lb ' mi 



724. 

 CLEPTES NITIDULA. 



Order Hymenoptera. Fam. Chrysididae. 



Type of the Genus, Sphex semiaurata Linn. 



Cleftes Lat., Fab., Shuck., Curt. — Ichneumon Rossi. — Sphex Linn. 



Antenna inserted near the margin of the clypeus, approximating, 

 not so long as the thorax, geniculated, velvety, a little attenu- 

 ated in the male, and 13-jointed, basal joint the longest and 

 stoutest, metallic and hairy, 2nd the shortest, obovate-truncate, 

 3rd twice as long and linear, the following shorter, oblong, 

 slightly attenuated to the apical joint which is the slenderest 

 and elliptic-conic (1 (^) : shorter, the flagellum curved and atte- 

 nuated to the base and apex in the female, 2nd joint not very 

 short, 3rd long and narrowed at the base. 

 Labrum forming a small homy subovate lobe, ciliated w^ith long 

 hairs (2). 



Mandibles elongate-subtrigonate, tridentate on the inside to- 

 wards the apex, pilose externally (3). 



MaxilliB terminated by a large ovate ciliated lobe, with a smaller 

 pubescent one on the inside. Palpi not very long, pubescent, 

 5-jointed, 2 basal joints rather short, 3rd longer, very stout, 

 subovate, 4th not so stout, but about as long, 5th the longest, 

 slender and linear (4). 



Mentum corset- shaped. Lip small, fleshy and concealed. Palpi 

 moderate, remote, pilose, triarticulate, 2 basal joints obovate, 

 truncated obliquely, 3rd joint much longer, subfusiform (5). 

 Head short, transverse, narrowed behind : eyes oval : ocelli 3, forming 

 a triangle on the crown of the head. Thorax obovate with longitu- 

 dinal sutures, and divided transversely into 4 segments : scutel semi- 

 ovate : metathorax subquadrate, the angles acuminated. Abdomen 

 ovate, depressed, not concave beneath, 5-jointed in the males, 4-jointed 

 in the females : oviduct exserted, telescopiform, as long as the body 

 (7 ? ), with an aculeus at the apex (a) and a lanceolate valve be- 

 neath (y). Wings superior with a small sublanceolate costal cell and 

 2 discoidal cells, the external longitudinal nervures reaching the 

 margin: inierior "w'mgs with very faint nervures. hegs moderate : 

 thighs short, incrassated towards the base: tibiae clavate, spurred at 

 the apex : tarsi simple, 5-jointed, basal joint long, 4th small : claws 

 and pul villi distinct (8 f). 



NiTiDULA Fab. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 656. 2. 



From the numerous illustrations we have given of the Cyni- 

 pidae of Latreille, it will be remembered that they either have 

 no labrum, or it is so minute that it has not been discovered, 

 except in Perilampus and Smiera : the small labrum of 

 Cleptes forms a beautiful transition from the above family to 

 the Chrysidae through Hedychrum; and I have lately received 

 a most remarkable metallic Bee from America, I believe from 

 Columbia, which will prove, I expect, that there exists a 

 strong affinity between the Andrenidee and Chrysidae. La- 

 treille considered that Cleptes was allied to Bethylus (PI. 720), 



