226 NORTH AMERICAN SCELIPHRON (hYMENOPTERa) 



with dorsal flaps of terminal segment (where visible) with dark hairs along the 

 sides, thinner or almost absent along the median line; fifth to third segments 

 with a double sinuate row of fine punctures, but hairs only scattered; third and 

 fourth without the pubescent areas present in cyaneum; secondwith a V-shaped 

 double row of punctures with apex pointing forwards, but corresponding hairs 

 not complete. 



Wings similar to those of cyaneum, but without such a range of brown shades 

 in the few specimens available ; fore wings as in figures ; tegulae with white • 

 sericeous hairs ; hind wings with angle between median and transverse median 

 about a right angle; discoidal leaves cubital slightly more exterior to junction 

 of median, cubital, and transverse median than is the case in cyaneum. 



Legs. — Segments with same general features as in cyaneum, somewhat paler 

 blue; coxae, trochanters, and femora covered with fine white recumbent hairs; 

 fore and hind tibiae with a dense pale brown sericeous area especially noticeable 

 on hind tibiae; fine hairs white on other parts of tibiae; tarsi with rather pale 

 sericeous hairs. 



Male. — Differs from female as follows: Body color paler blue; vestiture of 

 body denser and hairs everywhere white except on face and genae and some of 

 the ventral segments of abdomen; the approximation of the eyes across the 

 clypeus is more noticeable than in female, giving the face a narrower appearance 

 below than above; middle tooth of clypeus more prominent than laterals, which 

 are small and rudimentary; mandibles without tooth, of medium length, stout 

 at base, tapering to a point; wings varying from somewhat dark fuhginous to 

 hyaline with fuscous tips ; abdomen more compressed ventrally and curved 

 under at tip, similar to that of cyaneum male in general features except that 

 the fine sericeous hairs are whitish. 



Length. — Females, 16 to 20 mm. Males, 12 to 19 mm. 



Habitat. — Dahlbom mentioned that " Zimmermann caught 

 this elegant species in South CaroUna; North America" and it 

 has been reported from Michoacan, Cordova, Atoyac in Vera 

 Cruz, Ventanas, ValladoHd in Yucatan, and Teapa in Tabasco, 

 Mexico. Specimens have been examined from Elkin, North 

 Carohna; "Loui[siana]"; Texas, Dallas County, Cypress Mills, 

 Austin, Comal County, Brownsville; from "Mex[ico]"; Alta 

 Mira, Tampico, and Teapa, Mexico; and San Antonio, Nica- 

 ragua. These localities seem to show that it is mainly a Lower 

 Austral form, with occasional specimens from the Tropical Zone 

 and a possible occurrence in the southern part of the Upper 

 Austral. No records of the habits of this species as such have 

 been found by the writer. 



