Aptesis minor, Watanabe, 2025

Key to Japanese species of Aptesis View in CoL View at ENA (female only)

1. Base of hind tibia with conspicuous white area ( Figs. 7A, B). Propodeal apophysis well-developed ( Figs. 7A, B, G, 77G). Lateral longitudinal carina of T I weak. Ovipositor sheath 0.95–1.0 × as long as hind tibia. Punctuation of head and mesosoma denser than other species; clypeus largely covered with dense punctures (ISP<PD) ( Fig. 76B). Head and mesoscutum largely covered with black setae.

........................................ Aptesis albibasalis ( Uchida, 1930) View in CoL -. Base of hind tibia at most indistinctly tinged with yellowish-brown ( Figs. 10A, 13A, 15A). Propodeal apophysis well- or not developed ( Figs. 77H, I). Lateral longitudinal carina of T I strong. Ovipositor sheath with various length. Clypeus at most normally punctate (ISP>PD). Head and mesoscutum without black setae.

................................................................................................ 2 2. Propodeal apophysis well-developed as teeth ( Figs. 10A, B, F, I, 77I). Basal segments of antenna red ( Figs. 10A, C, F). Hind femur and tibia red except for both apices blackish-brown to black ( Figs. 10A, B). Ovipositor sheath 0.7–0.75 × as long as hind tibia.

.............................................. Aptesis flagitator ( Rossi, 1794) View in CoL -. Propodeal apophysis not developed ( Figs. 12G, 14F, 15G, 77H). Other character states various.

................................................................................................ 3 3. Face and frontal orbit yellow to yellowish-brown ( Fig. 14D). Small species; length shorter than 4.0 mm. Ovipositor sheath 1.0–1.05 × as long as hind tibia.

............................................................ Aptesis minor sp. nov. -. Face largely black, yellow markings at most present on orbits ( Figs. 8C, 9C, 12C, 13C, 15C). Frontal orbit with or without yellow markings ( Figs. 8D, 9D, 12D, 15D). Large species; length longer than 5.0 mm. Length of ovipositor sheath various.

................................................................................................ 4 4. Ovipositor sheath 1.2–1.38 × as long as hind tibia. Hind coxa, trochanter, and trochantellus ivory to yellowish-brown ( Figs. 8 A, B). Basal part of hind tibia tinged with yellowish-brown ( Figs. 8 A, B). Metasomal tergites without large red area ( Figs. 8 A, B). Propodeum with all carinae ( Fig. 8G).

.................................................... Aptesis albicoxalis sp. nov. -. Ovipositor sheath shorter than 1.05 × as long as hind tibia. Hind leg largely black except for Ap. ezoensis sp. nov. (area superomedia absent and ovipositor sheath short in this species) ( Figs. 12A, 13A, 15A).

................................................................................................ 5 5. T II and T III entirely reddish-yellow ( Figs. 9A, B, 12A, B). Ovipositor sheath 0.8–0.85 × as long as hind tibia. Basal segments of antenna yellowish-brown to ivory ( Figs. 9A, C, 12B).

................................................................................................ 6 -. Metasomal tergites black except for narrowly reddish-brown posterior margin of each segment ( Figs. 13B, 15B). Length of ovipositor sheath various.

................................................................................................ 7 6. Area superomedia of propodeum absent ( Fig. 9G). Anterior section of lateromedian longitudinal carinae of propodeum nearly parallel each other ( Fig. 9G). Hind femur and tibia entirely reddish-yellow to yellowish-brown ( Fig. 9A).

........................................................ Aptesis ezoensis sp. nov. -. Area superomedia of propodeum partly defined ( Fig. 12G). Anterior section of lateromedian longitudinal carinae of propodeum unparallel each other ( Fig. 12G). Hind femur and tibia largely dark-brown ( Fig. 12A).

....................................................... Aptesis jinbensis sp. nov. 7. Hind trochanter and trochantellus largely white to yellow. Face 0.4 × as long as minimum width. T I 1.4–1.85 × as long as maximum width. Dorsal surface of propodeum largely rugose posteriorly. Ovipositor sheath 0.9–1.0 × as long as hind tibia. Inner orbit, coxae and base of hind tibia sometimes tinged with yellowish-brown to whitish-yellow.

....... Aptesis flavitrochanterus Watanabe & Taniwaki, 2018 -. Hind trochanter and trochantellus black to brown ( Figs. 13A, 15A).

................................................................................................ 7 8. Propodeal spiracle elongate; length ca. 2.5–3.0 × as maximum width. Postpetiole roundly marginated at least anteriorly.

...... Polytribax penetrator ( Smith, 1874) View in CoL (a few specimens) -. Propodeal spiracle round. Postpetiole sharply marginated..................................................................................................9 9. Ovipositor sheath 0.75 × as long as hind tibia and 1.4 ×as long as T I. T I 1.3 × as long as maximum width. Basal part of hind tibia sometimes tinged with reddish- or yellowish-brown ( Fig. 13A).

......................................... Aptesis melana Li & Sheng, 2013 -. Ovipositor sheath 0.9–1.0 × as long as hind tibia and 1.7–1.9 × as long as T I. T I 1.4–1.7 × as long as maximum width. Basal part of hind tibia black ( Fig. 15A).

.................................................... Aptesis yamauchii sp. nov.