A Tribal Revision of the Brachycyrtine Wasps of the World ( Cryptinae — Ichneumonidae )

Kricchbaiimer (1880) described the genus Brachycyrtus, placing it definitely in the ''Cryptidae" and near the genus Hemiteles because of the incomplete areolet and the exserted ovipositor. He mentioned that the genus reminded one of Sphindus in the form of the thorax and antennae and even of the petiolate abdomen. Sclimiedeknecht (1904-1906, pp. 757, 884), when he placed Brachycyrtus in the tribe Hemitelini, remarked that it was a peculiar genus with some similarity to Sphinctus and, like it, should occupy a special position. Aslmiead (1900, p. 151) listed Brachycyrtus (misspelled Brachycystus) under the heading ''Genera unknown to the author and not classified." Later (1906, p. 174) he described in the Hemitelini the genus Proterocryptus, now a synonym of Brachycyrtus Kriechbaumer. Pfankuch (1912, pp. 456-457) seemed to feel that while placement of Brachycyrtus was very difficult, it would go best in the Tryphoninae near Sphinctus. He beheved the form of the head, the apically thickened antennae, the (to him) 3-toothed mandibles, the rhomboidshaped thorax, the abruptly declivous propodeum, the origin of the radius before the middle of the stigma, and the form of the petiole all precluded placement in the Cryptinae.