874 Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico 



Genus BRACHYMERIA Subgenus PSEUDOBRACHYMERIA Burks 



Brackymeria subg. Pseudobrackymeria Burks, 1960. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 86: 263. 

 Type-species: Pseudochalcis conica Ashmead. Orig. desig. 



This is the taxon that took the name Pseudochalcis in Ashmead's 1904 classification (Carnegie 

 Mas., Mem. 1: 249-250, 407). The true genus Pseudochalcis Kirby was shown by Steffan in 1956 

 to be a synonym of Stypiiira Kirby (Soc. Ent. de France, Bui. 61: 240). 



Columbiana (Howard). D. C, Va., N. C, Fla., La. Ecology: Said to have been reared from 



Coccidae, but more Hkely emerged from Laetilia coccidivora (Comst.), a moth that preys 

 on coccids. 

 Chalcis Columbiana Howard, 1885. U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent. Bui. 5: 8, 36. 9. 

 Chalcis louisiana Girault, 1917. Descr. Stellarum Nov., p. 6. 9. 

 conica (Ashmead). Tex.; Mexico. West Indies, S. and Cent. Amer. 



Pseudochalcis conica Ashmead, 1904. Carnegie Mus., Mem. 1: 407. 9. 

 flegiae Burks. Fla., Tex. Host: Palpita flegia (Cram.). 



Brachynieria (Pseudobrachymeria) Jlegiae Burks, 1960. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 86: 271. 9, 

 6. 

 laetiliae Burks. N. C, Okla., N. Mex., Ariz., Calif. Host: Laetilia coccidivora (Comst.), L. 

 zaviacrella Dyar. 

 Brachynieria (Pseudobrachymeria) laetiliae Burks, 1960. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 86: 268. 

 9,6. 

 pedalis (Cresson). Fla., Tex., Colo., N. Mex., Ariz., Calif.; Mexico. Ecology: Parasitizes moths 

 Hving on cactus. Host: Noctuelia elautalis (Grote), Melitara prodeiiialis Walk., M. 

 deiitata Grote, Olycella junctolineella (Hulst), Ozamia clarefacta Dyar. The Argentine 

 species Brachymeria (Pseudobrachymeria) cactoblastidis Blanchard may be a synonym 

 of this species. 

 Chalcis pedalis Cresson, 1872. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 4: 60. 9. 

 psyche Burks. Fla. Host: Oiketicus abbotii Grote. 



Brachymeria (Pseudobrachymeria) psyche Burks, 1960. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 86: 267. 9. 



Family LEUCOSPIDIDAE 



By B. D. Burks 



All members of the Leucospididae are primary parasites of aculeate Hymenoptera, developing 

 on the fully grown larvae or pupae. The adult female drills through the cell wall of the host with 

 her lengthy ovipositor, and also through the cocoon inside the cell if there is one, and deposits 

 her egg inside. This egg is suspended by a slender stalk. When the egg hatches, the active larva 

 searches out its host, attaches to it, and feeds at various places on its body. Later instars are 

 more quiescent. Pupation occurs inside the cell of the host, and the adult uses its mandibles to 

 break an opening to the outside. The adults often are taken by sweeping flowers, because they 

 feed on pollen. They tend to resemble their hosts in body form and color. 



Revision: Weld, 1922. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc 61 (6): 1-43 (N. Amer. spp.; key to females). 

 — Boucek, 1959. Mus. Natl. Pragae, Acta Ent. 33: 435-444 (European spp.). — Nikolskaja, 



1960. Fauna USSR, n. s., v. 7, n. 5, pp. 192-212 (Russian spp.). — Habu, 1962. Fauna 

 Japonica, pp. 165-177 (Japanese spp.). 



Taxonomy: Mani, 1937. Indian Mus., Rec 39: 287-293 (spp. of India). — Mani, 1938. Cat. 

 Indian Ins. 23: 46-49, 146. —Steffan, 1948. Soc. Ent. de France, Bui. 53: 81-84. —Burks, 



1961. Studia Ent. Rio de Janeiro 4: 540 (S. Amer. spp.). 



Biology: Clausen, 1940 (reprint 1962). Entomophagous Ins., pp. 236-238. 



Genus LEUCOSPIS Fabricius 



Leucospis Fabricius, 1775. Syst. Ent, p. 361. 



Type-species: Leucospis dorsigera Fabricius. Monotypic 

 Coelogaster Schrank, 1780. Schrift. Gesell. Naturf. Freunde Berlin 1: 303 (no species). 



Type-species: Coelogaster passavianus Schrank. Included by Schrank, 1782. 



