REVISION OF LEUCOSPIDAE 79 



therefore their metallic colours seem sometimes brighter. Furthermore the fore femur is less 

 distinctly carinate and is less flattened, fore tibia is more slender and not carinate dorsally, hind 

 coxa has sometimes some less densely punctured or even smooth parts, the smaller teeth of hind 

 femur are often less numerous and hind tibia is almost perpendicularly truncate at apex 

 (Text-figs 87, 89), with a distinct angle between its apical margin and the often short and stout 

 outer spur. In the last character, as well as in the broad sternites of the males, this group is 

 similar to the cayennensis-group. 



The group may be separated into two subgroups. The first (birkmani-subgrowp) 

 includes L. birkmani Crawford, L. auripyga sp. n. and L. desantisi sp. n. and may 

 be separated on the account of the weaker occipital carina, which is distinct 

 only behind the ocellar area and of the shorter basitarsus of hind tarsi. In the 

 second subgroup the occipital carina is much more distinct and the hind basitarsus 

 is at least as long, measured on dorsal edge, as the breadth of the hind tibia at 

 apex. This speifera-svLbgroup includes L. imitans sp. n., L. speifera Walker, L. 

 nigripyga sp. n., L. versicolor sp. n., L. sumichrastii Cresson, L. robertsoni Crawford 

 and L. enderleini Ashmead. 



Although the species are so numerous (and rather distinctive) no biological 

 data on them are known. 



Leucospis birkmani Brues 

 (Text-fig. 91) 



Leucospis birkmani Brues, 1925 : 23-25, $. Holotype $, U.S.A. : Texas, Lee County, Fedor 

 (MCZ, Cambridge) [examined]. 



This species may be easily recognised at first glance by the round whitish spot 

 anteriorly on pronotum and the unusually small ocelli with strongly raised space 

 between them. Otherwise L. birkmani is closely related to L. auripyga sp. n. and 

 to L. desantisi sp. n., more remotely also to the other species of the speifera-gvoup. 



Biology. Hosts not yet known. Imago from May till October. 



Distribution. South-western U.S.A. (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas), 

 Mexico. 



Material examined. 



Type data given in synonymy. 



U.S.A.: California, Truckee, Prosser Creek, 9.1X.1966, 1 <$ (DE, Davis); C, 

 San Diego County, Warner Springs, Julian, Scissors Crossing, Borrego Palm Canyon, 

 vii.-viii., 3 $, 1 $ (DE, Davis; MCZ, Cambridge; DE, Riverside); C, Riverside 

 County, Deep Canyon, vi. 1963, 1 $ (DE, Riverside) ; Arizona, Maricopa County, 

 Apache County, San Carlos, Pima County, Cochise County, Mt. Lemmon, Tuscon, 

 Nogales, Huanacha Mts, Bisbee, v.-x., 32 $, 15 $ (various depositories, inch DE, 

 Riverside and CIS, Berkeley); New Mexico, Eddy County, Guadalupe Mts., 1$ 

 (BMNH); Texas: Davis Mts, Chisos Mts, 2$ (various depositories). Mexico, 



