26 
Psyche 
[March 
ever saw any other specimens of the genus. On the other hand, Ash- 
mead was a sufficiently careless person so that it is quite believable 
that he may have jotted down “Peru” when he meant “Brazil”. At 
any rate, I accept this as the type of hifasciatus and have presented a 
description of it below, along with a new name for Haupt’s specimen 
from Costa Rica. 
Still further problems remain. Was Ashmead correct in placing 
maximiliani in the synonymy of Cresson’s aztecus, or was Bradley 
correct in resurrecting it? If Epipojnpilus and Aulocostethus are 
synonyms, what is the status of Banks’ Epicostethus, said to share some 
of the characters of both genera? What is the correct generic place- 
ment of Epipompilus msularis Kohl, from New Zealand? Finally, 
what is the male sex of Epipompilus ? 
On the following pages I have presented a brief synopsis of 
Epipompilus in which answers to all of these questions are proposed. 
I do not mean to imply that all problems in the genus are solved : my 
synopsis is based on a mere 18 specimens of these exceedingly rare 
insects. There are doubtless undiscovered species, and the males of 
most of the species have yet to be found. But at least I hope that I 
have supplied a sounder framework for future studies than has 
previously been available. 
Genus Epipompilus Kohl 
Epipompilus Kohl, 1884. Verh. K. K. Zool.-Bot. Gesell. Wien, 34: 57. [Type 
species: Epipompilus maximiliani Kohl, 1884 ( — aztecus Cresson 1869) 
(designated by Ashmead, 1900)]. 
Aulocostethus Ashmead, 1902, Canad. Ent., 34: 132. [Type species: Auloco- 
stethus hifasciatus Ashmead, 1902 (monobasic and original designation)]. 
New synonymy. 
Epicostethus Banks, 1947, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 99: 445. [Type species: 
Epicostethus will'.amsi Banks, 1947 (monobasic)]. New synonymy. 
Generic characters. — Maxillary palpi unusually elongate, antepe- 
nultimate segment the longest and distinctly longer than third antennal 
segment ; labial palpi with the penultimate segment broadly ovate, the 
ultimate segment attached to one side of it; mandibles stout, rather 
smooth, with a few setae but without a lamina on the inferior margin 
which subtends a fimbriate groove, inner margin with a single strong 
tooth well back from apex; labrum partially exserted, broad and 
short, apical margin of clypeus broadly truncate or arcuately concave ; 
flagellum with rather coarse, bristling, semi-erect pubescence, particu- 
larly on the inner side of the basal segments of the female and on the 
outer side of the entire flagellum of the male; head broader than 
high, front with distinct small punctures; eyes densely covered with 
short hairs (reduced and scarcely noticeable in some females and in 
