NEW SPIDER WASPS — DREISBACH 139 



Genus Auplopus 



In the writer's classification of the Psammocharidae, the genus 

 Auplopus Spinola belongs in the subfamily Macromerinae. 



Females. — The basal segment of abdomen narrows in front to 

 form a petiole and then enlarges a little as it joins the propodeum; 

 this makes this petiole cancave in the middle on each side, hour-glass 

 shaped (when seen in profile from above); a distinct group of long, 

 forward-curving bristles on mentum; the clypeus generally very 

 characteristic, the apex in middle extending forward slightly beyond 

 the margins on each side, and the lower edge of clypeus raised some- 

 what above mouth ; last dorsal segment of abdomen with an elliptical 

 pygidium which in majority of cases is smooth and shining, only in a 

 few species is it mat and rather opaque; no spines on dorsal surface of 

 posterior tibiae; propodeum is hairy above; first tergite without a 

 line separating off the epipleuron; second ventral segment with a 

 transverse groove near base; claws with a tooth. 



Males. — Subgenital plate with a high, sharp longitudinal ridge at 

 least on apical fourth; the base of plate (generally telescoped under 

 preceding sternite) almost always with an elevated flat-surfaced 

 triangular area which extends varying distances toward apex before 

 the triangle becomes closed and the ridge becomes thin and sharp; 

 parapenial lobes apically decurved to form a hook; parameres generally 

 rather large and broad, but may be somewhat slender; in either case 

 almost always with a sharp ridge on dorsal edge; aedeagus shorter 

 than volsellae or parapenial lobes, rather broad, parallel-sided or 

 convex on sides, generally rounded at apex but sometimes shghtly 

 emarginate at apex; there are no basal booklets on the inside and at 

 the base of the volsellae either in the species considered in this paper 

 or in the species recorded under Auplopus by Townes ^, some extra- 

 limital species which have been placed in this genus have double basal 

 booklets. These are placed in other genera by the writer. The 

 absence of basal booklets at base of volsellae is another character 

 which separates the genus Auplopus from Ageniella as the latter has 

 double basal booklets instead of no booklets. Auplopus has a small 

 flap which projects outward from base of volsellae, larger and broader 

 than booklets and obtuse at apex instead of acute. The basal hook- 

 lets are always in front of the volseUae in other genera and also 

 generally project downward. The groove that extends from base of 

 rear wings to the middle coxae on side of thorax has a small pit about 

 apical third just above it; a groove extends from this pit to the pos- 

 terior coxae, it is evident and rather strong (which separates this 

 genus rather well from Ageniella in the males, as it is obsolete or 



« Nearctlc wasps of the subfamilies Pepslnae and Ceropallnae, U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 209, pp. 143-167, 1957. 



