1986] 
Porter — Biconus in Peru 
53 
postpetiole, sometimes absent. Second tergite mat, usually with fine 
and dense micro-reticulation but lacking discrete punctures and 
almost without setae, but sometimes with fine and dense short setae 
that originate in very tiny, inconspicuous punctures. Ovipositor 
0. 30-0.45 as long as fore wing; straight, moderately slender to rather 
stout; nodus weak but with a minute notch; ventral valve on tip with 
sharp, well spaced inclivously oblique ridges. 
Biconus occurs at moderate elevations in the Andes of tropical 
South America from Ecuador to Bolivia. Many species inhabit 
montane wet forests. They are most often collected by sweeping 
undergrowth in areas with a flora characterized by tree ferns, a 
woody arborescent element rich in Myrtaceae and Lauraceae, and 
by strikingly diverse epiphytic bromeliads and orchids. 
Biconus apoecus Porter (n. sp.) is the only species that frequents 
relatively arid habitats. It is found in semihumid valleys of the west 
Andean foothills along the Peruvian coast from near Lima north at 
least as far as Trujillo. These valleys doubtless were much wetter 
only 10,000 years ago during the most recent glacial maximum and 
even today support a relict cloud forest vegitation. 
Key to Peruvian Species of Biconus 
1. Flagellum uniformly dark; fore wing with a median and an apical 
brown area; mesosoma and gaster ferruginous with black on 
mesoscutum, tegula, and most of scutellum; mesopleuron 
mostly with delicate and irregular wrinkling; 2nd recurrent 
0.7-0. 8 as long as 1st abscissa of cubitus; male 1st flagello- 
mere with many but sparse and inconspicuous linear whitish 
sensilla B. apoecus n. sp. 
1/ Flagellum with a white band; fore wing with a single median 
brown blotch; mesosoma and gaster brownish yellow to 
orange; mesopleuron with much sharp, horizontal wrinkling; 
2nd recurrent 0.4-0. 5 as long as 1st abscissa of cubitus; male 
1st flagellomere with prominent and rather crowded linear 
white sensilla 2. B. subflavus n. sp. 
1 . Biconus apoecus Porter, new species 
(Fig. 2, cf. Fig. 4) 
Female. Color: antenna black with some pale brown on scape; 
head black; mandible black except for dull brown subapically and 
