328 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



SPHEGID^. 



Gen. OXYBELUS, Latr. 



OXYBELUS AETHIOPICUS, Sp. nOV. 



Black, a mark, sharply narrowed on the inner side, on either side 

 of the apex of the pronotum, a spot on the outer edge opposite the 

 tegulae, an oval, oblique mark on the base of the scutellum at the 

 sides, the apical lateral angles, forming a triangular large mark, two 

 large semi-circular marks on the apex of the first abdominal segment, 

 two longer, narrower ones, obliquely dilated on the inner third, and 

 transverse lines on the apices of the following three segments, the 

 lines becoming gradually wider, lemon-yellow. Legs black, the apex 

 of the fore femora narrowly, of the middle more broadly below, and 

 the base of all the tibiae, lemon-yellow ; the enlarged apical joint of 

 the tarsi rufous ; the calcaria pale fulvous ; the tibial spines darker 

 coloured. Wings hyaline, the nervures black. Apical half of the 

 antennal flagellum rufous. Middle of mandibles broadly rufous. 

 Scutellar spines large, longer than the width at the base ; their apex 

 with a rounded incision, longer than the width at the apex ; the 

 post-scutellar spine nearly three times longer than wide, roundly 

 bent above, of almost equal width throughout, the apical incision 

 triangular, large, as long as the width at the apex ; in its centre is a 

 moderately stout longitudinal keel, bordered by a few oblique ones ; 

 its sides yellowish, tinged with rufous. Scutellum strongly, but not 

 very closely punctured ; mesonotum more closely, but not so 

 strongly punctured. Metanotum shagreened, opaque, irregularly 

 transversely striated, except the basal area and the keels bordering 

 and leading from it ; the area is depressed, triangular, the length 

 longer than the width at the base, which is closed by a transverse 

 keel ; the lower part of the spine is bordered by two keels between 

 which are a few transverse ones ; the two longitudinal keels are 

 bordered at the bottom by a transverse one, which extends laterally 

 beyond them ; above it is a stout tranverse one forming with the keel 

 of the large area a smaller, somewhat triangular area. Pro- and 

 mesopleurse strongly, closely punctured ; the metapleuras closely 

 obliquely striated. Abdomen strongly and closely punctured ; the 

 apex of the segments depressed, the depression clearly defined, 

 closely striated, more or less reticulated and pale-yellow. Last 

 segment black, closely striated above, the sides keeled ; below it is 

 smooth and shining down the centre. Apex of clypeus depressed, 

 smooth, shining, transverse. 





