sph^eeophthalma. 357 



segment are two large black marks. The pygidium is black, longitudinally striolate, 

 the sides fringed with fulvous hair ; the apex incised. The basal ventral segment with 

 a short keel on the middle only ; the other ventral segments densely covered with pale 

 fulvous hair. The legs are covered with hair ; the tibial spines long and black. 



^79. Sphaerophthalma ephippiata. 



Nigra; capite, thorace basi et apice, metanoto, abdominis apice maculisque 2 segmento secundo argenteo- 



pilosis. 2 • 

 Long. 12 millim. 



Hab. Mexico, North Yucatan (Gaumer). 



Very similar to S. arachnoides, but with the mesonotum entirely black, the pleurae 

 not densely covered with white hair, the apical abdominal segments entirely black, the 

 basal black mark on the abdomen not roundly incised in the middle at the apex, and 

 the keel on the basal ventral segment raised and separated from the basal part m 



front. 



Head narrower than the thorax, almost transverse behind, with the sides broadly 

 rounded, densely covered with pale fulvous pubescence, which hides the colour ; the 

 oral region and the mandibles black, the base of the latter reddish ; the part of the 

 head behind the eye equalling them in length. The antennae are dull rufous ; the 

 scape bears long white glistening hairs ; the third joint is not much longer than the 

 fourth. The thorax is almost transverse at the base ; the apex has a semiperpendicular 

 slope ; from the tubercle it becomes gradually (but not much) narrowed towards the 

 apex. The prothorax has a dense covering of long white hairs ; the mesonotum is 

 entirely black, and is sparsely covered with long black hairs ; the median segment is 

 densely covered with a white pubescence, which hides the sculpture. The mesopleurae 

 are sparsely, the base of the metapleurge more densely covered with white hair, the 

 apical half of the metapleurse without any pubescenee and bearing large deep round 

 punctures. The abdomen is as long as the head and thorax united, and is wider than 

 the thorax ; the basal segment is sparsely covered with long white hair, the apex with 

 a dense band of white pubescence, covered with large deep roundish punctures ; the 

 second segment is black, except for a narrow band at the apex and two marks of white 

 pubescence on the sides at the base, the black central part having the sides straight; 

 the third segment is covered with white pubescence; the other segments are entirely 

 black. The pygidium is longitudinally striolate and fringed laterally with stiff dull 

 fulvous hair. The basal ventral segment is more or less rufous and rather strongly 

 punctured ; the keel is stout, rounded on the top ; the base sharply, the apex only 

 slightly oblique. The second ventral segment strongly punctured, sparsely covered 

 with long white hair; the other segments are entirely covered with white hair. Legs 

 black, covered with long white hair, the tips of the tarsi rufous ; the tibial spines 

 long and black, the tarsal spines rufous; the calcaria black. 



