Pseudoplaytlabus Heinrich, 1967
Pseudoplatylabus is a small and very rarely collected genus that occurs in the Holarctic region. Among Nearctic ichneumonines, each species can be easily recognized by their unique color patterns. Structurally, Pseudoplatylabus is diagnosed mainly by the mandible, which is sickle-shaped but bidentate, with the ventral tooth situated behind on the same plane as the dorsal tooth.
Pseudoplatylabus townesi has only been recorded in Maryland, Rhode Island, and New York, but probably occurs from Virginia north to southeastern Ontario and Quebec.
Pseudoplatylabus violentus is overall black in color with a yellowish-white mark on the metasomal apex. It could possibly be confused with a few other ichneumonines, but the color pattern combined with the more lithe, elongate form makes it fairly easy to distinguish from than similar-colored genera like Melanichneumon. Pseudoplatylabus violentus is widely distributed in the Palearctic, but has only been recorded in Michigan in North America.
Pseudoplatylabus has not been recorded from the Neotropics, but a single undescribed species at least occurs in Guatemala.
Biology
There are no published records of the host(s) of P. townesi.
Diagnosis
- mandible sickle-shape with the ventral mandible set back in the same plane as the dorsal tooth
- ventral margin of clypeus impressed
- anterior margin of propodeum without median tubercle
- postpetiole smooth
- gastrocoeli and thyridia well-developed and wide (interthyridial interval narrow)
- antennae elongate
- apex of metasa with yellowish-white mark
- female metasomal apex oxypygous
- scutellum laterally carinae