TRACHYSPHYRUS AND THE NEW GENUS AELIOPOTES IN THE COASTAL DESERT OF PERU AND NORTH CHILE

As here considered, the Coastal Desert includes the Peruvian and north Chilean littoral zone and contiguous west Andean slopes between about 5' and 23' South Latitude. Eastward it is bounded by 4-6000 m high Andean peaks, which impose both a rain shadow and a thermic barrier. Westward, the Pacific Ocean with its cold Humboldt Current, creates another rain trap and further exacerbates Coastal Desert aridity. Northward, in Ecuador where the Humboldt Current turns out to sea, the Desert yields abruptly t o Thorn Scrub and Tropical Humid Forest. On the far south, below Iquique, Chile, the Andean and Humboldt Current rain shadows intensify and determine a 1000 km stretch of wasteland, which reaches up to 3000 m and is practically unrelieved by rivers. Consequently, there is little contemporary biotic peregrination between the Coastal Desert and more humid tropical communities on the north or with the Mediterranean Scrub of central Chile on the south. Some high-Andean animals and plants extend across the Peruvian and Bolivian highlands onto the upper west Andean slopes of Peru and Chile, but the Andes are so huge at these latitudes that such interchange is limited to relatively few cold-tolerant species. For this reason, the Coastal Desert possesses many endemic species of flora (Solbrig 1976: 34) and fauna (Porter 1983: 523-47), and plausibly may be recognized as a strongly defined biotic subprovince of the Neotropic Realm. The mesostenine ichneumonid genus Trachysphyrus and its Coastal Desert offshoot, Aeliopotes, conform well to the foregoing

related genera by the contrastingly yellow and dark banded fore wing, mat mesoscutum with weak and short notaulus (less than half the mesoscutum), and definitely upcurved ovipositor.

Ecology and Hosts
Information about habit preferences of many species is summar- ized under the discussion of each taxon.
The only rearing data for this generic group correspond to T. viridis (Brull6), which has been associated in Argentina with the saturniid moths Catocephala lauta and Automeris cresus (Porter 1967: 309).According to Forbes (192: 670), species of Automeris construct their cocoons "between leaves on the ground".This habit renders Automeris a plausible host for T. viridis and other Trachy- sphyrus, whose females most often are found flying just above or crawling among low vegetation and ground litter.Fore wing 6.9-12.5 mm long.Coloration black with red gaster, partly red legs, white on flagellum, and wings blackish with metallic reflections.Flagellum moderately long and slender, scarcely flat- tened below apicad in female, in male with delicate and linear tyloids developed on some segments, its 1st segment 4.6-4.9 as long as deep at apex in females and 3.0-3.7 as long as deep in males.Clypeus weakly to very weakly, more or less symmetrically convex in profile, its apical margin slightly convex.Occipital carina sharp and narrow, joining the moderately elevated hypostomal carina below.Malar space 0.8-1.0 as long as basal width of mandible.Pronotum: submarginal groove broad and usually rather shallow; epomia strong in scrobe and developed above into a broad and sharply differentiated, bluntly triangular or obtuse plate-like struc- ture.Mesoscutum: notauli fine and narrow, reaching 0.7-0.8 the length of mesoscutum; surface shining with uniformly dense moder- ately small, sharp, adjacent to subadjacent punctures.Mesopleuron with the swollen speculum mostly smooth and shining; surface opposite speculum above along prepectal carina with a.shining cal- lous that may be finely and densely punctate or which sometimes is punctured and longitudinally striate throughout or only peripher- ally invaded by longitudinal wrinkles and whose surface on upper half beyond callous is radiately wrinkled and on.lower half is quite uniformly and coarsely puncto-reticulate and wrinkled.Fore tibia stout but not inflated.Hind coxa with a sharp and strong subverti- cal groove externo-ventrally near base.Wing venation: areolet large, intercubiti rather weakly to strongly convergent above; 2nd abscissa of radius 0.6-0.8 as long as 1st intercubitus; 2nd recurrent a little reclivous, weakly and evenly curved or sometimes compara- tively more strongly curved on upper half; discocubitus gently arched, without a ramellus; mediella straight beyond base; axillus far from anal margin of wing, intermediate between anal margin and submediella.Propodeum: spiracle elongate, 2.0-2.5 as long as wide; profile varying from moderately short and high (female) to rather low and elongate (male); basal trans-carina finely traceable through- out or often weak and irregular toward middle; apical trans-carina Psyche [Vol. 92casionally fine but sharp throughout, more often faint and irregular to almost absent; basal area usually distinct; median longitudinal carinae sometimes faintly demarking a hexagonal areola; cristae broadly low-cuneate to short subligulate.First gastric tergite: with a strong, bluntly triangular lateral expansion at base of petiole (weak only in dwarf males); postpetiole in female 1.4-1.7 as wide apically as long from spiracle to apex, in male 0.8-1.4 as wide; ventro-lateral carina strong on petiole, variably developed on post- petiole; dorso-lateral carina weak, most distinct toward apex of petiole and on base of postpetiole; dorsal carinae in female visible but not sharp for some distance on petiole and on about basal half of postpetiole, where they define a weak median elevation, absent in male.Second gastric tergite in female smooth and shining to a little dull, with vague to fine but strong micro-reticulation and sparse, medium sized, shallow punctures that emit short, well separated setae and in male similar but with abundant, well separated, rather small and superficial punctures that emit long, considerably over- lapping setae.Ovipositor 0.60-0.70 as long as fore wing; straight or slightly upcurved; moderately stout, somewhat compressed; nodus low but distinct and without a notch; tip 0.13-0.18as high at nodus as long from nodus to apex; ventral valve on tip with fine, well spaced, inclivously oblique ridges.GENERIC NAME.. Aeliopotes paitensis (Cockerell) (Figs. 17,(19)(20)(21)(22) Amblyteles paitensis Cockerell, 1927.Entomologist 60: 158.Type : Peril, Paita (Washington).
