1987] 
Carpenter — Eumenine genus Zeta 
255 
“Ferruginous, or brown-ferruginous, and black without yellow 
markings. In some examples (transitional to hubrichi) part of the 
posterior margin of the pronotum and apex of tergum I may 
be yellow.” 
vs. 
“Yellow markings fairly extensive both on thorax and abdomen.” 
This vague couplet fails for numerous specimens in the MCZ from 
Brazil, Nova Teutonia, determined by Giordani Soika as orbignii, 
as well as other specimens from Paraguay and Argentina. This sub- 
species is supposed to key to the first alternative, but may have the 
yellow markings as extensive as in hubrichi or distinguendum, 
which are supposed to key to the second alternative. But examina- 
tion of these specimens further shows that the distinction between 
the typical subspecies and orbignii does not hold up. The typical 
form is distinguished from orbignii only by having the second ter- 
gum darker than successive terga and the mesosoma. Typical argil- 
laceum is confined to the Guianas, while orbignii is listed in 
Giordani Soika (1975) as occurring in Trinidad, Brazil, Bolivia, 
Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina — although he himself (pp. 
116 and 119) noted transitional forms in Brazil, Paraguay and 
Argentina. The specimens in the MCZ, CU and USNM show great 
variation in the darkness of tergum II throughout the range of 
orbignii. There are specimens assignable to the typical subspecies 
from Trinidad, Brazil, Peru, Paraguay and Argentina (as well as 
Venezuela and Colombia). Recognition of orbignii as a subspecies 
separate from the typical form is therefore unwarranted. The speci- 
mens cited by Giordani Soika as transitional to hubrichi also belong 
here. Two specimens labelled as such by Giordani Soika are in the 
collections of CU and the USNM, and they have the terga dark. One 
other “subspecies” keys to the first alternative of the first couplet, 
and belongs here. This is incarum Giordani Soika, described from 
the Cordillera in Peru. I have seen two specimens from CU. It is the 
only subspecies distinguished in the key by a morphological feature, 
namely the relative length of the hair on the scutum. However, this 
also occurs in the subspecies peruense, as well as numerous other 
species of eumenines found at higher elevations throughout the 
world. It seems to be primarily an ecological correlate. There is no 
other difference — the metasomal terga are black or brown, as in 
typical argillaceum. 
