Review of Smicromorpha Girault (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) with description of a new species from India

Smicromorpha Girault (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) was represented by seven previously reported species from Southeast Asia and Australia, though only two species, S. keralensis Narendran and S. masneri Darling, were known from the Oriental region. The genus is reviewed, with all world species keyed and described, including a new species, S. attenboroughi Binoy, sp. nov. from southern India. All the species are illustrated by photographs except for S. minera Girault. A distribution map of world species of Smicromorpha is also provided. Smicromorphinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), consisting of the single genus Smicromorpha Girault, 1913, is one of the least studied and structurally most unique subfamilies of Chalcididae, with Naumann (1986) stating them as one of the "most bizarre wasps" of the family. Girault (1913) established Smicromorpha for S. doddi from Port Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Later, S. cadaverosa Girault and S. minera Girault were described by Girault (1914, 1926), Narendran (1979) described S. keralensis from the Oriental region, and a revision of the Indo-Australian species by Naumann (1986) added S. eudela, S. lagynos and S. banksi. Naumann also synonymised S. cadaverosa under S. doddi and Smicromorphella Girault, 1930 under Smicromorpha. The last addition to the list of species was S. masneri by Darling (2009). Species of Smicromorpha are easily identified by their ophionoid facies (e.g. Figs 24, 27, 43) and highly placed metasoma at the upper margin of the propodeum (e.g. Figs 9, 12) (Gauld & Huddleston 1976).