Key to the New World Genera Pompilinae + Ctenocerinae (Epipompilus)

(modified from Banks 1947, Evans 1966, Coloma de Correa 1981, and Wahis & Rojas 2003) (The sexes have separate keys for these subfamilies, the female key is presented elsewhere.)

aa a 1. a. Fore wing with two SMCs, the second receiving only one recurrent vein (1m-cu) ( i.e., the second recurrent vein (2m-cu) is received beyond the second intercubital vein (2r-m)........... 2

aa. Fore wing with three SMCs, or if with two, both recurrent veins (1m-cu and 2m-cu) are received by the second SMC (rarely the second recurrent vein (2m-cu) is interstitial with the second intercubital vein (2r-m))………………………………………………………………...... 3

aa a

a

aa

bbb cc

c 2. a. Vertex sharply margined, the posterior surface of the head concave.

b. Parameres exceedingly slender and bearing some very strong setae. c. Marginal cell slender, about 4X as long as high.......................... Notoplaniceps Bradley

aa. Vertex less sharply margined, the head not notably concave behind: bb. or if somewhat so the parameres not as above. cc. marginal cell less slender not 4X as long as high.................................. Aporus Spinola

a aa

3. a. Transverse median vein (cu-a) of hind wing leaving the anal vein (A) at a strong angle (35 to nearly 90 degrees), short and straight, reaching media well basad of the origin of the cubitus……………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

aa. Transverse median (cu-a) and anal veins (A) of hind wing not clearly separated, forming a continuous broad arc which curves up to meet media................................................... 7

a aa

b bb 4. a. Three SMCs present.

b. Posterior rim of propodeum rather weakly developed….............................................. 5

aa. Only two SMCs present. bb. Posterior rim of propodeum of normal size.................................................................. 6

a +b

aa + bb

c

cc

dd d

5. a. Hind tarsi and tibial spurs very slender.

b. Legs clothed on their outer parts with coarse, semi-erect setulae. c. Malar space well developed. d. Maxillary palpi unusually long…………..…………………………. Epipompilus Kohl

aa. Hind basitarsus and hind tibial spurs unusually broad and flat. bb. Legs with only fine, semi-appressed pubescence. cc. Malar space absent. dd. Palpi not of unusual length................................................................ Tastiotenia Evans

a

b

aa

bb

c

cc 6. a. Second SMC not much if any wider than high.

b. Third discoidal cell higher than wide. c. Anal lobe of hind wing about as long as submedian cell....................... Allaporus Banks

aa. Second SMC about or more than twice as wide as high. bb. Third discoidal cell wider than high. cc. Anal lobe of hind wing much shorter than sub-median cell……... Chelaporus Bradley

aa

a

bb b 7. a. Anal lobe of hind wing about three-fourths the length of the submedian cell.

b. Body densely setose, including even the metasomal dorsum......... Chalcochares Banks

aa. Anal lobe smaller, at most slightly more than half the length of the sub-median cell; bb. Body only occasionally as setose as above….…………………...…………………... 8

a

aa

8. a. Propodeum not produced posterolaterally into sharp, conical processes, occasionally the posterior angles broadly produced............................................................................................ 9

aa. Propodeum bearing distinct, more or less conical processes posterolaterally…....… 28

aa a

aa a

aa

aa aa

aa aa

aa

b

b

bb

bb

9. a. Postnotum arcuately broadened on each side of the median line, then constricted again opposite the propodeal spiracles.

b. Anal vein (A) of hind wing meeting media beyond the origin of the cubitus (Cu), except often in Episyron, which possesses a scale-like pubescence on Tl, and in Austrochares, in which the front tibiae are spined above for most of their length.................................................. 10

aa. Postnotum a transverse band of variable width, with nearly parallel anterior and

posterior margins, or broadened at the midline, or occasion-ally practically absent. bb. Without scale-like pubescence; other characters variable.......................................... 13

aa

a 10. a. Claws dentate.

