Largely ignored: what are we missing in the male genitalia of Ichneumonidae?

Wednesday, November 18, 2015: 9:14 AM
211 B (Convention Center)
Mabel Alvarado , Division of Entomology/Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Taxonomy of Ichneumonidae has been primarily based on external female morphology, with characters of the male genitalia used only in taxa with homogenous external morphology and coloration. However, it has recently been found that the male genitalia can also provide a good source of characters for species delimitation in a variety of other ichneumonid taxa: Aphanistes (Anomaloninae), Apechoneura (Labeninae), Cryptopteryx (Cryptinae), and the subfamily Metopiinae. Here we explore the usefulness of male genitalia for species delimitation and taxonomy of Ichneumonidae.