Cerceris zapoteca de Saussure 1867

South. Ariz. to west. Tex. south to Panama.

Cerceris kennicottii smithiana Cameron

Cerceris smithiana Cameron 1890:119, pl. VII: figs. 17, 17a, b, c, d.—Dalla Torre, C. G., 1897:477.—Ashmead 1899:296.

FEMALE.—Length 8 mm. Black with creamy-white to very light yellow markings; closely pitted; pubescence very short.

Head subequal in width to the thorax; black except for small frontal eye patches and a small spot on the mandibles near the base, all of which are white to yellow; clypeal border with five indistinct denticles, the mesal one much the smallest; clypeal process truncate with three low, rounded denticles on its free margin; mandibles with one small denticle, distad of which there is a slightly elevated carina; antennae normal in form with a light patch on the scape.

Thorax black except for a band on the pronotum, the scutellum, the metanotum, a triangular area with a smaller, more lateral patch on the propodeum, all of which are creamy white to light yellow; tegulae normal; enclosure nearly smooth and with a medial groove; mesosternal tubercle small with a minute light spot; legs dark fuscous except for an elongate patch on the hind femora and elongate patches on all tibiae; wings subhyaline, but darker along the anterior borders.

Abdomen dark fuscous to black except for a wide band on tergum 1, a medium band becoming greatly expanded laterally on tergum 2, a narrow band on tergum 4, and a broken line on tergum 5, all of which are very light yellow to white; venter immaculate; pygidium as illustrated (Figure 108c).

MALE.—Length 7 to 8 mm. Black with creamy-white to light yellow markings; closely pitted; pubescence very short.

Head subequal in width to the thorax; black except frontal eye patches and an evanescent spot on the medial lobe of the clypeus, all of which are white to light yellow; mandibles with a small acute denticle; antennae normal in form.

Thorax black except for a broken band on the pronotum, a band on the scutellum, the metanotum, a triangular area on the propodeum, and the tegulae, all of which are creamy white to light yellow; tegulae normal in form; enclosure with the usual medial groove and deeply pitted along the lateral borders; mesosternal tubercle absent; legs black except for elongate patches on all tibiae and most tarsi; wings normal.

Abdomen black except tergum 1, a band on tergum 2 that extends forward along the lateral margins of the tergum, an evanescent line on tergum 3, solid narrow lines on terga 4, 5, and 6, sternum 1, basal portion of sternum 2, and evanescent lateral spots on other sterna, all of which are white to light yellow.

TYPES.—The type female of C. smithiana Cameron from Atoyac, Veracruz, Mexico (H. H. Smith), is at the British Museum of Natural History (21.1,369).

DISTRIBUTION.—Scattered records from southern Mexico, but more common in Central America. Specimens are as follows:

CENTRAL AMERICA: COSTA RICA: 6♂, Turrialba, 2080 ft, 12, 24 July 1963 (S and B); 59♂, 6 mi W Turrialba, 3800 ft, 13–15, 23 July 1963 (S and B). EL SALVADOR: 4♂, Mount San Salvador, 8 July 1963 (DC and MEI); ♀, Quezaltepeque, 17 June 1963 (DC and MEI). GUATAMALA: ♀, 5 mi E Escuintla, 2500 ft, 1 July 1963 (S and B); 2♀, Moca Guatalon, 1000 m, March-April 1931 (JB).

MEXICO: CHIAPAS: ♀, Comitan, 3 March 1953 (RCB and EIS). JALISCO: ♂, 9 mi S Guadalajara, 29 July 1965 (HEE). SAN LUIS POTOSÍ: 3♂, 40 mi S San Luis Potosí: 5700 ft, 5 September 1963 (S and B).

PREY RECORD.—None.

PLANT RECORD.—None