Mr. R. E. Turner on Fossorial Hymenoptera. 69 



IX. — Notes on Fossorial Hymenoptera. — XXXIX. New 

 Sphecoidea collected in Palestine by Major E. E. Austen. 

 By Rowland E. Turner, F.Z.S./F.E.S. 



Psammcecius austeni, sp. n. 



6 . Niger ; scapo subtus flavo ; segmentis abdominalibus tribus 

 basalibus, pedibusque, coxis exceptis, rufo-ferrugiueis ; flagello 

 articulis 9-10 subtus ferrugiueis, excavatis ; articulo apicali 

 subtus et apice brunneo-ferrugineo, fortiter curvato ; alis hyalinis, 

 cellula radiali, cellulisque cubitalibus secunda tertiaque fortiter 

 infuscatis ; venis nigris, stigmate fiavo. 

 $ . Mari simillima, flagello nigro, articulis baud excavatis ; cellula 



cubitali tertia hyalina. 

 Long., $ 9 mm., $ 10 mm. 



<$ . Eyes strongly convergent towards the clypeus, posterior 

 ocelli a little further from eacli other than from the eves; 

 vertex and front strongly and closely punctured. Clypeus 

 broadly and roundly deflexed at the apex, the deflexed portion 

 smooth and shining, the basal portion closely punctured. 

 Thorax and sides of the median segment closely and coarsely 

 punctured; the triangular basal area of: the median segment 

 coarsely longitudinally striate-reticulate. First and second 

 tergites strongly but not very closely punctured, less closed v 

 than in P. punctulatuSj Lind., and less coarsely than in 

 P. luxurwsus, Rad. ; the apical tergites more closely and 

 finely punctured ; sternites shining, very sparsely punctured. 

 At the apex of the three basal tergites the red colouring shows 

 a tendency to change to yellow, forming an obscure, narrow, 

 reddish-yellow apical fascia. Neuration as in P. punctalatus. 

 ? . Pygidial area longitudinally striate ; fore metatarsus 

 with five long spatulate whitish spines. Flagellum simple, 

 the apical joints not excavated or curved. 



Hab. Jerisheh, N.E. of Jaffa; 1 $ , May 1-8, 1918; 1 ?, 

 April 29, 1918. 



Very different in colour to puncfulatus and luxuriosus ; the 

 antennae are also stouter and the pul villi larger than in either 

 of those species. I think Psammcecius, L u p., is sufficiently 

 distinct to be given generic rank, though Handlirsch sinks it 

 under Gorytes. The name Gorytes certainly cannot stand, 

 and must be replaced for the genus in the widest sense either 

 by Ceropales, Latr., or Arpactus, Jur. 



Ann. cC* Mag. N. Hist. iSer. 9. Vol. iv. 6 



