32 
Psyche 
[Vol. 93 
of the 561 specimens were collected then. These data agree closely 
with my earlier studies on south Texas mesostenine Ichneumonidae 
(Porter 1977), which reported peak diversity (20/34 species) and 
maximum abundance (138/679 specimens) for December and only 
slightly less impressive statistics for January (18 species and 135 
specimens). 
Acknowledgments 
This research was done principally under my current National 
Science Foundation Grant (BSR-83 13444) and in part was sup- 
ported by previous NSF awards (DEB-75-22426, GB-6925). Grants 
from the Committee for Research and Exploration of the National 
Geographic Society permitted field research in South America dur- 
ing 1973, 74, 75, 79, and ’81. Support also came from Faculty 
Fellowships conferred by Fordham University for the Spring 
Semester of 1980 and the Fall Term of 1984. 
As a Research Associate of the Florida State Department of 
Agriculture and Consumer Services, I have received generous sup- 
port from the Division of Plant Industry at Gainesville, among 
whose personnel special thanks befit Dr. Howard V. Weems, Jr., 
Dr. Lionel A. Stange, and Mr. Harold A. Denmark. All my collect- 
ing in South Florida was facilitated by the Division of Plant 
Industry. 
Material of Compsocryptus melanostigma was obtained in 
Argentina during repeated periods of cooperation with the Instituto 
Miguel Lillo of the Universidad de Tucuman. I am particularly 
indebted to Professor Rodolfo Golbach and to Dr. Abraham Wil- 
link of this institution. 
I also thank Mr. Thomas J. O’Neill of Fordham University for his 
assistance on fieldtrips to Argentina and Peru. 
Summary 
Compsocryptus is a mesostenine closely related to Trachysphy- 
rus. Its short notauli, long anterior side of areolet, medially situate 
axillus, long and upcurved ovipositor, and (usually) dark and yellow 
banded wings distinguish Compsocryptus from most other trachys- 
phyroids. There are 15 species centered in the Sonoran region of 
