PARATARUMA , A NEW GENUS OF NEOTROPICAL CRABRONINI ( HYMENOPTERA , SPHECIDAE ) * BY

Crabronini are a diverse group of wasps that are found world wide. Typical members of this tribe can be recognized by the single forewing submarginal cell, large cuboidal head and ventrally converging eyes. The new genus, Parataruma, is found in lowland neotropical forest in widely separated localities. This distribution can probably be explained in several ways. Most of the neotropical lowland forest has been poorly collected, and much of it has been destroyed. In addition, these wasps are small and darkly colored, making them difficult to observe. Specimens were obtained from the following institutions: British Museum of Natural History, London (BMNH); Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (MCZ); Entomology Museum, University of California, Davis (UCD), and the U.S. National Museum, Washington, D.C. (USNM).

Parataruma most closely resembles Foxita and Taruma, based on the carinate scapal basin, wing venation, narrow female pygidium, apically notched mandible and absence of the sternaulus.In fact, this genus will key out to Taruma in Bohart and Menke (1976:374).However, several characteristics of Parataruma are unusual and immediately distinguish members of this genus from all other crabro- nines, including Foxita and Taruma.These characteristics are the well-developed genal and scapal carinae, the lack of any transverse carinae on the face and the peculiar female pygidium, which has been reduced to a narrow convex ridge and pointed apical projection surrounded by papillae-like setae.
The diagnostic features of this species are the yellow female antennae; yellow spots on the mandibles, metanotum and tergum II; extensive silvery appressed setae on the scapal basin, gena and meso- pleuron; large tooth on the inner margin of the mandibles and the dense setae obscuring the pygidial ridge.In addition leclercqi tends to be slightly larger than tropicauda, 5-7 mm versus 4.5-5.0mmfor tropicauda.
have named this species after Jean Leclercq for two reasons: first, to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work he has done on the Crabronini.Second, and most important, because he sent me 10 specimens of this genus to describe even though he recognized them as new.
Parataruma tropicauda Kimsey, new species Figures 4 and 9 H olotype female: Only diagnostic characteristics are listed below.Length 5 mm; scapal basin coarsely and irregularly punctate; meso- pleuron with 5 or more longitudinal ridges, polished with sparse punctures; mandible with tooth on inner margin shorter than diameter of antennal socket.Body black, with yellow on: underside of scape; pronotal lobes, two pronotal dorsal spots; scutellum lat- eral spots; fore and midfemora apically; tibiae apically, basally and inner surfaces; tarsi.Pubescence sparse and pale, except silvery appressed setae on clypeus and ocular side of genal carina.
Holotype female: 10-15 km e Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colom- bia, November 26, 1974, M. Cooper (BMNH).Paratype female: same data as type (BMNH).This species can be distinguished from leclercqi by the lack of yellow markings on the mandibles and metanotum, half black scape and dark flagellum; the sparse or absent silvery pubescence on the scapal basin and mesopleuron and sparse setae surrounding the pygidial ridge.
The species name tropicauda, "ridge-tail", refers to the peculiar pygidial ridge of the female.