Lophocheilus fervens complex (specimen #072)
Workbook
Collected in Malaise trap (GMP66369) during the week 17th -24th October 2026 (specimen ID #072)
THYNNINAE: Thynnini: Lophocheilus
Having worked through the various options, I am confident that specimen #072 is Lophocheilus. It aligns with the diagnostic criteria Brown (2025) listed for the genus, including:
body and wing colouration
clypeus shape (narrowly truncate, sagittally carinate)
antennal prominence shape (slightly raised but not swollen)
S1 weakly medially raised
epipygium without subapical plate
Lophocheilus fervens complex (or ‘ms6’)
Based on the latest key to Lophocheilus males (Brown 2025), specimen #072 is near Lophocheilus fervens. Brown (2025) notes that L. fervens represents a complex of at least three species.
The following is my justification for excluding other options among the Thynnidae and Tiphiidae.
Thynninae: Thynnini
Family THYNNIDAE, based on:
3 submarginal cells & frons produced above antennal sockets (so not Tiphiidae: Tiphiinae)
Subfamily THYNNINAE, based on:
frons produced above antennal sockets (so NOT Anthoboscinae)
forewing with distinct 1r vein (so NOT Myzininae)
forewing with 2m-cu meeting SCIII (so NOT Diamminae)
Tribe Thynnini, based on:
S1 without anterior V-shaped carina (so NOT Rhagigasterini)
hypopygium without long, strongly upturned apical spine (unlike most Rhagigasterini)
forewing 3rd interval of M vein longer than half 2r-m, only slightly shorter than 2nd interval (so NOT Iswaroidini, Agriomyini)
forewing 1r vein distinct (so NOT Agriomyini)
clypeus sagittally carinate (so NOT Agriomyini), carina simple & unbranched (unlike most Rhagigasterini)
epipygium rounded, not flat (unlike most Tachynomyini)
epipygium with long apical membrane (unlike
pronotum long (so NOT Tachynomyini)
It is a very good match for Lophocheilus. In addition, I’ve excluded other Thynnini genera from south-eastern Australia on a range of criteria, including:
clypeus sagittally carinate (so NOT Catocheilus, Guerinius, Leptothynnus, Lestricothynnus, Levothynnus, Thynnoides)
epipygium without subapical plate (so NOT Guerinius, Keteiothynnus, Macrothynnus, Thynnus, Zaspilothynnus)(unlike most Leptothynnus)
antennal prominence broadly rounded, not narrowly V-shaped (so NOT Elidothynnus)
S1 medially longitudinally raised (so NOT Elidothynnus), but not carinate or tuberculate (so NOT Thynnoides)
References
Brown, G. 2025. Revision of the Australian Thynnidae and Tiphiidae (Hymenoptera). Zootaxa 5681 (1): 001-862 https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5681.1.1
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.