1985] 
Porter — Trachysphyrus & Aeliopotes 
529 
distinguished in the female by differences of ovipositor tip shape 
and sculpture and in the male by less conspicuous and stable fea- 
tures of sculpture, proportion, and color. 
Variation. North Chilean specimens of T. metallicus appear 
superficially very different from Peruvian material, because of their 
bright purple ground color, largely orange legs, and more extensive 
white flagellar annulus. Indeed, some individuals from Matucana, 
Peru have the ground color almost uniformly blue, the legs beyond 
the trochanters blackish with metallic reflections, and the flagellar 
annulus relatively brief. However, recent collecting at Matucana, 
Peru has shown that some specimens in that population have an 
extensive purple sheen overlaying the blue ground color, as well as 
largely orange femora and tibiae, and a comparatively broad flagel- 
lar annulus. 
North Chilean populations of T. metallicus consequently repre- 
sent one extreme in what appears to be a gradual cline and do not 
warrant formal recognition either at the subspecific or specific level. 
Field Notes. This species occasionally enters Malaise Traps (1 
specimen from Socoroma, Chile), but is more often obtained by 
hand net on Baccharis or in alfalfa and oregano fields. Females 
consistently are swept from alfalfa patches. Possibly they parasitize 
some of the introduced noctuid pests, which attack this important 
forage crop that has been widely planted from the Puna to the 
coastal river valleys. 
2. Trachysphyrus carrascoi Porter 
(Fig. 12) 
Trachysphyrus carrascoi Porter, 1967. Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst. 10: 279-81. Type 9 : 
Peru, Lima Province, Matucana, 28-V-1920, Cornell University Expedition 
(Ithaca). 
I originally described this species from 2 females collected in 
Peru. At the same time I also mentioned, but excluded from the 
type series, 2 males from Putre in Tarapaca Province of north 
Chile (Porter 1967: 279-81). Recent fieldwork has added 6 females 
and 2 males of T. carrascoi. Study of this new material shows that 
the species does actually range from Matucana, Peru to north 
Chile but that the males which I originally associated with T. carras- 
coi probably belong to T. metallicus. 
