MUTILLA. 305 



punctures widely separated ; the apical three segments are keeled down the centre. 

 The pygidium is more strongly punctured than the rest of the abdomen, more particu- 

 larly towards the apex, and bears some long pale hairs. The second ventral segment 

 is strongly punctured ; the other ventral segments with the punctures weaker and more 

 widely apart. 



** The median segment and the scutellum not spined. (Species 53-62.) 

 j f The scutellum gibbous. (Species 53.) 



53. Mutilla Culta. (Tab. XIII. figg. 15, 6 ; 16, rf organ.) 

 Long. 13-14 millim. d* . 



Eab. Mexico, Tabasco (H. E. Smith). 



Head densely covered with griseous hair, more sparsely on the top ; coarsely, rugosely 

 punctured, retreating behind the eyes, which are large. The scape of the antennae 

 covered with white hair; the flagellum with a dull pubescence; the third and fourth 

 joints subequal. Thorax coarsely, rugosely punctured, the punctures running into 

 reticulations; the posterior margin of the pronotum shining, impunctate, its base 

 transverse, the sides projecting into conical protuberances. The scutellum depressed at 

 the base, stoutly gibbous. The median segment at the apex above projecting into a 

 triangular broad tooth ; the sides above bituberculate at the base, below reticu- 

 lated. The tegulse large, irregularly punctured, except at the apex, which projects 

 backwards considerably ; the mesonotum along the tegulee depressed. The pro- and 

 mesopleurEe and the scutellum have a blackish pubescence ; the median segment, 

 except in the middle (down from the middle tooth), is densely covered with white 

 hair ; the mesopleurae are also densely covered with white hair. The first seg- 

 ment of the abdomen about twice longer than broad, not dilated towards the apex; 

 the base obliquely truncated, without hair; the remainder of the petiole densely 

 covered with white hair. The second abdominal segment shining, bearing all 

 over roundish, widely separated, shallow punctures ; its apex with a wide dense band 

 of white pubescence. The other segments are much less strongly and sparsely punc- 

 tured, except the pygidium, which bears long white hair. The second ventral segment 

 rather strongly punctured, and with a narrow band of white pubescence at the apex ; 

 the other ventral segments bear a few long white hairs. The femora sparsely, the 

 tibiae and tarsi densely, covered with white hair ; the calcaria white. The basal abscissa 

 of the radial nervure is a little curved, and about twice the length of the apical, which 

 is straight and oblique. The first and second transverse cubital nervures are slightly 

 curved ; the third is faint and broken off about the middle, so that there are practically 

 only two cubital cellules. The first recurrent nervure is received beyond the middle of 

 the cellule ; the transverse median nervure is not interstitial. The costal cellule is 



biol. cente.-amer., Hymenopt., Vol. II., April 1894. 2 er 