Aeliopotes paitensis was redescribed (Porter 1967: 272-75) from 3 females and 6 males (including the holotype) collected throughout most of the Peruvian Coastal Desert between Paita near the Ecuadorian border on the north to Arequipa in the far south.More recent fieldwork has added 2 females and 19 males from much of the same region.This material permits some modification of my original diagnosis.FEMALE.Color: sometimes with a little whiteat base of 1st fla- gellomere; white flagellar band sometimes reaching onto 10th flagel- lomere; fore and mid legs sometimes with only very faint blackish staining, except on fore coxa; gaster sometimes with considerable black staining.
Length offore wing: 8.5-12.5 mm.First flagellomere: 4.6-4.9 as long as deep at apex.Malar space: 0.8-1.0 as long as basal width of mandible.Temple: 0.3-0.5 as long as eye in dorsal view.Mesoscuturn: notauli reaching 0.7-0.8 the length of mesoscutum.Mesopleuron: swollen area along prepectal carina above opposite speculum sometimes punctured and longitudinally striate throughout.Wing venation: radial cell 3.5-4.0as long as wide.Propodeum: spiracle 2.0-2.5 as long as wide; cristae broadly low-cuneate to short subligulate; apical trans-carina occasionally fine but sharp throughout.First gastric tergite: postpetiole 1.4-1.7 as wide apically as long from spiracle to apex; ventro-lateral carina often sharp throughout on postpetiole as well as on petiole.Second gastric tergite: occasionally rather dull because of unusually well developed but fine micro- reticulation.Ovipositor: sheathed portion 0.6-0.7 as long as fore wing; tip 0.13-0.18as high at nodus as long from summit of nodus to apex.MALE.Color: gaster sometimes with extensive and conspicuous black staining; wings in small specimens but weakly fuscous and with only faint metallic reflections.
Length offore wing: 6.9-12.5 mm.Flagellum: tyloids all fine and linear; 1st flagellomere 3.0-3.7 as long as deep at apex.Malar space: 0.8-0.9 as long as basal width of mandible.Temple: 0.6-0.8 as long as eye in dorsal view.First gastric tergite: 0.8-1.4 as wide apically as long from spiracle to apex; small males have the baso-lateral expan- sion only weakly developed, in large males it is as strong as in females.NEW  VARIATION.Aeliopotespaitensis seems widely and perhaps dis- junctly endemic to the Coastal Desert at altitudes from 0 to 2800 m.Nonetheless, the variation outlined above appears strictly individ- ual.In spite of this insect's extensive range, it shows no phaenotypi- cally discrete local populations.

1985]
Porter Trachysphyrus & Aeliopotes 521 FIELD NOTiS.My specimens of A. paitensis were collected in flight, usually not far off the ground in grassy areas near water.I have not taken the species on Baccharis.Fore wing 6.0-16.0mm long.Coloration metallic green, blue, purple, golden or often varicolored metallic; no pale markings on mesosoma and in only species with white on gaster; wings brown- ish to black, with a metallic lustre, never contrastingly light and dark banded.Flagellum moderately long and slender, scarcely flat- tened below toward apex in female, in male with tyloids well devel- oped on some segments and varying from linear to elliptic or ovoid, its 1st segment 3.5-5.5 as long as deep at apex in females and 2.2-3.7 as long as deep in males.Clypeus: in profile almost flat to moder- ately high convex or, rarely, subpyramidal; its apical margin straight to rather strongly convex, edentate, occasionally a little produced and feebly bilobed on meson.Occipital carina: sharp but not strongly raised; joining the sharp but not much raised hypostomal carina below.Malar space 0.70-1.8as long as basal width of mandible.Pronotum: submarginal groove broad and variably strong; epomia usually sharp in scrobe but never strongly turned mesad or produced into a plate-like structure above.Mesoscutum:

Genus TRA CHYSPHYR US
notauli usually strong, extending 0.3-0.9 the length of mesoscutum; surface mostly smooth and shining, sparsely to densely but not grossly punctate, never strongly wrinkled or extensively mat.Mesopleuron with speculum usually smooth and shining but occasionally more or less puncto-reticulate; surface otherwise wholly or in part finely to grossly and usually reticulately wrinkled; no projection or ridge on prepectus below.Fore tibia never inflated.Hind coxa with a sharp and strong subvertical groove externo-ventrally near base.

