Superfamily POMPILOIDEA 1525 



Genus PEPSIS Fabricius 



The species, commonly called tarantula hawks, are most frequently encountered at the flowers 

 of various woody and suffrutescent plants of which the milkweed genus Asclepias appears to be 

 the preferred floral host. So far as is known, all the species are predaceous on spiders of the 

 family Theraphosidae (= Aviculariidae), most commonly on species of Bothriocyrtum, 

 Aphonopehna and Mygale. The wasps may prepare a burrow before hunting for prey, or they 

 may utilize the burrow of the tarantula itself as a nesting site. 



Pepsis occurs only in the New World, and the majority of species are Neotropical. 



Revision: Lucas, 1895 (1894). Berlin. Ent. Ztschr. 39: 449-839, pis. XXII-XXXIII (New World 

 spp.). —Fox, 1898. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 4: 140-148 (U. S. spp.). —Kurd, 1952. Amer. Mus. 

 Nat. Hist., Bui. 98: 257-334, 49 figs., 2 tables (Nearctic spp., list of spp. in genus). 



Taxonomy: Banks, 1921. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 14: 22-23 (key to U. S. spp.). 



Biology: Williams, 1956. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 49: 447-466, 24 figs, (life history, prey, nesting 

 behavior). 



Morphology: Snodgrass, 1910. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 39: figs. 61, 69 (lateral view of thorax 

 and base of abdomen, base of forewing). 



Genus PEPSIS Subgenus PEPSIS Fabricius 



Pepsis Fabricius, 1804. Systema Piezatorum, pp. 207-208. 



Type-species: Sphex stellata Fabricius. Desig. by Latreille, 1810. 

 chrysothemis chrysothemis Lucas. Tex. to Okla. w. into Calif.; Mexico (Sonora, Baja 

 California). Prey: Aphonopelma sp. 

 Pepsis chrysothemis Lucas, 1894. Berlin. Ent. Ztschr. 39: 731, 739. 6. 

 Pepsis cinnabarina Lucas, 1894. Berlin. Ent. Ztschr. 39: 782, 804. 9. 

 Pepsis circularis Fox, 1898. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 4: 142, 144. 6. 



Taxonomy: Hurd, 1952. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Bui. 98: 312 (identity of circularis). 

 Biology: Williams, 1956. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 49: 456 (prey, life history). 

 chrysothemis lucasii Fox. Tex.; Mexico (Tamaulipas). 



Pepsis Lucasii Fox, 1898. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 4: 141, 145. 9. 

 mexicana Lucas. Tex. w. into south. Calif., s. to Colombia. Prey: Aphonopelma sp. 

 Pepsis mexicajia Lucas, 1894. Berlin. Ent. Ztschr. 39: 560, 561, 566. 6,9. 



Taxonomy: Evans, 1959. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 52: 431-432, fig. 41 (larva). 

 Biology: Williams, 1956. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 49: 456, 458 (prey, life history). 

 pallidolimbata pallidolimbata Lucas. Tex. to Kans. w. into south. Calif.; Mexico (Coahuila, 

 Chihuahua, Baja California). 

 Pepsis pallidolimbata Lucas, 1894. Berlin. Ent. Ztschr. 39: 733, 745. 9. 

 Pepsis bequaerti Salman, 1928. Pan-Pacific Ent. 5: 23. 6. 

 pallidolimbata smithi Hurd. Calif, (west-central flanks of Sierra Nevada and Mt. Diablo-Mt. 

 Hamilton ranges). Prey: Aphonopelma sp. 

 Pepsis pallidolimbata sinithi Hurd, 1948. Calif. Univ., Pubs., Ent. 8: 126, 142. 6, 9. 



Biology: Williams, 1956. Ent Soc. Amer., Ann. 49: 456 (prey, life history). 

 thisbe Lucas. Tex. to Nebr. w. into Calif.; Mexico (Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, Baja 

 California). Prey: Aphonopelma sp., Avicularia califoniica Bks. 

 Pepsis thisbe Lucas, 1894. Berlin. Ent. Ztschr. 39: 732, 733, 744. 6, 9. 

 Pepsis sayi Banks, 1926. Canad. Ent. 58: 202. 6 ( 9 misdet.). 

 Pepsis sherillae Hurd, 1948. Calif. Univ., Pubs., Ent. 8: 124, 146. 6. 



Taxonomy: Williams, 1956. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 49: 457, figs. 10-13 (egg, larva). —Evans, 

 1959. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 52: 431, figs. 1-7, 40 (larva). 



Biology: Cockerell, 1916. Canad. Ent. 48: 55 (prey). —Williams, 1956. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 

 49: 452-456, figs. 2, 9-14, 19, 21, 23-26 (prey, hunting behavior, life history). 



