PSYCHE 
Vol. 73 December, 1966 No. 4 
DISCOVERY OF THE FEMALE PLUMARIUS 
(HYMENOPTERA, PLUMARIIDAE) 1 
By Howard E. Evans 
Museum of Comparative Zoology 
The family Plumariidae has long been a puzzle to hymenop- 
terists. It is represented by two poorly known genera: Plumarius , 
which ranges throughout arid and semiarid regions from Ecuador 
to Chile and Argentina, and Myrmecopterina , known from semi- 
arid situations in South Africa. The two* genera are very similar ; 
both are of generally pale coloration and possess large eyes and 
ocelli, not unlike other nocturnal Aculeata such as certain Mutil- 
lidae and Tiphiidae. Both genera have been known for many years 
from males only, and nothing whatever is known of their biology. 
They are commonly placed in the superfamily Scolioidea, although 
their strange antennae and wings, unusual development of the front 
of the head, long legs, lack of constriction between the first two 
metasomal segments, and other unusual features leave one wonder- 
ing if this is, in fact, the correct taxonomic assignment for this 
family. 
Many years ago my former professor, J. C. Bradley (1921a), 
remarked regarding Plumarius that “any one who will discover and 
make known the female and her habits will cover himself with well 
merited distinction . . . The female will undoubtedly yield important 
evidence of the correct systematic position for the genus.” The dis- 
tinction of discovery belongs to Drs, E. S. Ross and E. I. Schlinger, 
who collected two females in Peru and sent them to me as Bethy- 
lidae. After much study, I am convinced they can be nothing other 
than females of the genus Plumarius . The distinction of elucidating 
their habits remains to be claimed. 
These two females were collected 22 miles north of Pativilca, in 
Lima Province, Peru, on January 15, 1955, at 150 meters elevation. 
’Research and publication supported by a grant from the National Sci- 
ence Foundation, No. GB-1544. 
Manuscript received by the editor October 22, 1966. 
229 