b. Wings showing no tendency to fold longitudinally. c. Metasoma very slender.............................................................. Sericopompilus Howard

aa. Claws bifid. bb. Fore wings generally showing a tendency to fold longitudinally. cc. Metasoma in general less slender and elongate than above........................................ 11

a

a

b a a

aa

bb

11. a. Propodeum and Tl with appressed, scale-like pubescence.

b. Predominantly black, with limited whitish to yellowish maculations if any….........….. ……………….……………………………………………………….... Episyron Schiødte

aa. Propodeum and Tl without scale-like pubescence. bb. Species extensively patterned with ferruginous and/or yellowish………..….......... 12

a aa

b bb 12. a. Anal vein of hind wing meeting media near or only slightly beyond origin of cubitus.

b. Head only slightly wider than high (TFD roughly 1.1 X VFD)..... Austrochares Banks

aa. Anal vein of hind wing meeting media well beyond origin of cubitus. bb. Head (especially eyes) unusually wide (TFD at least 1.15 X VFD)…………………… …………………………………………………………………. Poecilopompilus Howard

aaa

13. a. Second recurrent vein (2m-cu) of fore wing arising on the subdiscoidal vein much more than half the distance from the base of the subdiscoidal vein to the outer wing margin..... 14

aa. Second recurrent vein (2m-cu) arising on the subdiscoidal vein about or some-what less than half the distance from the base of the subdiscoidal vein to the outer wing margin....... 18

aa a

14. a. Claws slender and but slightly curved, with a small, erect tooth (except inner claws of front tarsi)....………………………………...………………................... Agenioideus Ashmead

aa. Claws stouter and more curved, with the tooth strong and sloping out-ward, subparallel to the outer ray (i. e., bifid), or else claws in part edentate….................................... 15

aa a

b a

15. a. Propodeum strongly convex and with somewhat irregular contours, including a concave declivity.

b. Mostly ferruginous species with a blunt tubercle just above the antennal sockets…........ …………………………………………………………...…….. Tachypompilus Ashmead

aa. Propodeal slope low and even, with no irregularities or a well-defined declivity. bb. Mostly black species................................................................................................... 16

a

aa

aa a

b

bb

b bb

16. a. Malar space short, but present.

b. Maxillary palpi short, the penultimate (4th) segment less than a third as long as the median length of the clypeus.

c. Wings tending to fold longitudinally..........................………………..Aplochares Banks

aa. Malar space absent. bb. Maxillary palpi longer, penultimate (4th) segment at least more than half as long as

median length of clypeus. cc. Wings not tending to fold longitudinally.................................................................... 17

a b

aa bb

c c

cc cc

dd dd d d

17. a. Antennae slender, filiform, sometimes very weakly crenulate in profile.

b. Pronotum short, sloping abruptly. c. Subgenital plate (S6) at most moderately compressed. d. Digiti expanded and curved apically…………………………...……. Priochilus Banks

aa. Antennae strongly crenulate in profile, at least on the outer third. bb. Pronotum somewhat longer, in lateral view with the disc subangularly separated from the anterior face. cc. Subgenital plate (S6) very strongly compressed. dd. Digiti rod-like....................................................................................... Balboana Banks

aaa

b

18. a. Fore wings with only two SMCs present and with the basal vein rather strongly arched and stigma nearly as long as the length of the marginal cell along the costal margin.

b. Pronotum elongate.................………………….…………………... Euplaniceps Haupt

aa. Fore wings with three SMCs, or if with only two the basal vein slightly if at all arched and the stigma not nearly as long as the length of the marginal cell along the costal margin...... 19

a aa

b

c

d

19. a. Anterior margin of clypeus convexly rounded, the clypeus not usually more than about 1.7X as wide as high.

b. Propodeum with the slope rather flat in front, abruptly declivous behind, often prominent on the sides of the declivity.

c. Pronotum rather long, often as long or longer than mesoscutum, its posterior margin weakly arcuate to nearly straight.

