FNZ 17 - Mymaridae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) - Classification
Noyes, JS; Valentine, EW 1989. Mymaridae (Insecta: Hymenoptera). Fauna of New Zealand 17, 100 pages.
(
ISSN 0111-5383 (print),
;
no.
17.
ISBN 0-477-02542-0 (print),
).
Published 28 Apr 1989
ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/References/1D0A405D-6643-42DB-B911-80664BC6F853
Classification
In the past two separate basic classifications of the Mymaridae have been proposed. Both divided the family into two subfamilies. Debauche (1948), following Ashmead (1904), made use of the different number of tarsal segments to divide the mymarids into the Gonatocerinae (five-segmented tarsi) and the Mymarinae (four-segmented tarsi). Girault (1929b), and later Annecke & Doutt (1961), on the other hand, relied on the relative width and length of the gastral petiole to define the Alaptinae (gaster sessile; petiole very short and broad, thus abdomen not or hardly constricted between propodeum and gaster) and the Mymarinae (gaster petiolate or subpetiolate; petiole distinct and relatively narrow, thus abdomen distinctly constricted between propodeum and gaster). Yoshimoto et al. (1972) proposed a third subfamily, the Eubroncinae, based on two genera, neither of which occurs in New Zealand.
A more detailed historical survey of mymarid classification is presented by Huber (1986). The classifications of Debauche and Annecke & Doutt have been discussed by Schauff (1984), and in general the hypothetical phylogeny proposed by him agrees best with the classification proposed by Debauche. It is our opinion that both systems are incorrect, but that proposed by Ashmead and Debauche is of more practical value. However, this classification places Alaptus, Dicopus, and Gonatocerus into one subfamily and Anaphes and Polynema into the other. On the basis of the shape and structure of the forewing venation, we think that Alaptus, Dicopus, Anagrus, and Anaphes (stigmal vein relatively long and distinct, forming a sigmoidal curve with marginal vein) belong to a monophyletic group that excludes both Polynema and Gonatocerus (stigmal vein short and indistinct, together with marginal vein either globular or long and more or less linear). In other words the reduction in the number of tarsal segments may have occurred on several occasions.
Since we believe that many of the New Zealand genera cannot be placed confidently within any existing classificatory framework, we arrange the genera treated in this work in alphabetical, and not systematic, order. However, for convenience the genera of Mymaridae occurring in New Zealand can be divided roughly into groups of possible monophyly as follows.
- Arescon-group (long marginal vein; 5-segmented tarsi): Arescon
- Australomymar-group (long marginal vein; 4-segmented tarsi): Acmotemnus, ?Allarescon, Apoxypteron, Australomymar, ?Cybomymar, Ischiodasys, Nesomymar, ?Nesopatasson, Paracmotemnus, Pseudanaphes, Scleromymar, Steganogaster
- Gonatocerus-group (gaster petiolate; antennal funicle of female with more than 6 segments; forewing. with venation short, marginal vein straight and elongate, and stigmal vein short and subsessile; tarsi 5-segmented): Gonatocerus, Ooctonus
-
Anaphes-group (gaster varying from petiolate to sessile; antennal funicle of female with not more than 7 segments; forewing with venation short, the marginal and stigmal veins forming a sigmoidal curve; tarsi 4- or 5-segmented):
- subgroup a (female funicle 7-segmented; gaster petiolate; tarsi 5- segmented, posterior scutellum not elongate, not longitudinally cleft): Camptoptera, Paranagroidea
- subgroup b (gaster varying from sessile to subsessile; female funicle varying from 5- to 7-segmented; posterior scutellum usually not longitudinally cleft; tarsi 5-segmented): Alaptus, Dicopomorpha, Dicopus, Mimalaptus
- subgroup c (female funicle 6-segmented; tarsi 4-segmented; gaster broadly sessile; posterior scutellum often elongate or longitudinally cleft): Allanagrus, Anagrus, Idiocentrus, Paranaphoidea, Stethynium, Genus C
- subgroup d (female funicle 6-segmented; tarsi 4-segmented; gaster varying from subsessile to petiolate; posterior scutellum not elongate, not longitudinally cleft): Anagroidea, Anaphes, Ceratanaphes, Cleruchus, Dorya, Haplochaeta, Neserythmelus, Prionaphes, Zelanaphes, ?Genus A, Genus B
- Polynema-group (forewing with venation truncate, marginal vein short, and stigmal vein inconspicuous and sessile; tarsi 4-segmented; gaster with elongate petiole): Mymar, Polynema, Richteria, Stephanodes