ICHNEUMONIDAE: : Levansa Townes 1961
Diagnosis:
Characteristics of Levansa include: 1. Body size <10mm; 2. Position of spiracle on T1 clearly behind the centre; 3. Shape of aerolet in forewing pentagonal (closed); 4. Colour of face not all black other; 5. Metasoma compressed dorsal-ventrally; 6. Size of ocelli small; 7. Length of antennae as long, or longer than body; 8. Length of ovipositor barely visible; 9. Wings present; 10. Colour of wings completely or almost completly infusciate (darkened); 11. Sternaulus absent; 12. Shape of face in lateral view flat or only weakly bulging; 13. Sternite on T1 (viewed laterally) not extending past spiracle; 14. Shape of T1 (viewed laterally) slightly humped; 15. Number of teeth in mandibles 2; 16. Metasoma bicoloured (orange-black); 17. Length of T1 vs T2 subequal in length; 18. Sculpture on mesoscutum finely pitted, many hairs; 19. Width of T1 (viewed dorsally) anterior part slender often parallel, strongly widening behind spiracle; 20. Glymma on T1 absent; 21. Sculpture on metasoma smooth with a semi-glossy or satin appearance at least on T2; 22. Propodeum very short (not reaching beyond coxal insertion).Distribution in NZ
North Island: AK, HB, TO. South Island: NN, NC, BR, MB, MC, DN, CO, OL, WD, FD, MK, SL. Offshore Islands: TH.
Species in NZ
Two endemic species: Levansa decoratoria (Fabricius 1775), L. leodacus (Cameron 1898), and two undescribed species.Biology & hosts
This genus is endemic to New Zealand, and although widespread, appears to be predominately collected from the South island. The hosts of Levansa are not known.Sources of information
Gauld ID. 1984. An Introduction to the Ichneumonidae of Australia. London, British Museum (Natural History). 413 p.Valentine EW & Walker AK. 1991. Annotated Catalogue of New Zealand Hymenoptera. DSIR Plant Protection Report 4. General Printing Services, 84 p.
Citation
Ward DF & Schnitzler FR. 2013. Ichneumonidae of New Zealand. Genus Levansa http://ichneumonidae.landcareresearch.co.nzAccessed: 2 May 2024