Jethsura Cameron, 1902
Jethsura is a small New World genus closely related to Stenodontus. There are two Nearctic species: Jethsura pyriformis and Jethsura rubricauda. Jethsura pyriformis is a moderately common species that occurs thoughout most of the North America east of the Rocky Mountians. Jethsura pyyriformis is also present in northern Mexico along with Jethsura rubriauda.
Jethsura species generally resemble those of Tycherus/ Phaeogenes s.l. Jethsura females are unique in having an anteriorly constricted metasomal tergite 6. Males could either be mistaken for those of Tycherus or an undescribed Stenodontus species in the Southwest. However, the coloration of both species is unique and the mandible in Jethsura is nearly unidentate with a fairly broad dorsal tooth and the dorsal tooth only represented by a small notch (mandible bidentate in Tycherus and unidentate and sickle-shaped in Stenodontus).
See Claridge (2021) for more information.
Biology
Despite being fairly common, Jethsura pyriformis or any other species has yet to be reared. The metasomal apex is best described as semi-amblypygous which indicates that Jethsura species likely attacks the larval stage of their hosts.
Diagnosis
- mandible with narrowed mandible and ventral tooth greatly reduced and represented only by a small notch (not quite unidentate and sickle-shaped as in Stenodontus)
- gastrocoeli and thyridia subobsolete
- female without hind coxal tooth
- female with metasomal tergite 6 anteriorly constricted
- female metasomal apex semi-amblypygous