Showing papers in "Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society in 1973"

OBSERVATIONS ON THE NESTING BEHAVIOR OF TRACHYPUS PETIOLATUS (SPINOLA) IN COLOMBIA AND ARGENTINA ( Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: Philanthini )

Abstract: Trachypus petiolatus (Spinola) was found nesting in firm, bare clay soil near Cali, Colombia, and at Cafayate, Salta, Argentina. In both cases the burrows were at first oblique, then nearly horizontal, attaining a length of 1.0-1.7 m and contain ing up to 39 cells. In both localities it was found that nests contained both old cells with empty cocoons and new cells containing fresh provisions, indicating re-use of the same burrow by more than one generation (presumably but not certainly from the same nest). At Cali, two females and one male were found associated with one burrow. The prey consisted of small bees, chiefly Halictidae, but at Cafayate several small wasps were also employed as prey. Descriptions and figures of the nests and of larval structure are provided. Five other species of Trachypus are reported to prey upon bees. Three of these species are also known to show some evidence of communal use of burrows. These associations may be temporary, as in some species of Philanthus, but they are inter esting as suggesting a stage of presociality which could lead to a division of labor.

A new species of Miccostruma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from West Africa, with notes on the genus.

Abstract: Miccostruma tigrilla, new species, is the first West African member of the genus to be described. Its striking black-and-yellow color will serve to distinguish it from all other known species of related short-mandibulate higher dace tines. The distinctness of Miccostruma and other short-mandibulate strumigenite genera is threatened by the finding of increasing numbers of species with intermediate characters. The new species described below is the first Miccostruma novelty to come to light since 1914, and the first from West Africa. It belongs to subtribe Strumigeniti of tribe Dacetini, subfamily Myrmicinae. Miccostruma tigrilla new species (Figs. 1, 2) Holotype worker: Total length (TL) 2.0, head length (HL) 0.56, head width (HW) 0.48, cephalic index (CI) 86, projection of closed mandibles beyond anteriormost points of clypeal margin (ML) 0.05, mandibulo-cephalic index (MI) 9, length of trunk (WL) 0.55, scape L including basal lobe 0.23, greatest diameter of eye 0.07 mm. Form and color pattern of head and body as shown in the figures. Color: mandibles, antennae, clypeus, promesonotum, legs and a broad bilobate band occupying about the basal 2/5 of the first gastric tergite, straw yellow; rest black to piceous-black; even the spongiform appendages are dusky. Head, antennal scapes, truncal dor sum, legs and both nodes densely and finely ret?culoto granuloso-punctate, prevailingly opaque, except that antennal funiculus, sides of pronotum, fore coxae, much of sides of posterior trunk and sides of postpetiolar node have the sculpture effaced, more or less smooth and shining. Postpetiole with superimposed indistinct longitudinal striation in front; gaster smooth and shining (but with a thin patchy glaze of foreign matter or secretion), with the entire basal yellow area densely longi tudinally costulate. Body practically hairless, and almost completely without reclinate pubescence except for a short covering on mandibles, funiculi and legs. There are of course the conspicuous spatulate hairs of clypeus and xThis work was supported by NSF Grants G-23680 and GB-24822. Received for publication January 20, 1972. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.93 on Wed, 27 Jul 2016 04:14:42 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms