Cotesia clepta

General description: 

Taken from the original description (Tobias 1986) which was provided within a key to species. The paper also contains a drawing of the antenna.

Antennae hardly longer than head and thorax together. Flagellar segments starting from 2nd wide (Fig. 232: 7). Underside and anterior part of sides of mesothorax with extremely soft punctation. Whole anterior half of mesonotum uniformly rough, matte, posterior half with distinct isolated punctation, lustrous. Hind tibiae brownish yellow, at apex quite contrastingly darkened. Body 1.6.

Additionally, Papp (1990) added the following comments: "The species is readily recognizable by its small and gracile body as well as conspicuously short antenna, thus I could easily identify my specimens with the help of Tobias's key (1986). In my own key to the species of the brevicornis-subgroup (glomera fas-group) C. clepta runs to C. specularis (SZÉPLIGETI) (Papp 1986)...". And he added later the following description:

Antennal joints 13-17 or 14-17 cubic to subcubic, antecedent flagellar joints distinctly longer than broad. Pair of spurs of hind tibia equal in length, somewhat shorter than to as long as half basitarsus. Third tergite entirely polished. First tergite relatively somewhat broadening posteriorly and rounded at its hind end (Fig. 82 I.e.). Pterostigma, r1+cuqu1 (cf. Fig. 78 l.c.) as well as hypopygium (Fig. 5) similar to that of C. tenebrosa (WESMAEL). Black to blackish, light pattern of legs brown to brownish yellow. Wings subhyaline. Female and male: 2.5-2.8(-3) mm.

Then Papp provided even more details: "Considering its short antenna, aciculated base of third tergite and long spurs of hind tibia C. clepta is closely related to C. kurdjumovi (TELENGA, 1955) (= C. laverna NIXON, 1974) as it was indicated by TOBIAS (1986) ranging the two species in a couplet subsequent to each other in his key. In my key (PAPP 1986) it runs to couplet 19 (18), their separation is based on minute distinctive features". And then "Flagellar joints 7-15 or 8-15 cubic, antecedent joints indistinctly to somewhat longer than broad (Fig. 1). Temple in dorsal view slightly broadening-roun-ded (Fig. 2). First tergite not rounded at its hind end (Fig. 3). Hypopygium in lateral view relatively more rounded (Fig. 4). Female: 1.6-2 mm".

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith