AKT. 9 DIGGER WASPS OF GENUS PODALONIA FEKNALD 11 



spiracle on first abdominal notiim in front of, or at least not behind, the 

 middle of the plate Podalonia 



Petiole consisting of two segments; comb teeth on hind tibial spine closely 

 packed together, rather slender; spiracle on first abdominal (second petiole 

 segment) notum at or behind the middle Sphex 



Genus PODALONIA Spinola 



The solitary wasps here placed in the genus Podalonia were first 

 separated as a genus by Dahlbom in 1842 under the name Psammo- 

 pMla, and included two species, Psammophila affinis Kirby and Psam- 

 mopMla viatica Linnaeus. Apparently no genotype has ever been 

 designated. 



The Linnaean viatica was removed from the Sphecidae by Fabri- 

 cius and placed in the Pompilidae (Psammocharidae) and, though 

 there is still the Ammophila viatica of De Geer, which is a Psammophila 

 this species is a synonym of Sphex hirsuta Scopoli, De Geer's viatica not 

 being the same species as the Linnaean one. Accordingly, Psammo- 

 phila affinis Kirby is the genotype of the genus Psammophila. 



But Psammophila of Dahlbom is itself a preoccupied name, having 

 been previously used in 1827 in connection with a genus of Mollusks, 

 and another generic name becomes necessary to replace it. This is 

 found in Spinola's genus Podalonia 1853, a genus unintentionally 

 established under most peculiar circumstances. In the course of a 

 discussion upon the making of new genera, based upon what he con- 

 sidered absurdly minor characters, at most of only specific value, 

 Spinola remarks that the genus "Mischus" (Miscus) was established 

 by Jurine for a European Ammophila (campestris) "qui a la troiseme 

 cellule cuhitale de Vaile superieure petiolee. Or au meme titre il fau- 

 drait isoler pareillement un nouveau genre pour celles qui auraient la 

 seconde cellule cuhitale petiolee, comme le male inedit que M. Bocande 

 a rapport de la Guinee et dont la description arrive ici a propos 

 quoique I'especene vien pas du Para." Then follows the description 

 of J. wmopMZa 6ocan(?ei including the following statements: * * * 

 "petiolo ut in Ammoph. arenaria Latr. * * * Alae * * * 

 superiores, cellulis quatuor cubitalibus, prima tertia et quarta, formae 

 consuete, secunda minore triangulare oblique petiolata * * * " 

 "II m'en aurait peu coute de construire un nom de genre bien Graecoide 

 etbien significatif, Podalonia par exemple, mais j'ai pense qu'il valait 

 mille fois mieux de relever ces particularities alaires dans les diagnoses 

 des Amm. campestris et Bocandei et de les y laisser pour ce qu'elles sont, 

 pour des characters purement specifiques." 



Had it been possible to retain the name Psammophila for the wasps 

 concerned, this name of Spinola's might have always remained as, at 

 most, only a synonym. But with Psammophila no longer available, 

 the availability of Podalonia must be considered. Analyzing the 

 situation, we find that a specific description (bocandei) is given in 



