Ischyrocnemis nigrans, Kasparyan, 2019

Key to species of the genus Ischyrocnemis View in CoL View at ENA

1. Prepectal carina ventrally behind the fore coxae 3–5 times as high as their lateral portions, usually forms distinct lobe (Figs 15, 34). – Flagellum usually more than 40-segmented, 1.3 times as long as fore wing. Femora black, fore femur in apical third usually reddish-rufous. Hind tibia dark, usually more or less monochrome black-brown, often at the base with a whitish dorsal dot; the fore and middle tibia always light yellow basally (Fig. 13). The metasoma reddish, except for black tergite 1 and, often, tergite 2. Fused basal area and areola of propodeum in the form of elongate rectangle, which is 2.5–3 times as long as wide, 1.6–2.3 times longer than the apical area and only 1.2–1.3 times less than the maximum width of tergite 1 (Fig. 17). Tergite 1 approximately 2.5 times as long as broad on its hind margin. – Europe and Caucasus............................ I. goesi Holmgren View in CoL

– Prepectal carina ventrally behind the fore coxae not as above, not higher or hardly higher than their lateral portion, not raised as a lobe. Other characteristics differ somewhat: either flagellum is shorter, or fore and mid femora mostly reddish, or tergites of metasoma mainly black, or hind tibia in basal half bright lemon yellow, or a fused basal area and the areola shorter, etc............................... 2

2. Metasoma black (Figs 27, 28), sometimes posterior 1–3 segments are reddish-brown). – Fore wing 4–5 mm, antennal flagellum with 33–39 segments. The hind tibia dark, usually more or less evenly black-brown, rarely in the basal half brownish-red. Fused basal area and areola of propodeum in the form of a strongly elongate rectangle, the length of which is 2.4–3 times the width and 1.5–1.8 times longer than the apical area. – Steppes of the Eastern Ukraine, the Volga region and Kazakhstan.............. I. nigrans sp. nov.

– Metasoma red (except black tergite 1 and sometimes tergite 2). Other characters differ somewhat..... 3

3. The fore (and usually middle) femora completely or mostly reddish-red; hind tibia completely black-brown or in the basal half sometimes dirty-rufous (Figs 18, 19). Tegulae light – from yellow to brownish-yellow. The tooth on the clypeus less strong than in other species of the genus (Fig. 20). – Flagellum with 32–39 segments, flagellum 1.05–1.2 times longer than the fore wing. Frons with moderately short setae (Figs 20, 21). Basal area and areola of propodeum combined 1.8±0.4 times as long as wide (Fig. 22) and 1.6–2.0 times less than the maximum width of tergite 1. – Transcaucasia and Middle Asia with two subspecies (see key under description of species)...... I. femorator sp. nov.

– The fore and mid femora are predominantly or sometimes almost entirely black; hind tibia in the basal half bright lemon yellow (Figs 23, 30). Tegulae dark brown. The tooth on the clypeus sharply separated laterally. – Flagellum with 38–44 segments; fore wing 5.5–6 mm; flagellum is usually reddish-yellow (Fig. 32)..... 4

4. Wings with distinct broad dark band on the distal margin (Fig. 25). Hind tibia lemon yellow in basal 0.5 (Figs 23, 25). Epipleurum of tergite 3 completely separated by a crease. Fused basal area and areola of propodeum in the form of a rectangle which is about 2 times as long as wide (Fig. 26), equal in length to the apical area, and approximately half the maximum width of tergite 1. Frons smooth, covered with sparse punctures and with long pubescence (Fig. 24). Tergite 1 about 2.5 times as long as wide. – Armenia (Khosrov reserve)............... I. kotenkoi sp. nov.

– Wings without dark band on the distal margin. Hind tibia lemon yellow in basal 0.8 (Fig. 30). Epipleura of tergite 3 separated by a crease only at the base of the tergite. Fused basal area and areola of propodeum in the form of a strongly elongate rectangle, which is 3 times as long as wide (Fig. 33), 1.7 times longer than the apical area and two thirds the maximum width of tergite 1. Frons densely punctate, margins of punctures sometimes merge, pubescence is short, many setae are shorter than half the diameter of ocellus (Fig. 31). Tergite 1 about 2 times as long as wide. – Turkmenistan (Kopet-Dag)........... I. verae sp. nov.