92 Z. BOUCEK 



The cayennensis-group includes the type-species of Metallopsis Westwood but 

 I do not regard it useful to call the group a subgenus, because some other groups 

 are not so readily separated. It includes Leucospis cayennensis Westwood, 

 mexicana Walker, genalis sp. n., addenda sp. n., metatibialis sp. n., ignota Walker 

 and clavigaster sp. n.; all confined to Central and South America. 



Leucospis cayennensis Westwood 

 (Text-figs 107-110) 



Leucospis (Metallopsis) Cayennensis Westwood, 1839 : 264-265, pi. 4, fig. 4, $. LECTOTYPE 

 $ (here designated), French Guiana: Cayenne (MNHU, Berlin) [examined]. 



Leucospis tomentosa Kirby, 1883 : 70, 9- LECTOTYPE 9 (here designated). West Indies: 

 St Thomas (BMNH) [examined]. 



Leucospis distinguenda Schletterer, 1890 : 269-271, O. Holotype $, Brazil: Santa Catarina, 

 Blumenau (NM, Vienna) [examined]. Syn. n. 



The size of the body varies greatly, in female 8-5-12-5 mm, which affects to 

 some extent also the sculpture, whilst the relatively poor markings change only 

 slightly. In my opinion the only specimen known as L. distinguenda is nothing 

 but a dwarf of L. cayennensis. It shows a relatively coarser sculpture, mainly 

 on the first tergite, and hind femur appears slenderer, its upper margin being less 

 arched. 



I selected the lectotype of L. tomentosa out of three original specimens. It was 

 rightly synonymized with L. cayennensis by Schletterer (1890 : 266, 269) who, on 

 the other hand misunderstood and incorrectly synonymized L. mexicana Walker 

 with cayennensis. 



Biology. Hosts not known for certain, but one specimen was reared from a 

 mud cell, 'possibly of a bee', in Guayana. 



Distribution. Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, 

 St. Thomas, Trinidad, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Guayana, French 

 Guiana, Brazil. 



Material examined. 



Type data given in synonymy. 



Mexico: Colima, Volcano, 1 $ (BMNH); N. Yucatan, Temax, 1 $ (Gaunter) 

 (BMNH); Chiapas, Rio de la Venta, Pan-Am. Highway, 6.viii.i956, 3 $, 17 $ (J. W. 

 MacSwain) (CIS, Berkeley). Guatemala: no locality, 1 $ (Stole) (EI, Zurich); 

 Retalhulen, 1 $ (NM, Vienna); El Salto, Escuintla, vi. 1934, 1 ? (F. X. Williams) 

 (BBM, Honolulu). Honduras: San Pedro Sula, 1 $ (MCSN, Genoa), 1891, 1 6* 

 (Kugel) (BMNH). Nicaragua: nr Bluefields and Wasta, 6 $ (Schramm) (MNHU, 

 Berlin). Costa Rica: Palmar, Dept. Puntarenas, 1 <$ (Allen) (MCZ, Cambridge); 

 Turrialba, 1 $ (Heyne) (DEI, Eberswalde). Panama: Tuipo, viii. 1922, 1 $ (Chapin) 

 (MCZ, Cambridge); Gatun Lake, Cano Saddle, v. 1923, 1 $ (Shannon) (BMNH); 

 Potrerillos, ii. 1935, 1 $ (DE, Davis); Darien, 1 $ (Geay) (MNHN, Paris). Canal 



