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A member of the family Torymidae, this wasp is parasitoid of cynipid wasps. Synonym; Syntomaspis apicalis
The common gall hosts of this species are; Biorhiza pallida sexual. The flight times for this wasp are from april through to october.
The female wasp measures in at 2-3.8mm, excluding ovipositor, with an average of 3mm.
The head is a bright metallic blue-green, sometimes strongly gold tinted, and sculptured with white hairs. The eyes are medium sized, red-brown with red ocelli. The antennae have a metallic green scape and pedicle, but the rest is dark bronze gold, with long sensillae. There is one ring and 7 funicular segments.
The metallic brilliant green thorax has white hairs. The mesoscutem is cross sculpured and a high gloss mesepimeron and short notaulices. The tegulae are dark leading to the wings which are clear and have mid yellow veins and hairs, with a very short stigmal and post marginal vein. The legs have brilliant green coxae, femora and tibia. The tarsel sgments, of which there are 5, are yellow with darker ends.
The gaster (abdomen) is a brilliant metallic green with some translucent brown below. Triangular from the side, and with faint coriaceus microsculpure. The ovipositor sheaths extremely long and slender, often twice the body length. It has a dark top, with pale underneath and is hairy.
The male is 1.3-3.3mm averaging at 2.3mm in length.
The head is metallic bright green, sometimes with a gold tint, and sculputered with white hairs. The eyes are red/brown in colour and medium sized with red ocelli. The antennae have a metallic scape and pedicle but the rest is neutral bronze and hairy. There is one ring and 7 funicular segments.
The thorax is a metallic brilliant green, though some have golden lights, with white hairs. Short notaulices, like the female, and a cross sculptered mesoscutem, along with high gloss mesepimeron. The tegulae are dark and metallic, and the wings are clear with mid yellow veins and hairs. The stigmal and post marginal veins are short. The legs have brilliant green coxae, femora and tibia. The tarsel sgments, of which there are 5, are yellow with darker ends. There are no hairs on top of the coxae.
The brilliant metallic gold-green gaster is short and tubular with a point.
More detailed descriptions and identification keys are available from Robin Williams at the British Plant Gall Society.
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