This is the only known genus and species of Microgastrinae that does not have the characteristic, fixed number of 16 antennal flagellomeres. Females of Kiwigaster have 17 flagellomeres and males have 18. The genus is also unusual among most of the microgastrines in having a large propodeal areola that is open basally; forewing with an extremely large areolet, with its width more than half the length of stigma (areolet as large as or larger than in Pelicope and Semionis); hind wing with a small, reduced vannal lobe; notauli deeply impressed (like Alloplitis, Microplitis, Philoplitis and Snellenius); and the lateral face of scutellum completely smooth, without any sculpture or striation.
However, we still consider the genus as belonging to Microgastrinae because it has most of the distinguishing features of the subfamily (e.g. first metasomal tergum with spiracles on laterotergites, forewing with reduced venation apically, metatarsus with a median ridge of closely appressed setae, flagellomere with two ranks of placodes, apical margin of clypeus concave and revealing the labrum; labial palps with 3 segments and maxillary palps with 5).
Kiwigaster may be considered the sister group of the rest of Microgastrinae based on the number of antennal segments. It also has a series of characters that can be considered as plesiomorphic within the subfamily:
• Metacoxae small, less than 3X the size of the mesocoxae, extending to the posterior end of tergite 1, and not surpassing 1/3 of the metasomal length.
• Metatibial spines very short, less than half the length of the first segment of metatarsus.
• Mesoscutum with well-defined and deeply impressed notauli with numerous costulae throughout their entire length.
• Forewing with an enlarged areolet, its length more than half the stigma length, its height almost the width of the stigma.
• Propodeum with an areola bounded by strong and well defined carinae, although the areola is more or less open anteriorly.
• Lateral face of scutellum almost completely smooth,.
• Ovipositor sheaths about the same length as metatibia and fully covered by setae.
• Hind wing with a small vannal lobe.
This is the only known genus and species of Microgastrinae that does not have the characteristic, fixed number of 16 antennal flagellomeres. Females of Kiwigaster have 17 flagellomeres and males have 18. The genus is also unusual among most of the microgastrines in having a large propodeal areola that is open basally; forewing with an extremely large areolet, with its width more than half the length of stigma (areolet as large as or larger than in Pelicope and Semionis); hind wing with a small, reduced vannal lobe; notauli deeply impressed (like Alloplitis, Microplitis, Philoplitis and Snellenius); and the lateral face of scutellum completely smooth, without any sculpture or striation.
However, we still consider the genus as belonging to Microgastrinae because it has most of the distinguishing features of the subfamily (e.g. first metasomal tergum with spiracles on laterotergites, forewing with reduced venation apically, metatarsus with a median ridge of closely appressed setae, flagellomere with two ranks of placodes, apical margin of clypeus concave and revealing the labrum; labial palps with 3 segments and maxillary palps with 5).
Kiwigaster may be considered the sister group of the rest of Microgastrinae based on the number of antennal segments. It also has a series of characters that can be considered as plesiomorphic within the subfamily:
• Metacoxae small, less than 3X the size of the mesocoxae, extending to the posterior end of tergite 1, and not surpassing 1/3 of the metasomal length.
• Metatibial spines very short, less than half the length of the first segment of metatarsus.
• Mesoscutum with well-defined and deeply impressed notauli with numerous costulae throughout their entire length.
• Forewing with an enlarged areolet, its length more than half the stigma length, its height almost the width of the stigma.
• Propodeum with an areola bounded by strong and well defined carinae, although the areola is more or less open anteriorly.
• Lateral face of scutellum almost completely smooth,.
• Ovipositor sheaths about the same length as metatibia and fully covered by setae.
• Hind wing with a small vannal lobe.
Seemingly widespread throughout New Zealand but not frequently collected. Not considered threatened.
Seemingly widespread throughout New Zealand but not frequently collected. Not considered threatened.