d. Antennal segment short, third segment less than 2X as long as thick………….……...... ……………………………………………………………………….... Psorthaspis Banks aa. Anterior margin of clypeus truncate or slightly emarginate, the clypeus more than

1.8X as wide as high (except Hesperopompilus which has convexly rounded clypeus but does not fit remaining characters above).

bb. Propodeum various cc. Pronotum various dd. Antennae various……................................................................................................ 20

aa a 20. a. Mid and hind claws bifid. ( i.e., the inner ray slopes outward, nearly parallel to the outer ray)..................................…….………………………………………………………….... 21

aa. Mid and hind claws dentate ( i.e., the tooth is short and erect), (sometimes front tarsal claws bifid)...............................................…...………………………………………………...... 23

a

b

aa

bb

b

abb

aa

c

cc

d d

21. a. Labrum fully exerted, semicircular.

b. Malar space at least about as long as antennal pedicel. c. Antennae strongly crenulate or subserrate in profile. d. Posterior slope of propodeum with dense, erect setae............ Paracyphononyx Gribodo

aa. Labrum not fully exerted, sometimes partially so; bb. Malar space at most about half as long as antennal pedicel. cc. Antennae filiform, sometimes weakly crenulate in profile. dd. Propodeum not as above………………………….………………………………… 22

aa

a 22. a. Propodeum with posterior declivity steep, declivity covered with short dense pubescence............................………………………………………................ Dicranoplius Haupt

aa. Propodeum smoothly curved without a posterior declivity................. Anoplius Dufour

aa

a

bb

bb

b

b

c c

c

23. a. Antennae short, the third segment less than 2X as long as thick and distinctly shorter than fourth segment.

b. Pronotum arcuate behind (subangulate in some extralimital species). c. Pulvillar pad and comb very weak................................................................................ 24

aa. Antennae long, the third segment more than 2X as long as thick. bb. Pronotum at least weakly angulate behind, often sharply so...................................... 25

aa a 24. a. Pronotum in lateral view shorter than the mesonotum and surface almost complete oblique without dorsal face………….………………………...………………... Aridestus Banks

aa. Pronotum in lateral view as long as the mesonotum and having a distinct dorsal face... ……………………………………………………………................... Evagetes Lepeletier

a

a aa aa aa

aa 25. a. Apical segment (5th) of front tarsus nearly parallel sided, the inner margin not produced

………………………………………………………………..…………………………. 26

aa. Apical segment (5th) of front tarsus short and asymmetrical, the inner margin distinctly expanded…………………………....…………………………... Arachnospila Kincaid

aa a

b

b

bb

bb 26. a. Both front tarsal claws bifid.

b. Propodeum and mesopleura with abundant erect white setae…...…. Xerochares Evans

a. Inner front tarsal claws bifid, (aa. outer claw dentate). bb. Propodeum and mesopleura without erect setae or with sparse dark setae………… 27

a

a a

a

aa

aa aa

aa

27. a. First four metasomal segments with broad, complete transverse apical bands of very dense silver pubescence which diverges strongly from the median line. Sixth metasomal sternite with specialized flattened median area set off by carina…….……...…… Perissopompilus Evans

aa. First four metasomal segments without complete transverse apical bands of very dense pubescence. Sixth metasomal sternite lacking specialized flattened median area set off by carina………….……………….……………………………………...… Hesperopompilus Evans

a

aa 28. a. Antennal segment short, third segment less than 2X as long as thick…….......................

………………………………………………………………………… Psorthaspis Banks

aa. Antennal segment long, third segment greater than 2X as long as thick…....……… 29

a a

a a

aa aa

aa aa

b bb

c cc 29. a. Postnotum broadly concealed dorsally, the metanotum and propodeum in broad contact.

b. Legs rather spinose. c. Often with only two submarginal cells. d. Metasoma variable…………………….............................................. Aporinellus Banks aa. Postnotum complete. bb. Legs very smooth and with reduced spines; cc. Three submarginal cells present. dd. First two metasomal segments large, the remainder of metasoma tending to telescope

within the basal segments...……………….…………..………….... Allochares Banks