REVISION OF LEUCOSPIDAE 91 



second, third and fourth strongly transverse, subequal in length, fifth still fully e as broadwict 

 as long and subdepressed medially, sixth shallowly depressed and less transverse; seventh (last) 

 sternite slightly transverse, shallowly concave, apex rounded. 



In the female from Carnuaru (Brazil), which agrees in essential characters with 

 the mentioned paratype of metallica, the following deviations are found. 



Body only 6-5 mm. Gaster more compressed from sides, therefore narrower, 2-45 times as 

 long as broad, first tergite nearly i-i times as long as broad, fifth tergite 0-85 times as long as 

 broad, pilosity white, bands at apical margins of fourth and fifth tergite silvery (not golden) ; 

 ovipositor slightly longer, reaching basal quarter of fifth tergite. Colour of body generally dark 

 metallic, fifth (and first) tergite except near base of ovipositor (where bright green) mainly dark 

 cyaneous to purplish black, bottoms of punctures bright blue; mesoscutum laterally and 

 posteriorly regularly bordered with pale yellow. Wings dark greyish to blackish infumate (not 

 yellowish brown). 



In spite of these discrepancies I have no doubt that the specimen is within the 

 range of variation of the species. 



This species has the body still more compact than the closely related but more 

 northerly L. robertsoni Crawford, has a more convex mesoscutum and broader 

 hind femora, whilst the puncturation of the body is distinctly finer and denser, 

 the infumation of the wings generally weaker. The outer spur of the hind tibia is 

 very long, although still shorter than the inner spur. 



Biology. Host not known. 



Distribution. Brazil, Argentina. 



Material examined. 



Brazil: State Pernambuco, Carnuaru, 900 m, iv. 1972, 1 $ (Alvarenga) (ERI, 

 Ottawa). Argentina: Santiago del Estero, Rio Salado, 1 $ (Wagner) (FCNM, La 

 Plata); Cordoba, 1 <$ (W. M. Davis) (MCZ, Cambridge); Cordoba, Calamuchita, 

 12.1.1938, 2 $ (FCNM, La Plata and BMNH). 



The CA YENNENSIS-Group 



The species of this group are rather different looking in the shape of the body but 

 all are distinctly metallic-coloured, partly quite vividly so, with extremely short 

 pubescence (at least on head and thorax), the pronotum has no cross-carina, the 

 clypeal margin usually bears a median tooth (indistinct in L. clavigaster) ; in the 

 males the exposed sculptured parts of the sternites are very broad and, in particular, 

 all the species have the same rather unusual form of the mandibles quite unique within 

 the genus: the lower tooth is narrow and long and separated from the inner edge 

 by a broad semicircular emargination, apparent even if the mandibles are closed 

 (Text-figs no, in, 116, 119). This feature may have some connection with the 

 biology. Although very little is known in this respect, the evidence suggests 

 that the species parasitise bees nesting in mud (or adobe) walls and not as do many 

 other species of the genus, viz. in various stalks of plants, in reeds, twigs, branches 

 and timber. This form of the mandibles may be a more effective tool for the 

 emerging Leucospis. 



