6 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 209 



Taxonomy 



The Psammocharidae belongs in the Vespoidea and, Hke the rest 

 of the Vespoidea, is probably a derivative of some scoliidlike stock. 

 Within the family are two main lines of evolution — the pepsine, 

 which is included entirely in the subfamily Pepsinae, and the psam- 

 mocharine, which is included in the subfamilies Psammocharinae 

 and Ccropalinae. Many authors recognize more than the three 

 subfamilies just mentioned. I have studied most of the material 

 available in the United States, and though this does not include many 

 of the critical exotic genera it is enough to convince me that probably 

 all of the additional subfamilies recognized by other authors should 

 be merged with one of these three. Homonotus and Aporus, often 

 segregated in the Homonotinae or Aporinae, definitely belong in the 

 Psammocharinae. Ireiiangelus and Notocyphus I place in the Cero- 

 palinae, and the "Alacromerinae" is considered a tribe of the Pepsinae. 

 The separation of Pepsis as a subfamily distinct from other pepsine 

 genera seems quite unjustified. The few ''Claveliinae" I have seen 

 are aberrant Pepsini. Olixon and related genera, often referred to 

 the Psammocharidae, belong in the Rhopalosomatidae, as evidenced 

 b}^ the articulation between the first and second abdominal segments, 

 upcurved sting, winged tarsal segments of some females, and lack of 

 a distinct transverse groove on the mesopleuron. 



Explanation of Figure 1 



a, Wings of a member of the subfamily Psammocharinae, to illustrate terminology: Cells 

 OF Forewing: a, Costal; b, median; c, submedian; d, anal; e, stigma; f, first cubital; 

 G, second cubital;' h, third cubital; i, fourth cubital; j, radial; k, first discoidal; l, second 

 discoidal; m, third discoidal; n, first brachial; o, second brachial; p, pocket of second discodial. 

 Cells of Hind Wing: q, Costellan; r, mediellan; s, submediellan; t, anal lobe; u, radiellan; 

 V, cubitellan; w, discoidellan; x, anellan. Veins of Forewing: 1, Costa; 2, subcosta; 

 3, medius; 4, submedius; 5, metacarpus; 6, radius; 7, cubitus; 8, discoideus; 9, subdiscoideus; 

 10, first intercubitus; 11, second intercubitus; 12, third intercubitus; 13, basal; 14, nervulus; 

 IS, first recurrent; 16, second recurrent. Veins of Hind Wing: 17, Costella; 18, subcost- 

 ella; 19, mediella; 20, submediella; 21, metacarpella; 22, radiella; 23, cubitella; 24, discoidella; 

 25, intercubitella; 26, nervellus. 



b, Side view of thorax of Cryptocheilus severini, to show the transverse groove on the 

 mesopleuron characteristic of all psammocharids. 



c, Side view of abdomen of Priocnemis yninorata, 9 , to illustrate the groove on the second 

 sternite characteristic of the Pepsinae, and the lateral crease on the first tergite. 



d, Part of middle leg of a member of the subfamily Psammocharinae, to show the spine- 

 like setae set in pits on the apical part of the femur, characteristic of this subfamily. 



e, Apex of hind tibia of Priocnemioides unifasciatus, 9» to show the uniform length of its 

 apical spinelike setae, characteristic of the Pepsinae and Ceropalinae, and the dorsal row 

 of teeth characteristic of many Pepsinae. 



/, Apex of hind tibia of a member of the subfamily Psammocharinae, to show the uneven 

 length and splaying of its apical spinelike setae, characteristic of most members of this 

 subfamily. 



