Caloteleia elegans Perkins 1910: 624. Original description.

Caenoteleia elegans Kieffer 1926: 550. Generic transfer, description.

Calliscelio elegans Masner, Johnson & Musetti, 2009: Masner et al. 2009: 61. Description, diagnosis, generic transfer.

Calotelea tanugatra Narendran 1998: 71. Female, India (ZSIC) Holotype examined, syn. nov.

New Description of Male. Length: 1.97mm (n=1) (Fig. 1). Head, mesosoma, T1 wholly and anterior one-fourth of T2, legs and A1 deep orange yellow; posterior three-fourth of T2 onwards till T8, A3-A12 ebony black, A2 and ocelli darkened (Fig. 2); frons (Fig. 3) and mesoscutum medially with a pair of dark patches (Fig. 4); apex of mandibles and apex of hind femur slightly darkened; forewing conspicuously banded, with dark bands basally, medially and apically, separated by light bands (Fig. 8), with median band being most prominent as seen in females (Fig. 7).

Qualitative characters of head and mesosoma being exactly similar to that of female as mentioned in Masner et al. (2009), is not repeated here. However propodeum being flat and elongate, with faint longitudinal striae and irregular rugosities differs from that of the female.

Metasoma elongate, widest medially, narrowed both anteriorly and posteriorly (Fig. 5); T1 with fine longitudinal striae and irregular rugose sculpture covering entire surface, almost similar to that on propodeum; longitudinal striae on T2 extending to 0.8 its length medially and about 0.5 of its length laterally. T3 distinctly transverse, shorter than T2, with delicate longitudinal aciculate sculpture, effaced medially; T4-T8 transverse, with delicate coriaceous microsculpture and with abundant appressed golden pilosity.

General body measurements, length to width proportions of antennal segments, forewing and that of metasomal segments are as follows:

Head (dorsal) L:W = 4.05:2.61mm; IOS = 1.14x eye height; POL:LOL:OOL:OD = 1.32:0.75:0.2:0.3.

A1 4.2x length of radicle, A2 1.05x longer than radicle; A3 and A4 subequal; A5 emarginate and carinate (Fig. 6), 1.15x longer than A4 and 1.02X length of A6; A6 to A8 subequal, A9 to A12 subequal as long as A3, A12 longest, 1.37x A11. Length to width proportions of antennal segments from A1to A12 being 23:5.4, 5.7:4, 8:4, 8:4, 9.2:4.7, 9:4, 9:4, 9:4, 8:4, 8:4, 8:4, 11:4 (Fig. 6).

ML:MW = 4.15: 3.38; Forewing narrow, 5.4x as long as wide, when at rest extending to base of T5; length of veins marginal: stigmal: postmarginal being 6:7:8.

MTL:MTW = 2.03:1.19; T2 longest of all tergites, 1.6x T1 and 1.38x T3 tergite; length to width proportions of T1-T4 being 127:85, 204:170, 148:203, 78:169; T3 onwards transverse; rest of tergites visible as strips; T8 distinct.

The species is widely distributed (http://osuc.biosci.ohio-state.edu/hymDB/eol_scelionidae.content_page?page_level=3&page_id=taxon_page_data&page_version=245756&page_option1=M) but generally seen in low numbers (Masner et al. 2009). The distribution of C. elegans in India has been mapped (Fig. 12). It is reported only from the southern states of the country.

Females are mostly seen close to ground, in search of gryllid eggs for oviposition.

Egg parasitoid of crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) as per Masner et al. (2009). The females are seen in low numbers, but the males are extremely rare.

Calotelea tanugatra Narendran (1998), syn. nov. (Fig. 9).

As per the generic concept of Calotelea Westwood, in Hope (1837), Masner (1976), Masner (1980b), Masner (1980c)​, http://www.zsi.gov.in/right_menu/IIS/index.html and Popovici et al. (2013), diagnosis of the genus from the very similar Calliscelio Ashmead, relies on the presence of skaphion in most cases, distinct or at least traces of genal and facial straie (Fig. 10) and an elongate antennal radicle, often measuring about one-third of scape length (Fig. 11). Cheeks and gena are never striate in Calliscelio and the antennal radicle is usually short, at most one-fourth length of scape (http://www.zsi.gov.in/right_menu/IIS/index.html). Calotelea tanugatra Narendran does not have any traces of striae on mandibular corners or cheeks and antennal radicle is less than one-fourth of scape length. Hence the placement of C. tanugatra under Calotelea is incorrect. Instead the species agrees in all aspects including the character states, proportions and colouration of the body and wings to C. elegans as stated in Masner et al. (2009). In contrast to most Calliscelio species, the metascutellar plate is extremely narrow and weakly concave medially in C. elegans, as seen at times in Calotelea. Such a metascutellar plate is seen in Calotelea tanugatra too. Hence Calotelea tanugatra Narendran (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae) after the current review, is proposed to be a junior synonym of Calliscelio elegans, new synonymy.

Quoting Narendran (1998), “forewing with a median blackish brown band surrounded basically and apically by hyaline patches, basal and apical part infumate,”- the banding pattern of forewing (Fig. 9) is correctly described, but the pattern in the illustration as of page 72, does not match the description.