274 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.88 



SPILOCHALCIS TRANSITIVA (Walker) 



Figures S, k; 12, d 



Smiera transitiva Waxkek, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, vol. 20, pp. 345, 371, 1862. 

 Smicra transitiva (Walker) Walkek, Notes on Chalcidiae, p. 51, 1871. — Cbes- 



soN, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 4, p. 57, 1872. — Kieby, Journ. Linn. Soc. 



London, Zool., vol. 17, p. 66, 1883.— Howabd, U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Ent. Bull. 



5, p. 36, 1885. — Cresson, Synopsis of the families and genera of the Hy- 



menoptera of America north of Mexico, p. 234, 1887. 

 Spilochalcis transitiva (Walker) Howard, Journ. Linn. Soc. London, Zool., vol. 



26, p. 130, 1896. — Dalla Torre, Catalogus hymenopterorum, vol. 5, p. 385, 



1898. — AsHMEAD, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, vol. 48, p. 336, 1900. — Schmiede- 



KNECHT, Genera insectorum, fasc. 97, p. 41, 1909. 

 Smiera piilchra Cresson, Proc. Ent. Soc. Philadelphia, vol. 4, p. 94, 1865; The 



Cresson types of Hymenoptera, p. 76, 1916. 

 Smicra pulchra (Cresson) Waxker, Notes on Chalcidiae, p. 51, 1871. — Ceesson, 



Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 4, pp. 38, 50, 1872. — Cameron, Biologia Centrali- 



Americana, Hymenoptera, vol. 1, p. 79, 1883. — Howard, U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. 



Ent. Bull. 5, p. 35, 1885. — ^Ashmead, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 13, p. 125, 



1886. — Cresson, Synopsis of the families and genera of the Hymenoptera 



of America north of Mexico, p. 234, 1887. 



This yellow, or red, and black species is very close to S. dorsata 

 (Cresson) but differs most obviously in having the basal outer ventral 

 tooth of the metafemur large rather than minute. 



Description. — Yellow or red with black markings; scrobe cavity 

 usually, occipital area of head, most of mesopraescutum, mesal 

 angles of axillae, anterior margin of mesoscutellum, apices of meta- 

 coxae, three spots on outer surface of metafemora, entire propodeum, 

 and sometimes part of gaster, black; darkened area of mesopraescu- 

 tum usually interrupted so as to produce two anterior squares and a 

 posterior rectangular yellow area. 



Female : 5-6.5 mm. Antennal scape short and stout, apex not 

 quite reaching level of ventral margin of anterior ocellus, pedicel 

 one-half, and ring segment one-sixth length of segment 4, segment 5 

 slightly shorter than 4, segments 5 to 11 equal, 12 and 13 narrower 

 and shorter; scrobe cavity deep, marginal carina vague ventrad; 

 interantennal projection provided with a conspicuous anterior lamina ; 

 lateral carinae of frons extending from near frontogenal suture to 

 level of anterior ocellus ; frons scatteringly punctured except on mesal 

 area ventrad of antennal bases; frontal tentorial pits located near 

 anterior margins of compound eyes and slightly ventrad of level 

 of antennal bases; malar space one-fourth height of compound eye; 

 frontogenal suture slightly curved, extending transversely from com- 

 pound eye to dorsal articulation of mandible; combined widths of 

 compound eyes slightly greater than width of interocular space at 

 level of antennal bases ; diameter of posterior ocellus slightly less than 

 one-half width of interocellar space. 



