Stenichneumon Thomson, 1983
Stenichneumon is a small but highly distinctive genus. The ventrally tapering head; wide, oblique gastrocoeli and thyridia; and amblypygous female easily separate Stenichneumon from other Nearctic ichenumonines. There is also a tendency in Stenichneumon species for there to be a sharp, angular elevation on the postpetiole.
The taxonomy of the Stenichneumon pallidipennis, Stenichneumon salvus salvus and Stenichneumon salvus bioculatus is unresolved and identifications should be made with caution. Specifically, it is uncertain whether or not all three represent a single species or if S. pallidipennis and S. bioculatus should be considered subspecies of S. salvus. See Heinrich (1961) for more details.
Biology
Female Stenichneumon hibernate as adults and are pupal parasitoids of plusiine noctuids.
Diagnosis
- head tapering ventrally
- anterior margin of propodeum without median process
- postpetiole varying from smooth impunctate to granulate with irregular rugosity to longitudinally striate
- gastrocoeli oblique, wide, and deeply impressed and thyridia well-developed
- female metasomal apex oxypygous