Key to African Megastigmus species (Roques et al 2016)

1 Ovipositor sheaths shorter (0.4–0.9×) than metasomal length … 2

Ovipositor sheaths longer (1.1×–1.8×) than metasomal length … 5

2 Ovipositor sheaths much shorter (0.4–0.6×) than metasomal length … 3

Ovipositor sheaths 0.8–0.9× as long as metasomal length … 4

3 Body colour nearly entirely orange-yellow; only a narrow black band along anterior suture of pronotum … Megastigmus helinae Roques & Copeland, 2016

Body colour with a large longitudinal, median rufous band extending from pronotum to scutellum and parts of metasomal dark brown … Megastigmus smithi Roques & Copeland, 2016

4 Pilosity on head entirely pale; pilosity on propodeum, coxa and legs entirely pale; body extensively orange except a few black patterns … Megastigmus copelandi Roques & Copeland, 2016

Pilosity pale on face but dark on other parts of head; pilosity on propodeum, coxa and legs dark; body colour yellow and black … Megastigmus ozoroae Roques & Copeland, 2016

5 Minute species, body length less than 1.5 mm; Thorax pilosity pale; 2 pairs of hairs on scutellum … 6

Larger species, body length more than 2.5 mm; Thorax pilosity dark; from 3 to 8 pairs of hairs on scutellum … 7

6 Body colour mostly black … Megastigmus pretorianensis Doǧanlar, 2011

Body colour nearly completely orange-yellow … Megastigmus icipeensis Roques & Copeland, 2016

7 Thorax colour orange or pale yellow without extensive dark markings … 8

Thorax with extensive dark markings … 12

8 Ovipositor sheaths less than 1.2× as long as metasomal length … 9

Ovipositor sheaths at least 1.4× as long as metasomal length … 10

9 Forewing with an elongate stigma, 1.7× as long as wide … Megastigmus thomseni (Hussey, 1956)

Forewing with an oval- rounded stigma, 1.2–1.3 × as long as wide … Megastigmus pistaciae Walker, 1871

10 Ovipositor sheaths at least 1.8 × as long as metasomal length and 0.8× as long as body length; forewing stigma oval, 1.5 × as long as wide … Megastigmus laventhali Roques & Copeland, 2016

Ovipositor sheaths at most 1.6× as long as metasomal length and 0.6× as long as body length; forewing stigma more elongate, at least 1.6 × as long as wide … 11

11 Forewing stigma oblong, 1.7 × as long as wide, with a very short stigmal vein, at most 0.2× as long as stigma length; metasomal tergites pale yellow with translucent median longitudinal stripes, transversely infumate … Megastigmus zebrinus Grissell, 2006

Forewing stigma elongate-oval, 2.0 × as long as wide, with an elongate stigma vein, 0.4 × as long as stigma length; metasomal tergites light orangish-brown with transverse dark brown bands … Megastigmus transvaalensis (Hussey, 1956)

12 Ovipositor sheaths never longer than 1.5× metasomal length … 13

Ovipositor sheaths at least 1.8× longer than metasomal length … 15

13 Pronotum with a large median dark brown band progressively decreasing in size from the anterior to posterior suture; scutellum with 3–4 pairs of hairs; in seeds of Ozoroa … Megastigmus hypogeus (Hussey, 1956)

Pronotum yellow or brownish, without median dark band; scutellum with 7–8 pairs of hairs; in seeds of Juniperus procera … 14

14 Propodeum smooth; forewing stigma elongate, more than 2× as long as broad … Megastigmus asir Ghramh & Shati

Propodeum rugose, with reticulate striae; forewing stigma oval, 1.5 × as long as broad … Megastigmus somaliensis Hussey, 1956

15 Ovipositor sheaths at least 1.2× longer than body length. In Rosa seeds … Megastigmus aculeatus (Swederus, 1795)

Ovipositor sheaths never longer than body length. In Malvaceae or Anacardiaceae Seed … 16

16 Pronotum orange with a conspicuous longitudinal black stripe on each side; in Malvaceae seeds … Megastigmus grewianae Roques & Copeland, 2016

Pronotum without lateral black stripes but with a large, nearly rectangular dark brown band medially extending from anterior to posterior suture; in Anacardiaceae seeds … Megastigmus lanneae Roques & Copeland, 2016