THE GENUS PRIOTOMIS IN ARGENTINA 
(HYMENOPTERA, ICHNEUMONIDAE)* 
By Charles C. Porter 
Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University 
Bronx, N.Y. 10458 
The genus Priotomis (Townes, 1969, p. 292) was placed by its 
author in the subtribe Lymeonina of the ichneumonid tribe Meso- 
stenini. While data provided by a study of the new species treated 
in this article do not controvert that placement, it is well to empha- 
size that Priotomis shows a number of singularly aberrant characters 
unparalleled among other genera of its subtribe. For example, the 
presence of a series of teeth on the dorsal valve of the ovipositor tip 
recalls the Baryceratina rather than the Lymeonina, whereas the 
specialized, twisted mandibular apex is not found in any other meso- 
stenine genus. 
Priotomis was described from a unique female collected in the 
wet subtropical forest of Santa Catarina State in southern Brasil. 
Now, however, another specimen has come to light, from the inver- 
nally deciduous Chaco Forest of northwest Argentina, and this form, 
while agreeing perfectly with Townes’ diagnosis of Priotomis, dif- 
fers in so many respects from its Brazilian congener that it must be 
recognized as a separate species. 
Genus Priotomis Townes 
Priotomis Townes, 1969. Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst., 12: 292-293. 
Type: Priotomis rana Townes. Original designation. 
Length of fore-wing: 6.07.8 mm. Body: relatively robust. Eyes: 
somewhat protruding. Clypeus: uniformly flat or with the basal 
0.6 weakly convex and the apical 0.4 flat; apical margin straight or 
a little convex, thin, without a tooth or median irregularity. Man- 
dible: with its apex twisted in such a manner that the lower tooth 
is located almost directly beneath the upper tooth. Pronotum: epomia 
absent; dorsal margin not swollen. Mesoscutum: short, mat, with 
rather dense setae; notauli absent. Mesopleuron: sternaulus weak or 
well defined, but not extending more than half the distance to middle 
coxa. Mesosternum: median part of postpectal carina absent. Wing 
venation: areolet small, square, apically open; nervulus antefurcal; 
mediella strongly arched ; axillus relatively close to the hind margin 
of the wing and parallel to it. Propodeum: short, its basal trans- 
*Manuscript received by the editor June 18, 1972 
231 
