radial vein (3-SR) 1.6 × longer than first radiomedial vein (2-SR). – F1 4.6 × longer than its medial width, F2 2.5 × longer than its medial width, F1 1.8 × longer than F2. F1 without rhinaria and F2 with one rhinarium. Petiole with two postero-lateral excavations, ~1.7 × longer than its width at level of spiracles. Ovipositor sheath 4.6 × longer than its maximum width...................................................................................... E. zaikai sp. nov.

3. Ovipositor shorter, its sheath approximately as long as F1. – F1 2.0 × longer than its medial width. Radial vein (r) of fore wing arising behind middle of pterostigma. Second abscissa of radial vein (3-SR) 1.3 × longer than first radiomedial vein (2-SR). E. primordialis Brues

– Ovipositor longer, its sheath distinctly longer than F1......................................................... 4

4. Ovipositor sheath widely rounded at apex, 3.0 × longer than its width. Petiole long, 2.0 × longer than its width at level of spiracles................................................................ E. rasnitsyni Davidian & Kaliuzhna

– Ovipositor sheath narrowly rounded at apex, 2.4 × longer than its maximum width. Petiole short, 1.2 × longer than its width at level of spiracles...................................................................... E. carsteni Davidian

Key to new fossil and similar extant Ephedrus species

1. Second abscissa of radial vein (3-SR) shorter than first radiomedial vein (2-SR). Petiole without postero-lateral excavations, approximately 1.7 × longer than its width at level of spiracles. – Ovipositor sheath 4.6 × longer than its maximum width................................................................................... E. chaitophori Gӓrdenfors

– Second abscissa of radial vein (3-SR) equal to or longer than first radiomedial vein (2-SR). Petiole with postero-lateral excavations, 2.0–2.6 × longer than its width at level of spiracles...................................................... 2

2. Second abscissa of radial vein (3-SR) equal to first radiomedial vein (2-SR). F2 3.0 × longer than its medial width. F1 and F2 with 4–6 and 5–10 rhinaria correspondingly. Petiole 2.2–2.6 × longer than its width at level of spiracles. Ovipositor sheath 4.0 × longer than its maximum width........................................ E. niger Gautier, Bonnamour & Gaumont

– Second abscissa of radial vein (3-SR) longer than first radiomedial vein (2-SR). F2 2.5 × longer than its medial width. F1 without rhinaria, F2 with single rhinarium. Petiole 2.0 × longer than its width at level of spiracles. Ovipositor sheath 4.6 × longer than its maximum width................................................................... E. zaikai sp. nov.