Psyche
[Vol. 92ng venation: areolet large to very large, intercubiti almost parallel to moderately convergent above; 2nd abscissa of radius 0.7-1.2 as long as 1st intercubitus; 2nd recurrent practically straight or gently and evenly curved; discocubitus gently and evenly curved, weakly sinuate, or sometimes a little angled, ramellus absent to sometimes very long; mediella straight beyond base; axillus far from anal margin of hind wing, usually about intermediate between hind margin and submediella.Propodeum: spiracle elongate or very elongate; profile varying from short and high to moderately elon- gate and sloping rearward (especially in males); basal trans-carina, apical trans-carina, and median and lateral longitudinal carinae sometimes all at least weakly detectable or, often, more or less effaced; cristae varying from low and broad subligulate or subcu- neate to very strongly projecting ligulate.First gastric tergite: with- out a lateral expansion at base of petiole; postpetiole in female 1.1-2.3 as wide.apically as long from spiracle to apex, in male 0.7-1.7 as wide; ventro-lateral and dorso-lateral longitudinal carinae usually well developed throughout; dorsal carinae varying from obsolete to at least partly sharp.Second gastric tergite smooth and polished or mat and finely granular; in female with widely scattered, inconspicuous, short setae which may be uniformly much shorter to sometimes in part only a little shorter than their interspaces and in male with long, mostly overlapping setae or with short setae as in female; punctures variably abundant, tiny to moderately large, superficial to sharp, but never large, strong, and extensively subad- jacent or adjacent.Ovipositor: 0.50-0.90as long as fore wing; mod- erately stout, palpably compressed, straight to gently upcurved; nodus more or less distinct; notch weak to large and deep; tip 0.16-0.24as high at notch as long from notch to apex; ventral valve on tip with fine, sharp, well spaced, inclivously oblique ridges.
KEY TO THE COASTAL DESERT TRACHYSPHYRUS FEMALES (Females of T. aegla, T. aglaus, and T. imperator unknown) 1. Head mostly white; gastric tergites 4-7 with broad white apical bands; apical margin of clypeus on median 0.5 gently pro- Porter--Trachysphyrus & Aeliopotes 523 1'.Head at most with narrow white markings; no white on gaster; apical margin of clypeus entire, not or scarcely produced medially 2 2. Second gastric tergite uniformly mat and finely granular; notau- lus sharp and narrow, reaching 0.8 or more the length of mesoscutum 3 2'.Second gastric tergite smooth and polished with at most faint micro-reticulation; notaulus 0.3-0.8 as long as mesoscutum, in most species no more than 0.5 as long 4 3. Mesoscutum with very abundant, mostly subadjacent to conflu- ent, medium sized to large punctures; flagellum usually with a white band; head and mesosoma purple with blue reflec- tions; gaster mostly blue or blue-green; no golden sheen on thoracic pleura and propodeum 9. T. viridis (Brull6) 3'. Mesoscutal punctures strong and dense, only anteriorly on cen- tral lobe but elsewhere mostly sparse; flagellum dark; body blue or blue and purple, with golden reflections on thoracic pleura and propodeum 8. T. cleonis Viereck 4. Clypeus subpyramidal in profile; notaulus 0.8 the length of mesoscutum; propodeum with moderately strong reticulate wrinkling; flagellum with white on more or less of segments 4-8 7. T. escomeli (Brthes) 4'. Clypeus low, gently convex to almost flat in profile; notaulus 0.3-0.5 the length of mesoscutum; propodeum with gross reticulate wrinkling; white on flagellar segments 1, 2 or 3-8, 9, or 10 5 5. Areolet asymmetric, apical abscissa of cubitus inserted unusually far dorsad; 1st flagellomere 3.2 as long as deep at apex; mesoscutum with numerous but mostly well separated punc- tures; propodeal cristae broad and strongly projecting sub- ligulate; sheathed portion of ovipositor 0.60 as long as fore wing, no groove extending forward from notch on dorsal valve of ovipositor 3. T. agalma n. sp. 5'.Areolet not asymmetric, apical abscissa of cubitus in normal position; 1st flagellomere 3.9-4.2as long as deep at apex; mesoscutum with punctures, at least on basal 0.5, dense and separated by little more than their diameters; propodeal cris- tae not broadly projecting, rather inconspicuously subligu- Psyche [Vol. 92late or subcuneate; sheathed portion of ovipositor 0.70-0.90as long as fore wing; dorsal valve of ovipositor with a deep groove that reaches forward some distance from notch 6 6.Dorsal valve of ovipositor strongly rippled on tip, profile of dorsal valve between notch and apex slightly concave basad but becoming convex apicad; sheathed portion of ovipositor 0.80-0.90as long as fore wing 2. T. carrascoi Porter 6'.Dorsal valve of ovipositor smooth or slightly wrinkled on tip, profile of dorsal valve directly declivous between notch and apex; sheathed portion of ovipositor 0.70-0.80(usually 0.70) as long as fore wing 1.T. metallicus (Cameron) MALES (Male of T. escomeli lost) 1. Second gastric tergite uniformly mat and granular 2 1'.Second gastric tergite smooth and polished, with more or less distinct micro-reticulation 3 2. Mesoscutum with many, almost uniformly distributed, medium sized to large punctures; flagellum usually with a white band; hind tarsomeres 3-4 usually white; purple with blue or green gaster and no golden on thoracic pleura or propodeum 9. T. viridis (Brull6) 2'.Mesoscutum with punctures usually dense only toward base of central lobe; no white on flagellum or on hind tarsus; purple or blue and purple with golden reflections on thoracic pleura or propodeum 8. T. cleonis Viereck 3. Head very broadly white; gastric tergites 4-7 with broad white bands; apical margin of clypeus somewhat produced and feebly bilobed on median 0.5 10. T. venustus Myers 3'.Head not or more narrowly marked with white; no white on gaster; apical margin of clypeus entire 4 4. Temple with grossly tangled and shaggy setae; setae on 2nd gas- tric tergite well separated; propodeum short and high with apical face sharply discrete and vertically declivous; cristae narrowly ligulate; aggressively projecting; notauli reaching 0.7 length of mesoscutum; malar space 1.0 as long as basal width of mandible; mesosoma golden Porter Trachysphyrus & Aeliopotes 525 4'.Temple with setae long but rarely tangled; many species with setae on 2nd gastric tergite long and much overlapping; propodeum more strongly sloping in profile, with apical face less sharply discrete than described above; cristae often con- spicuous but not both narrow and greatly projecting; notauli 0.5 or less length of mesoscutum; malar space 0.7-1.0 as long as basal width of mandible; mesosoma purple or purple with a golden sheen 5 5. Mesoscutal punctures mostly separated by considerably more than their diameters, often sparse; propodeal cristae often quite large, bluntly cuneate and prominently projecting; apical trans-carina of propodeum often well developed throughout and narrowly looped forward medially 6 5'.Mesoscutum with punctures largely separated by little more than their diameters; propodeal cristae low to moderately projecting subligulate or subcuneate; apical trans-carina of propodeum largely or entirely absent 8 6.Setae on 2nd gastric tergite short, much less than the length of their interspaces; temple 1.0 as long as eye in dorsal view 3. T. agalma n. sp.6'.Setae of 2nd gastric tergite long and considerably overlapping; temple 0.8-0.9 as long as eye in dorsal view 7 7. Flagellum black with reddish brown on segments 11-16; thorax and propodeum golden with purple reflections; temple with very long and shaggy setae; areolet exceptionally large, inter- cubiti parallel, 2nd intercubitus 0.7 as long as 1st intercubitus 5. T. aglaus Porter 7'.Flagellum with white on some of intermediate segments; thorax and propodeum mainly purple; temple with long but not shaggy setae; areolet large but not as asymmetric as de- scribed above, intercubiti quite strongly convergent dorsad 4. T. aegla n. sp. 8. White flagellar annulus on segments 11 or 12-16, 17, or 18; hind tarsomeres 3-4 white; malar space 0.6-0.8 as long as basal width of mandible; propodeal cristae low, weakly projecting, broadly subcuneate and extended a short distance anterio- mesad by a trace of the apical trans-carina 2. T. carrascoi Porter Psyche [Vol. 92.White flagellar annulus beginning on any segment from 2-11 and extending as far as 17 or 18; no white on hind tarsus; malar space 0.8-1.0 as long as basal width of mandible; propodeal cristae moderately projecting, subligulate or sub- cuneate, not prolonged anterio-mesad 1. T. metalh'cus (Cameron) 1. Trachysphyrus metallicus (Cameron) (Fig. 4, 5, 16).
The following description redefines T. metallicus with special ref- erence to its individual and polytypic variability.FEMALE.Color: white flagellar band present on segments 2 or 3-8 or 9; with or without white line on hind orbit; metallic colora- tion of scape, head, mesosoma, coxae, trochanters, and gaster vary- ing from deep blue with extensive purplish reflections to mostly bright purple with prominent to inconspicuous blue retlections; legs beyond trochanters varying from black with more or less subdued metallic reflections through mostly deep to bright orange (duller on tarsi).
Length offore wing: 10.0-15.6 mm.Firstflagellomere: 3.9-4.4as long .asdeep at apex.Malar space: 1.1-1.3 as long as basal width of mandible.Temple: 0.7-0.8 as long as eye in dorsal view; its punctures and setae conspicuous but variably dense.Mesoscutum: punc- tures, especially in Chilean specimens, often separated by as much  as several times their diameter over apical 0.5,of mesoscutum.Mesopleuron: swollen area along prepectal carina above opposite speculum often largely smooth and polished with only sparse and tiny punctures.Wing venation: ramellus sometimes absent.Propodeum: basal and apical faces varying from weakly to (often) sharply discrete; cristae moderately small but well projecting, subligulate to bluntly cuneate.First gastric tergite: postpetiole 1.5-1.7 as wid apically as long from spiracle to apex; surface of postpetiole some- times almost without micro-reticulation.Second gastric tergite: often highly polished and with faint to sometimes almost imperceptible micro-shagreening.Ovipositor: sheathed portion 0.7-0.8 as long as fore wing; tip 0.20-0.24as high at notch as long from notch to apex.MALE.Color: white flagellar annulus sometimes on as few as segments 11-17 or as many as 2-18, variable in all populations but averaging most extensive in Chilean specimens; hind orbit with or without a white line; legs beyond trochantelli often extensively orange.
