No. 2320, TRIBE ACOENITINI—CVSHMAN AND ROHWER. 515 



Genus AROTES Gravenhorst. 



Arotes Gravenhorst, Ich. Eur., vol. 3, 1829, p. 446. Genotype. — Arotes albidnctxis 



Gravenhorst (Monobasic). 

 Sphalerus Kriechbaumer, Ent. Nachr., vol. 4, 1878, p. 41. Genotype.— (Sphalerus 



hifasdatus Kreichbaumer) =^rotes alhicinctus Gravenhorst (Monobasic). 



Although the genus Arotes is very easily distinguished from the 

 allied genera it has not been entirely underetood by American au- 

 thors as is evidenced b}^ the fact that although Cresson ^ tabulated 

 the species in 1869 he described a new species in 1870, referring 

 it to Aconeites. By the distinctly petiolate abdomen with spiracle 

 of the first tergite placed at about the middle the species of Arotes 

 are easily distinguished from those of the other genera of this tribe. 



Generic characters. — Clypeus flat or somewhat depressed basally, 

 the apical margin truncate or slightly, shallowly emarginate; anten- 

 nae long, slender; notauli complete, meeting before the anterior 

 margin of scutellum; prepectal carina strong extending to or nearly 

 to the top of the mesepisterum; sternauli wanting; propodeum 

 short with nearty complete areolation, the spiracle elongate and 

 placed at about the middle; legs long, slender or the hind femora 

 somewhat more robust; claws long, curved and toothed within; 

 abdomen petiolate, the first tergite fully three times as long as apical 

 width, the spiracles placed at about the middle; ovipositor longer 

 than abdomen; areolet wanting; recurrent an tef ureal or intersti- 

 tial; nervellus slightly reclivous or perpendicular, broken at about 

 the middle. Species either uniformly pale or black with yellowish 

 marks. 



In the key to the American species published by Cresson the posi- 

 tion of the recurrent vein in relation to the intercubitus was consid- 

 ered of specific value, but the additional material has proven that 

 this character is subject to individual variation. The areolation of 

 the propodeum is also variable and not of specific value. Color is 

 fairly constant and when used with care offers the best means of 

 distinguishing the species. 



KEY To THE SPECIES. 



1. Body largely ferrugineous, first tergite and mesepisternum entirely so; small. 



species 2. 



Body black or black and yellow; first tergite and the mesoscutum always with 

 black; larger species 3. 



2. Stigma black; apical margins of the wings dusky antennae with a yellow band 



melleus (Say). 

 Stigma ferruginous; wings unicolorous, hyaline; antennae imiformly rufous 



rupinsulensia (Cresson). 



3. Posterior orbits, most of the thorax and propodeum black maurus Rohwer. 



Posterior orbits, many marks on thorax and propodeum yellowish 4. 



" Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., vol. 2, p. 260. 



