A revision of old world Parabaeus Kieffer (Hymenoptera : Platygastridae), a group of highly modified apterous parasitoids inhabiting litter

Abstract

The Old World members of the genus Parabaeus Kieffer are revised and a key to species provided. Previously only known in the Old World from the holotype P. ruficornis Kieffer (Seychelle Is), the fauna of this region is expanded to six species, viz. P. abyssus, sp. nov. (Western Australia), P. africanus, sp. nov. (Malawi), P. quasimodus, sp, nov. (Kenya), P. peckorum, sp. nov., and P. armadillus, sp. nov. (South Africa). Apterous members of the genus possess the most highly fused mesosoma of the Platygastridae (sensu Masner and Huggert 1989). The function of this morphology is discussed and compared with other apterous genera in the family.