NEW SPECIMENS EXAMINED.12? and 23: PERII, Lima Prov- Porter--Trachysphyrus & Aeliopotes 529 distinguished in the female by differences of ovipositor tip shape and sculpture and in the male by less conspicuous and stable fea- tures of sculpture, proportion, and color.
VARIATION.North Chilean specimens of T. metallicus appear superficially very different from Peruvian material, because of their bright purple ground color, largely orange legs, and more extensive white flagellar annulus.Indeed, some individuals from Matucana, Per6 have the ground color almost uniformly blue, the legs beyond the trochanters blackish with metallic reflections, and the flagellar annulus relatively brief.However, recent collecting at Matucana, Per6 has shown that some specimens in that population have an extensive purple sheen overlaying the blue ground color, as well as largely orange femora and tibiae, and a comparatively broad flagellar annulus.
North Chilean populations of T. metallicus consequently represent one extreme in what appears to be a gradual cline and do not warrant formal recognition either at the subspecific or specific level.
FIELO NoTEs.This species occasionally enters Malaise Traps (1 specimen from Socoroma, Chile), but is more often obtained by hand net on Baccharis or in alfalfa and oregano fields.Females consistently are swept from alfalfa patches.Possibly they parasitize some of the introduced noctuid pests, which attack this important forage crop that has been widely planted from the Puna to the coastal river valleys.
First flagellomere: 4.0-4.2 as long as deep at apex.Clypeus: almost flat, very low in profile, lower than in T. metallicus.Mesopleuron: swollen area above along prepectal carina opposite specu- lum sometimes much invaded by fine punctures and wrinkles; other wrinkling often extensively irregular.First gastric tergite: 1.4-1.7 as wide apically as long from spiracle to apex.Second gastric tergite: smooth and shining with micro-shagreening very weak to moder- ately well developed.Ovipositor: sheathed portion 0.8-0.9 as long as fore wing; dorsal valve on tip conspicuously rippled; profile of dor- sal valve on tip a little concave over basal 0.5 but with a convex taper toward apex; tip 0.17-0.20 as high at notch as long from notch to apex.

MALE.
Color: white flagellar annulus on segments 11 or 12 to 16, 17, or 18; head and mesosoma sometimes mostly metallic blue; fore and mid femora orange with purplish metallic staining below and anteriorly; hind femur completely orange; tibiae orange; hind tarsomeres 3 (except near base) and 4 white.
Length offore wing: 9.6-11.3mm.First flagellomere: 2.5-3.2 as long as deep at apex.Malar space: 0.6-0.8 as long as basal width of mandible.Temple: 0.9-1.1 as long as eye in dorsal view.Mesoscutum: punctures often dense throughout.Propodeum: cristae low and weakly projecting, broadly subcuneate; apical trans-carina detectable for a short distance anteri,o-mesad of cristae.First gastric tergite: 1.1-1.3 as wide apically as long from spiracle to apex.Second gastric tergite: smooth and highly polished.RELATIONSHIPS.Females of Trachysphyrus carrascoi may be distinguished from all other Coastal Desert congeners because of the strongly rippled surface and concave-convex profile of the dor- sal ovipositor valve between notch and apex.Otherwise, this species greatly resembles T. metallicus and often is hard to recognize from Psyche [Vol. 92les alone.Male T. carrascoi have some white on the hind tarsus (no white in T. metallicus) and, in comparison to T. metallicus, show lower and weaker propodeal cristae and a shorter malar space.
VARIATION.Some males of T. carrascoi have the mesoscutal punctation dense throughout but in others it becomes moderately sparse rearward.The less densely punctate specimens appear to be more common in north Chile, at the southern end of the species' range.As does T. metallicus, both sexes of T. carrascoi evidence a north-south cline (from blue to purple) in ground color.
FIELD NOTES.This species occurs in the same natural and culti- vated high Andean habitats noted for T. metallicus.Like T. metal- licus, it occasionally enters Malaise Traps.
3. Trachysphyrus agalma Porter, new species (Fig. 11, 13) FEMALE.Color: scape, pedicel, and (more dully) part of 1st and 2nd flagellar segments metallic purple; 1st flagellomere white above near apex, 2nd flagellomere white above almost throughout, 3rd flagellomere white with a little brownish below at base; flagellomeres 4-7 almost pure white; 8th flagellomere white above (more narrowly so apicad) and black below; rest of flagellum black; head and mesosoma metallic purple with some dark blue reflections; gas- ter dark metallic blue with conspicuous purple staining, especially toward base; coxae, trochanters, and trochantelli metallic purple; front femur dull orange with purplish near base and throughout posteriorly; mid femur metallic purple, grading into dull orange on apical 0.3 anteriorly; hind femur metallic purple with orange irregularly on apical 0.5; tibiae orange with some metallic reflections; tarsi mostly dusky to blackish, becoming dull orangish brown basad on 1st segments; wings moderately dark brown with blue reflections.
