BICONUS IN PERU, WITH NOTICE OF 
AN ENDEMIC SPECIES FROM THE COASTAL DESERT 
(HYMENOPTERA: ICHNEUMONIDAE). 
By Charles C. Porter 1 
Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University 
Bronx, NY 10458 
Introduction 
Taxonomy and Relationships 
Townes (1969:178-9) places Biconus in his Subtribe Ischnina 
(Ischnus, Trachysphyrus and allied mesostenine genera), where he 
considers it related to Chromocryptus 2 , Cryptopteryx, and Tra- 
chysphyrus. Biconus, however, shows some features unapproached 
or rarely approximated by members of the preceding genera. These 
characters include absence of tyloids on the male flagellum, 
medially bituberculate clypeus, profoundly cleft female 4th tarso- 
mere, and tendency for loss or reduction of the brachiella vein. I 
remain uncertain as to the affinities of Biconus. Comparative analy- 
sis of mesostenine genera in all parts of the world probably will be 
necessary to clarify this problem. 
Collections 
Specimens of Biconus have been or are to be deposited in the 
following institutional and personal collections. 
Cambridge. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univer- 
sity, Cambridge, MA 02138. 
Gainesville. Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Bureau of 
Entomology, Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department 
of Agriculture and Consumer Services, P. O. Box 1269, 1911 
SW 34th Street, Gainesville, FL 32602. 
'Research Associate, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of 
Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, P.O. Box 1269, 
Gainesville FL 32602. 
Manuscript received by the editor May 24, 1985 
2 Townes’ concept of Chromocryptus includes the species of Trachysphyrus (sensu 
Porter 1967) in which the axillus vein is close to the anal margin of the hind wing. 
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