Eurys species identification — Life in a Southern Forest

Workbook

Note: This is a “work in progress”. Changes may be made as I discover additional relevant information.

Identification of species in genus Eurys

The matrix below is designed to aid identification of species in the genus Eurys, which has the following diagnostic features (see Euryinae genera matrix for diagrams illustrating these features):

very long tongue when extended for sucking nectar - as long or longer than front tibia
thorax with bright metallic colour - green, copper or violet
antennae are filiform with between 8 to 11 segments
antennal insertion point is level with the middle of the eyes
the first transverse vein is received close to the middle of the discoidal cell

Click on the matrix to download a pdf version. Images from authoritative sources of selected species follow as a further aid.

Eurys laetus

Eurys laetus Westwood (1842) Pl.7, fig.4

Eurys nitens

E. nitens (female) - Kirby (1882) Pl.vii, Fig.5

E. nitens female antenna - Kirby (1882) Pl.vii, Fig.5a

Eurys nitidus

E. nitidus (female) - Kirby (1882) Pl.vii, Fig.4

Eurys nitidus female antenna - Kirby (1882) Pl.vii, Fig.4a

Eurys sembla

female antenna

References:

Benson, R.B. 1934. A classification of the sawflies of the family Pterygophoridae, with a revision of the Australian members of the subfamily Euryinae (Hymenoptera, Symphyta). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 82: 461-478.
Benson, R.B. 1963. Some new Western Australian sawflies of the Euryinae and Phylacteophaginae (Hymenoptera, Pergidae). Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Western Australia 46: 81-8
Kirby, W.F. 1882. List of Hymenoptera, with descriptions and figures of the typical specimens in the British Museum. Vol. I. Tenthredinidae and Siricidae. London: British Museum, xxviii
Morice, F.D. 1919. Notes on Australian sawflies, especially the “Authors' Types” and other specimens in the British Museum of Natural History and the Hope Collections of the Oxford University Museum; with diagnostic synopses of the genera and species, and photographs illustrating their structural characters. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 66: 247-333, pls XI-XV.
Muche, W.H. 1986. Beitrag zur Blattwespenfauna von Queensland (Australien) (Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Pergidae). Reichenbachia 23: 151-154
Newman, E. 1841. “Supplement” to notes on the entomology of Adelaide, South Australia by A.H. Davis. Entomologist 1: 89-90
Rohwer, S.A. 1910. Some Australian sawflies. Entomological News 21: 467-474
Rohwer, S.A. 1922. Notes on sawflies of the tribe Euriini, with descriptions of two new species. Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 17: 91-94.
Smith, D.R. 1980. Pergidae (Hymenoptera) from New Guinea and Australia in the Bishop Museum. Pacific Insects 22: 329-346
Westwood, J.O. 1842. Descriptions of some exotic species of sawflies. Arcana Entomologica: or Illustrations of New, Rare, and Interesting Insects 1: 23-24.
Westwood, J.O. 1880. A monograph of the sawflies composing the Australian genus Perga of Leach. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1880: 359-379

This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.