Length offore wing: 8.8 ram.First flagellomere: 3.2 as long as deep at apex.Clypeus: low and gently convex in profile, with high- est point near middle; apical margin straight.Malar space: 1.0 as long as basal width of mandible.Temple: 0.7 as long as eye in dorsal view; weakly and convexly receding.Mesoscutum: notauli sharp, not traceable much beyond basal 0.3 of mesoscutum; surface highly polished with numerous but mostly well separated, strong punc- tures; the punctures largest, densest and somewhat longitudinally slurred on central lobe, especially basad, but elsewhere contrastingly smaller and sparser.Mesopleuron: speculum mostly polished and impunctate; the large anterio-dorsal swelling along prepectus opposite specultam also polished, with small, sharp, scattered punctures; lower 0.5 of mesopleuron anteriad likewise extensively polished and sparsely punctate; surface otherwise with gross but nearly parallel longitudinal wrinkles between speculum and anterior swelling, as well as with much gross wrinkling and foveolation in lower hind quadrant (where there are some intercalated smooth areas) and with strong wrinkles irregularly developed on peripheries of the smooth anterior-dorsal swelling.Lower metapleuron: with coarse and almost regular longitudinally oriented wrinkling.Hind coxa: dor- sum polished and with small, sparse punctures.Wing venation: areolet unusually large and high with intercubiti weakly convergent above; 2nd abscissa of radius 0.8 as long as 1st intercubitus; apical abscissa of cubitus originating far dorsad, the 2nd intercubitus only 0.7 as long as ventro-posterior side of areolet; 2nd recurrent inserted a little before middle of areolet, almost straight and nearly vertical; disco-cubitus gently arched; ramellus absent; nervulus interstitial; Psyche [Vol. 92upper part of nervellus 1.3 as long as lower.Propodeum: moder- ately short and high, basal face arched and strongly sloping behind, the apical face discrete, nearly vertical, 0.8 as long as basal face; area basalis apically truncate; basal trans-carina moderately strong, highest medially, but comparatively inconspicuous (especially lat- erad) among the strong surface reticulations; apical trans-carina irregularly detectable, best represented by its large, projecting, broadly subligulate cristae; median longitudinal carinae inconspicuous and irregular, areola hexagonal and a little wider than long; lateral longitudinal carinae obsolete; surface with very coarse wrin- kling that is strongest and transversely biased on apical face, grossly reticulate on basal face between the trans-carinae, and contrastingly finer basad of basal trans-carina.First gastric tergite: postpetiole 1.8 as wide at apex as long from spiracle to apex; dorsal carinae only faintly suggested in the supra-spiracular region, scarcely delimiting a median elevation; surface of postpetiole smooth and polished with scattered tiny punctures that become most numerous laterad.Second gastric tergite: thyridium much broader than long; surface smooth and polished with scarcely a trace of shagreening and with sparse but numerous tiny punctures that emit short, mostly well separated setae (which are densest laterad).Ovipositor: sheathed portion 0.56 as long as fore wing; gently upcurved; nodus comparatively prominent, with a conspicuous notch but without a fossa extending forward from the notch; dorsal valve profile strongly and directly tapering between notch and apex; tip 0.26 as high at notch as long from notch to apex.MALE.Differs from female as follows: Color: flagellum black with white above on segments 7 or 8-9, almost wholly white on segments 10-15, and sometimes irregularly white on segment 16; head and mesosoma with a subdued golden sheen in addition to purple and blue reflections; a fine white line on much of hind orbit; femora bright orange; tibiae duller orange; fore tarsus blackish with dull orange, best developed toward base, on 1st segment; mid tarsus blackish, grading into dull orange basad on 1st segment; hind tarsus almost wholly black.
Length offore wing: 8.0-12.0mm.Firstflagellomere: 2.8 as long as deep apically.Clypeus: gently convex and a little bulging in pro- file; apical margin weakly convex.Malar space: 0.7-0.8 as long as basal width of mandible.Temple: 1.0 as long as eye in dorsal view; gently receding and convex; surface with small, sharp, numerous punctures that are separated by more than 2X their diameters and which emit long but not shaggy setae.Mesoscutum: notauli 0.3-0.5 as long as mesoscutum.Lower metapleuron: with coarse wrinkling which is more irregular and reticulate than in female.Wing vena- tion; nervellus broken at middle.Propodeum: lower and longer than in female; apical face vertical but only 0.6 as long as basal face; basal trans-carina strong and sharp throughout; median longitudinal carinae faint; areola approximately 0.6 as wide as long; cristae bluntly cuneate, broad, rather strongly projecting.First gastric ter- gite: postpetiole 1.2-1.4 as wide apically as long from spiracle to apex; dorsal carinae traceable but not sharp on apex of petiole and basal 0.7 of postpetiole and there defining a broad but inconspicu,, ous median elevation; setae on postpetiole largely shorter than the length of their interspaces.Second gastric tergite: thyridium ovoid; surface, much as in female, with minute punctures and short setae that become moderately dense only laterad.(Porter 1967" 319-20) is known only from Arequipa on the west Andean slopes of southern Peril and might be expected to overlap the range of T. agalma in similar habitats of adjacent north Chile.Females of the 2 species differ because T. agalma has the clypeus low in profile (moderately high and bluntly subpyramidal in T. escomeli), the temple 0.7 as long as eye in dorsal view and sparsely punctate throughout (less than 0.5 as long as eye and becoming densely punctate above in T. escomeli), the notauli impressed for about 0.3 the length of the mesoscutum (0.7-0.8 the length of mesoscutum in T. escomeli), the mesopleuron with some areas of coarse wrinkling (with moderately strong reticu- late wrinkling in T. escomeli), the 2nd gastric tergite scarcely sha- greened (with fine micro-reticulation in T. escomeli), and the dorsal ovipositor valve tapering directly from notch to apex (a little con- vexly tapered in T. escomeli).Br6thes includes a male in his origi- nal diagnosis of T. escomeli (1919: 124), but that specimen now appears lost and the author's account of it does not allow comparison with males of related species.
