Braconid ex Stigmella prunifoliella - Pseudognaptodon

Moved

Moved from Braconid Wasps.
Joe has examined the specimen.

… Charley Eiseman, 5 March, 2014 - 4:39pm

need better wing shot

Charlie,
Do you still have this specimen? I'd need a clearer picture of the wings to make a subfamilial ID. Also, you're sure this specimen is just 1.5 mm, and not more like 4 or 5 mm?

… Joe, 9 December, 2013 - 10:18pm

I do still have the specimen

but it might be a while before I can locate it. The size is accurate--the host moth is about 2 mm long.

… Charley Eiseman, 9 December, 2013 - 10:23pm

possibly Rogadinae

I think this is a rogadine braconid. With some good wing shots and a facial shot, we could nail down the subfamily and narrow it down to genus.

… Joe, 9 December, 2013 - 10:39pm

I added a few shots

in case any of them are useful.

… Charley Eiseman, 9 December, 2013 - 10:58pm

Possibly Hormiinae

Hormiinae are small cyclostomes, like the rogadines and braconines. Across the various genera, they attack a number of small leafmining microleps, including Nepticulidae such as yours. I still can't say for sure until I see some good wing pictures and a good frontal picture of the face. But I lean toward Hormiinae with what you've posted.

If you'd like, send me a specimen. I'll return it after I ID it. Send it to me at:
371 Manila Creek Road
Keller, WA 99140

… Joe, 11 December, 2013 - 2:36am

Thanks

I'm planning on going through all my specimens in January once I finish catching up on photo sorting. I still have the specimens for every braconid I've posted to BugGuide this year, so let me know if there are any others that interest you. A few others have been identified as likely Hormiinae or Exothecinae, and it would be nice to get those to genus.

… Charley Eiseman, 11 December, 2013 - 6:58am

Face

If of sufficient resolution, a straight on shot of the face would help to determine whether this is a cyclostome or not. In cyclostome braconids, the labrum and the lower part of the clypeus are concave with respect to the upper clypeus and the dorsal margin of the mandibles. Rogadinae is one of the cyclostome subfamilies, and Braconinae is another. Of these images, Dr. Marsh said this set is difficult but he thought it might be Braconinae. I am not sure, however, that he saw Dr. Fortier's comment.

… Bob Carlson, 10 December, 2013 - 4:09pm