182 z. bouCek 



The ELEGANS-Group 



This group is similar to the p etiolata-gx oup but the species have the pronotal 

 carinae distinctly raised in the middle, including the short discal carina, and the 

 sides of the pronotum are convex, the lateral panel not being depressed. Another 

 important character is the form of the teeth of the hind femur, which shows greater 

 similarity to the species-groups classified further below. 



The group is widely distributed in the Old World and includes in the Indo- 

 Australian region the following species: Leucospis guzeratensis West wood, 

 L. bombayensis Mani, L. malaica Schletterer, L. femoricincta sp. n., L. robusta Weld, 

 L. procera Schletterer, L. funerea Schletterer, L. moleyrei Maindron, L. ventricosa 

 sp. n. and L. violaceipennis Strand. L. elegans Klug, with its area of distribution 

 spreading from Egypt and the Sudan to Pakistan, is treated with the African 

 species above (p. 114). 



Leucospis guzeratensis Westwood 

 (Text-figs 194, 195) 



Leucospis Guzeratensis Westwood, 1839 : 253-254, pi. 3, fig. 2, 9- LECTOTYPE 9 (here 



designated), India: Bombay region, Gujarat (UM, Oxford) [examined]. 

 Leucospis bengalensis Weld, 1922 : 32-33, 9- Holotype 9. India: Bengal (USNM) [examined]. 



Syn. n. 

 Leucospis ramakrishnai Mani, 1935 : 248-249, fig. 4, 9- Holotype 9. India: Bihar, Pusa 



(ZSI, Calcutta) [examined]. Syn. n. 

 Polistomorpha paivai Mani, 1936 : 338-339, $. Holotype $, India: Purneah District, Katihar 



(ZSI, Calcutta) [examined]. Syn. n. 

 Leucospis bengalensis var. mackenziei Mani, 1936 : 339, 9- Holotype 9. India: Chapra (ZSI, 



Calcutta) [examined]. Syn. n. 



The only known type-specimen of guzeratensis is designated as lectotype. It 

 agrees with the interpretation of Schletterer (1890 : 224-226), although his 

 synonymization with L. petiolata Fabricius was wrong. The lectotype belongs 

 to a form with moderately poor pale markings and fits the original description well 

 except that also the scutellum has indicated spots postero-laterally. Also 

 L. bengalensis, with var. mackenziei, L. ramakrishnai and P. paivai are only mere 

 forms of L. guzeratensis which is unusually variable in the extent of the whitish 

 markings. The complete pattern includes scape beneath, two bands on pronotum, 

 lateral streaks on mesoscutum, two spots on' scutellum and on base of the first 

 tergite, two bands on gaster, then metapleurum, dorsum of hind coxa, apex of 

 fore femur, broad band basally and dorsally on hind femur and all tibiae dorsally. 

 It may be reduced to a different degree, but the variation does not seem to depend 

 on the provenience of the specimens which all share the characters used in the 

 key. 



It is possible that also L. bombayensis Mani is only a dwarf form of L. guzeratensis, 

 but I have not seen enough material to be sure. 



Biology. Unknown. 



Distribution. Pakistan, India, Burma. 