Trachysphyrus aglaus (Porter 1967: 285-86) was described from a single male taken in the west Andean region of central Per6.This species resembles T. agalma in its peculiarly shaped areolet and rather strong propodeal cristae, but differs by its shaggy temporal setae, long and overlapping 2nd gastric setae, and shorter temples.FIELD NOXES.Specimens of T. agalma were obtained only by Malaise Trap, although much hand collecting was done at the type locality.The trap was set up across an irrigation ditch bordered by tall bunch grass, oregano fields, and Eucalyptus trees.
Color: scape and pedicel mostly metallic purple; flagel-Psyche [Vol. 92least below), and hind femur faintly (if at all) toward base, all metal- lic purple with sparse to extensive gold reflections; gaster metallic purple with blue reflections which become prominent beyond 2nd tergite; fore and mid femora orange toward apex or sometimes almost wholly orange above; hind femur mostly orange; tibiae orange; tarsi black with some brownish on 1st metatarsus; wings brownish with purple reflections.
Length offore wing: 6.4-7.5 mm.First flagellomere: 2.6-3.0 as long as deep at apex.Clypeus: slightly to gently convex in profile; apical margin broad and gently convex.Malar space: 0.8-0.9 as long as basal width of mandible.Temple: 0.8-0.9 as long as eye in dorsal view; rounded and gently receding; highly polished with abundant but mostly well separated small, sharp punctures which emit long and, at least dorsad, well overlapping setae.Mesoscutum: notauli sharp, traceable about 0.5 the length of mesoscutum; surface highly polished with numerous small to large punctures that are separated mostly by much more than their diameters (the smooth interspaces prominent).Mesopleuron: speculum swollen and pol- ished; surface otherwise polished and minutely punctate on much of upper anterior quadrant, on prepectus (sometimes much wrinkled), and on an extensive anterio-ventral area behind prepectal carina, as well as often smooth for some distance below speculum, but other- wise with strong, longitudinally biased wrinkling between speculum and anterior swelling as well as on much of its lower hind quadrant.Lower metapleuron: with coarse reticulate wrinkling.Wing vena- tion: areolet very large, intercubiti somewhat strongly convergent above, 2nd abscissa of radius 0.8-1.0 as long as st intercutitus; 2nd recurrent inserted near middle of areolet; disco-cubitus gently angled, with or without a stump of a ramellus; nervellus broken near middle.Propodeum: basal face long, steeply sloping; apical face obliquely reclivous and 0.5-0.6 as long as basal; basal trans-carina fine and sharp nearly throughout, a little weakened on lateral 0.4; apical trans-carina well defined, a little irregular to sharp throughout, narrowly looped far forward in middle, laterad forming moder- ately prominent and well projecting bluntly cuneate cristae; lateral longitudinal carinae obsolete; surface with strong reticulate wrin- kling, the smooth interspaces between the wrinkles rather extensive, and the wrinkling becoming more or less weakened basad of basal trans-carina.First gastric tergite: postpetiole 0.9-1.4 as wide apically as long from spiracle to apex; dorsal carinae obsolete; surface smooth and highly polished, scarcely shagreened, with scattered tiny punctures that emit long, mostly non-overlapping setae (which become longer and overlap apicad).Second gastric tergite: smooth and highly polished, sometimes with slight shagreening or micro- reticulation, and with numerous but remotely spaced tiny punctures that emit rather sparse setae which, nonetheless, mostly attain or a little surpass the length of their interspaces.RELATIONSHIPS.This high Andean species seems closely related to Trachysphyrus agalma Porter and T. aglaus Porter.It is best distinguished from the sympatric T. agalma by its sparse but very long and overlapping 2nd gastric setae (setae short and not overlap- ping in T. agalma).From the Peruvian T. aglaus, it differs in having the flagellum white banded, the temple conspicuously but not shag- gily setose, and the areolet comparatively symmetric with dorsally convergent intercubifi.FIELD NOTES.Specimens of T. aegla were obtained in the same type of West Andean Puna habitats already described for T. carras- coi, T. metallicus, and T. agalma.SPECIFIC NAME.From the Greek noun aegla, "lustre, splendor, glory".

