The Wharton Lab

The name Chrionotini was proposed by Uchida (1957) solely for the genus Chrionota, which he described in the same publication. Subsequently, Townes (1970) described the tribe Olethrodotini and included two genera: Olethrodotis Foerster, 1869 and Chrionota Uchida, 1957. Uchida’s name has priority. It is possible that Townes (1970) overlooked the short description of Chrionotini buried at the end of Uchida’s text. Only two species, the type species of the two included genera, are known. They are characterized by exceptionally long ovipositors (relative to nearly all other Ctenopelmatinae), absence of both the glymma and thyridium, and the presence of a distinct u-shaped notch between the propodeum and metanotum laterally. Unlike other ctenopelmatines, the eyes are also setose, though minimally so in Olethrodotis. The relationships of these genera relative to other Ctenopelmatinae is uncertain at best and Uchida actually placed Chrionotini near the banchine tribe Lissonotini.