ART. 15. REVISION OF THE MUTILLID WASPS MIGKEL. 5 



The genitalia of the type and the plesiotype have been compared 

 and found to be identical. The mandibles in both sexes are dis- 

 tinctly bidentate, and not tridentate as indicated by Fox (1899) in 

 liis key to the groups of species. Nothing is known of the biology 

 of this species other than the possibility suggested by Melander 

 (1903) that it is parasitic on Halictus prldnosus Robertson. 



Genus PSEUDOMETHOCA Ashmead. 



Pseudoniethoca Ashmead, 1896, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 23, p. 181, 

 male ; 1899, Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc, vol. 7, p. 5.5, female ; p. 59 male. — 

 Andr^, 1903, Gen. Ins., vol. 1, fasc. 11, p. 27, male and female. — 

 Ashmead, 1903. Can. Ent, vol. 35, p. 325, male; p. 331, female.— 

 Bradley, 1916, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 42, pp. 191, 311, 318.— 

 RoHWEE, 1916, Hymen. Conn., p. 622. 



Nomiaephagus Ashmead, 1899, Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc, vol. 7, p. 56, female, 

 p. 59, male; 1903, Can. Ent, vol. 35, p. 307, male; p. 309, female.— 

 RoHWER, 1916, Hymen. Conn., p. 623. 



Ephuta Andre, 1903, Gen. Ins., vol. 1, fasc 11, p. 51 (part). 



Orthotype. — Photopsis cressonii Fox=canadensis Blake. 



The genus Psevdomethoca was proposed by Ashmead in 1896. He 

 designated Photopsis cressonii Fox as the type, which subsequently 

 was shown to be the male of Mutilla {S'phaerojjhthalma) canadensis 

 Blake. In 1899 and in 1903 Ashmead characterized the females in 

 his keys to the genera of Mutillidae. He stated that the females 

 possessed a distinct pygidial area. Andre in 1903 recharacterized 

 the females stating that Aslunead was in error and that the females 

 did not possess a distinct pygidial area. I have examined a number 

 of females of Pseudomethoca canadensis (Blake) under a binocular 

 microscope and find that Ashmead was correct; the females of this 

 species possess a distinct pygidial area bounded laterally each side 

 by a sharp carina. This is also true of the females of other species 

 which have been assigned to this genus. In 1899 Aslunead established 

 the genus Nomiaephagus with Mutilla {Sphaerophthalma) sanbomii 

 Blake as the type. In his keys to the genera of Mutillidae (1903) 

 he placed Nomiaephagus in the tribe Photopsidini and PseudoTne- 

 thoca he placed in the tribe Mutillini^ making this division on the 

 character of the eyes. Bradley (1916)" has pointed out the incon- 

 sistency of this division. I have before me the specimens of sanhornii 

 upon which Ashmead based his diagnosis. These specimens include 

 both males and females which had been reared from the cells of a 

 bee, Nomia pattoni Cockerell. In some of the female specimens the 

 eyes are " highly polished with the facets vaguely defined," while 

 in others the eyes are " distinctly facetted." Ashmead's division of 

 genera into the tribes Photopsidini and Mutillini based on the 

 character of the eyes, certainly can scarcely stand in the face of this 

 evidence. The species which have been placed under Nomia/' j^hagus 