Trachysphyrus imperator Porter
Trachysphyrus imperator Porter, 1967.Mem.Amer.Ent.Inst. 10: 301-2.Type : Per0, Dept.La Libertad, "Jalca of Ramada", 21-VI-1964, R. M. Straw    The only known specimen of T. escomeli is the lectotype, which I examined in December 1964 at the Museo Nacional in Buenos Aires, Argentina.Arequipa, the Peruvian type locality for this species, is situated in a vast-fertile valley of the Coastal Desert at 2800 m altitude near the main Andean cordillera.Repeated fieldwork from 1975-1982 in nearby north Chile and at Arequipa itself has failed to discovered additional specimens of T. escomeli.
As previously mentioned, this species shares some features with T. agalma Porter and T. aglaus Porter but does not seem closely related to any other Trachysphyrus.My redescription of T. cleonis (Porter 1967: 312-14) was based on 70 females and 69 males from the central and western Andes of southern Per6.Most of this material came from Cuzco and other high inland localities, but several specimens were reported from Oroya, Acolla, and Jauja at elevations approaching 4000 m just above the Coastal Desert on the west Andean slopes.
Western populations of T. cleonis have the body metallic blue and the legs blackish.Central Peruvian specimens are purple with orange legs.Such geographic variation suggests past or present dis- continuities in the species' distribution, as perhaps determined by Pleistocene to recent climatic instability.In this species and the closely related T. viridis (Brull6) the second gastric tergite is mat and delicately granular.In all other Coastal Desert Imperialis Group Trachysphyrus the gastric terga are smooth and polished.Trachysphyrus cleonis differs from T. viridis by its sparsely punctate mesopleuron, wholly dark flagellum, and gold-stained thoracic pleura and propodeum. 9. Trachysphyrus viridis (Brull6) (Fig. 6, 14).
This Trachysphyrus long has been known as T. kinbergi (Holmgren).However, recent examination of Brull6's holotype confirms that viridis is the senior available name for the species (Porter 1975: 169) The only Coastal Desert record for T. viridis is of a single female taken at Arequipa, Per6 (Porter 1967: 308).Otherwise, T. viridis ranges over most of southern South America from Lake Titicaca to the Straight of Magellan, but avoids Chile except at a few localities in the south where Patagonian Desert habitats intrude westward from Argentina.The species prefers semiarid, to arid localities between sealevel and 3000 m, being especially characteristic of the Argentine Prepuna, Subandean Desert, Sierras de C6rdoba, Chaco, Pampa, and Patagonian Desert.
In accordance with its wide altitudinal and latitudinal range, T. viridis varies strikingly in phaenology from population to popula- tion.In the south or at high altitudes (1-3000 m), it generally is active during the warmer months of November to April.In the scorchingly subtropical Chaco Thorn Scrub (e.g., at Las Termas De Rio Hondo in Santiago del Estero, Argentina), adults emerge mainly during the mild weather of late May to early August.This is the only Imperialis Group Trachysphyrus with an apically bisinuate clypeus, mostly white head, and broadly white marked gaster.It occurs in high Andean habitats (Puna and Altiplano) near the snowline and ranges from north Chile through adjoining Per0 and south Bolivia to Catamarca Province of northwest Argentina.It flies during the warmest months of the year (late October to January) and even then endures temperatures of at most 8-15C by day and hard frosts every night.NEW SPECIMENS EXAMINED.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was supported by my NSF Grants BSR-8313444, DEB-75-2246, and GB-6925.Awards for fieldwork in South America were provided in 1973-1975 and in 1979 and 1981 by the Committee for Research and exploration of the National Geographic Society.Fordham University Faculty Fellowships covering the Spring Semester of 1980 and the Fall Term of 1984 also greatly facilitated museum visits and field studies essential to this project.
In north Chile my activities were supported by the Universidad del Norte (now Universidad de Tarapacfi), which furnished labora- tory space and allowed unrestricted use of field vehicles.For their incomparable generosity, patience, and kindness, I am indebted to Dr. Ra61 Cort6s P., Ing.Alfonso Matta V., Ing.Hector Vfirgas C., Tec.Agr.Nelson Hichins O., and to Aux.Gerardo Diaz P., all of the Departamento de Agricultura of the then Universidad del Norte.Collecting in north Chile also was facilitated by the Chilean National Park Service and by the Chilean National Electric Company (ENDESA), both of which made available fine accom- modations at guest houses in remote areas of the Tarapac highlands.
As a Research Associate of the Florida State Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, I received much help with this research.I am particularly indebted to Dr. Lionel A. Stange of that institution, who accompanied me on several extended field trips in the Peruvian Desert.
a revised description of T. carrascoL including diag- nosis of the previously unknown male.

Psyche[
Vo. 92    Trachysphyrus imperator remains known only from the holotype, obtained in the highlands of northwest Per6.Its closest relatives are T. imperialis and T. pefiai from Neantarctic and Patagonian south Argentina and Chile.
Most of my records for T. cleonis span the spring and summer months (September to March).I have not collected the species dur- ing June and July fieldwork in Per6 between 1974 and 1982.Longterm phaenologic analysis probably will confirm that other sympatric 1985]Porter  Trachysphyrus & Aeliopotes 543 Trachysphyrus show different but equally consistent patterns of sea- sonal occurrence.