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Antrocephalus sp.
About 15mm overall. Some white bands or markings near a pointy abdomen and large dark orange, slightly translucent? femurs. Evenly segmented antennae (maybe a pale patch mid-way?); some markings in wings; all black thorax and head. I first thought this a bee due to the huge femurs.
On eucalyptus bark in open sports parkland.
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Haltichell...
(Antrocephalus sp. Life: Kingdom: Metazoa (animals); Phylum: Arthropoda; Class: Hexapoda; Order: Hymenoptera; Superfamily: Chalcidoidea; Family: Chalcididae; Subfamily: Haltichellinae)
Check Kristi's spotting here http://www.flickr.com/photos/zosterops/1...
15 Comments
'Overall' includes antennae, wings, legs. Is that ok considering?
15 mm is big for a Chalcid!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zosterops/1...
Thanks Martin. Certainly common structures there. I don't go for the yellow bits much though. :)
Check this sighting for a comparison
http://www.bowerbird.org.au/observations...
Thanks Decha. I'm puzzled with species for this. It looks like a South African one. Often photos become more interesting later.
nice shot, beautiful Chalcid
Chalcids are "jumpers" which tend to easily spook. Given their small size I think you did remarkably well with that photo.
Thanks again John. I'm regretting my clumsy photo-shoot now; I scared it off after 1.
Actually I do suspect that it is an Antrocephalus sp - just can't be sure without seeing the face and a couple of other characters.
Antrocephalus species have a strong, more or less horseshoe shaped carina (keel) running around the face - you can get an impression that this carina is present when you look at your picture.
I just don't like to make random suggestions based on characters I can't really see.
what do you think ? Antrocephalus sp.
Thanks John. I thought it might be a wasp, but the thorax was really throwing me off.
At the moment ALA can't really take sightings that aren't identified as species.
Give us time!
Thanks so much John. I was just thinking about putting this one into ALA :-)
Very nice - this is a parasitic wasp - Superfamily Chalcidoidea, Family Chalcididae, subfamily Haltichellinae.
The Chalcididae are generally recognisable by their enlarged hind femur (although this character occurs sporadically in a variety of other chalcids).
Good shot - always happy to see more chalcids on Project Noah!