REVISION OF LEUCOSPIDAE 195 



Leucospis japonica var./ormosana Strand, 1911a : 98-99, §. LECTOTYPE§ (here designated), 



Taiwan: Taihanroku (MNHU, Berlin) [examined]. Syn. n. 

 Leucospis orientalis Weld, 1922 : 28-29, $• Holotype $, China: Soochow (USNM) [examined]. 



Syn. n. 



L. exornata is the same species as L. japonica as presumed already by Schletterer 

 (1890 : 227), although he examined only one specimen of japonica and could not 

 see the types. The lectotypes of the two are hardly different even in extension of 

 the yellow markings, except that the narrow lines bordering mesoscutum laterally 

 are missing in japonica, as one could expect in a more northerly specimen. In 

 southern specimens the yellow colour is more spread, forming eventually a cross-band 

 on the pronotum and often the basal macula of hind femur is connected with the 

 spreading dorso-apical streak. The latter form was described as var. formosana 

 and is within the range of variation of the species (cf. also Masi (1932 : 33-36), 

 Watanabe (1946 : 80) and Habu (1962 : 175)). In many species the yellow colour 

 is more spread on specimens from warmer countries, but this spreading is gradual, 

 probably caused by temperature and does not seem to have any taxonomic 

 importance. 



The holotype of L. orientalis is a specimen of japonica with unusually pale 

 (discoloured) markings. Weld (1922) compared orientalis with L. affinis Say, 

 which seems peculiar; probably she ran her specimen through the key to the New 

 World species in Schletterer (1890). 



The species is well redescribed by Masi (1932 : 33-36, figs 1, 2) and by Habu 

 (1962 : 170-175; pl- 3. ng. 3. pl- 7. fig- 5. figs 322-325, 330, 333, 334, 336, 337, 339) 

 who cites also the previous literature. Ashmead (19046 : 147) was the first to 

 describe the male. 



It is interesting that also in this species specimens occur in which the yellow 

 of the markings may turn orange, as is well known in the Mediterranean L. gigas 

 Fabricius. I have seen two females from West Tien-Mu-Shan in China, with 

 markings orange and the wings darker than usual and one female from Nepal 

 (westernmost locality!) with orange-red markings, including two elongate submedian 

 spots on the mesoscutum, but otherwise similar to another female from Assam, 

 in which orange are: a small transverse spot anteriorly and a cross-band posteriorly 

 on the pronotum, slightly lateral margins of mesoscutum, macula on scutellum 

 posteriorly, two oblique spots on the first tergite (female), a cross-band on fifth 

 tergite, dorsal edge of hind coxa and hind femur with the usual lunate basal cross- 

 fascia and a dorso-apical spot. 



Biology. The hosts are mainly the Megachiline bees, but also Sphecidae and 

 Eumenidae were recorded. Habu (1962 : 174) lists all previous records (with 

 references) which include the bees Megachile disjunctiformis Cockerell, M. nipponica 

 Cockerell, M. scuipturalis Smith, Osmia excavata Alfken and 0. taurus Smith, then 

 the Sphecids (Sceliphron inflexam Sickmann =) Chalybion japonicum (Gribodo), 

 Isodontia nigella (Smith) and an unidentified Sphecid, and the Eumenid wasp 

 (Rhynchium mandarineum Saussure =) Anterhynchium flavopunctatwn (Smith). 

 He repeats also the observation of Iwata (1933 : 14) that the larva of Leucospis 

 japonica could not develop on another Eumenid species (Ancistrocerus fukaianus 



