Cerceris evansi Scullen 1972

Cerceris evansi

FEMALE.—Length 10 mm. Black with light yellow markings; punctation average; pubescence very short.

Head subequal in width to the thorax; black except for greatly enlarged frontal eye patches, the yellow of which extends onto the lateral lobes of the clypeus, and a round spot back of each eye; clypeal free border with a broad medial extension, laterad of which there is a single low denticle; clypeal process reduced to two depressed rounded processes; mandibles with one small denticle and a yellow area near the base; antennae normal in form without yellow markings.

Thorax black except for a divided band on the pronotum, a band on the scutellum, a spot on the tegulae, two patches on each side of the propodeum, one of which borders the enclosure, and a small spot on the pleuron below the wing, all of which are light yellow; enclosure with a very slight medial groove, lightly rugose in the lateral angles, and lightly pitted over the remaining surface; mesopleural tubercle small but distinct; legs largely fuscous to the distal ends of the femori exclusive of the hind trochanters, which are somewhat lighter, tibiae and tarsi with a variable amount of yellow; wings subhyaline but slightly darker along the anterior margins.

Abdomen black with subequal light yellow bands becoming wider laterally on all terga; venter with variable lateral yellow patches on sterna 2, 3, 4, and 5; pygidium as illustrated (Figure 1536).

MALE.—Length 8 mm. Black with yellow markings; punctation average; pubescence short.

Head slightly wider than the thorax; black except the entire face below the antennal scrobes and above the free margin of the clypeus; minute evanescent yellow spots appearing back of the eyes; the medial clypeal extension terminating in three distinct denticles; mandibles with a single low inconspicuous denticle, with considerable yellow over the basal half; hair lobes extending over the lateral half of the lateral clypeal lobes.

Thorax black except for two elongate patches on the pronotum, small patches on the tegulae, and (rarely) small patches on the scutellum, all of which are light yellow; tegulae normal in form; enclosure without the usual medial groove or it is very slight, smooth except for a few deep pits in the lateral angles and scattered minute punctation; mesopleural tubercles absent; legs black except for the hind trochanter, limited areas on the tibiae, and most of the tarsi, all of which are light yellow; wings subhyaline but clouded along the anterior borders.

Abdomen black except for subequal narrow bands on all terga 1–6; venter with lateral small yellow patches on sterna 2–5; pygidium as illustrated (Figure 153d).

The females of C. evansi are easily distinguished by their facial characters, but the males are very similar to those of C. atlacomulcoe, new species, C. dreisbachi, new species, and C. gandari Rohwer, and possibly other small species. It is hoped the key will make it possible to separate the above males.

TYPES.—The type female and the allotype male of Cerceris evansi Scullen, taken from 3 miles northwest of Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, 6500 feet elevation, 17 June 1959 (H. E. Evans), are at the National Museum of Natural History (USNM 71362). Paratypes are as follows:

MEXICO: AGUASCALIENTES: 2♀, Aguascalientes, 28 July 1951 (HEE). DURANGO: ♂, 8 mi S Canutillo, 9 August 1951 (UKE); ♀, 10 mi W Durango, 12 July 1954 (JWM); ♂, same locality, 6600 ft, 16 June 1964 (DB); ♂, 14 mi NE Durango, 6200 ft, 17 June 1956 (HAS). JALISCO: 5♀, El Tigra, 18 July 1954 (EIS); ♀, 3 mi SE Plan de Barrancas, 8 July 1963 (P and S); 2♀, ♂, Tepatitlan, 8 July 1956 (R and KD); 2♂, Villa Guadalupe, 26 July 1951 (HEE). MEXICO: 3♂, 33 mi N Texco (Guerrero), 5700 ft, 29 August 1963 (S and B). MICHOACÁN: ♂, 4 mi E Morelia, 6500 ft, 9 July 1959 (HEÈ); ♀, 10 km W Zitacuaro, 11 July 1951 (PDH). MORELOS: 2♀, Cuernavaca (C); 7♀, same locality, 9 July 1961 (R and KD); 19♀, 21♂, 3 mi NW Cuernavaca, 6500 ft, 20 May-30 June 1959 (HEE). PUEBLA: ♂, 55 mi SE Puebla, 6600 ft, 7 June 1956 (HAS); ♀, Tehuacan (CAP). ZACATECAS: ♀, Fresnillo, 7000 ft, 15 August 1947 (CDM); ♀, 17 mi N Fresnillo, 18 July, 1954 (JWM); ♀, 15 mi E Sombrerete, 28–31 July 1951 (HEE); 6♀, same locality and date (PDH); ♀, 20 mi N Zacatecas, 7300 ft, 18 August 1957 (HAS).

DISTRIBUTION.—Central Mexican highlands from Durango southeast to Puebla.

PREY RECORD.—None.

PLANT RECORD.—None.