Cerceris acolhua de Saussure 1867

Cerceris acolhua Saussure

Cerceris acolhua Saussure, 1867:90–91.—Schletterer 1887:485.—Cameron 1890:124, pl. VIII: figs. 2, 2a, b, c, d.—Dalla Torre, C. G., 1897:449.—Ashmead 1899:296.

The type male of this species was examined by the writer at Vienna in 1959. Much of the abdomen of the type was lost by that time. It is known only from this type specimen, which is a male. From the remaining parts it appears to be about the size of C. frontata Say. The face is quite distinct from that species. Length 15 mm.

The entire face is yellow. The upper surface of the clypeus is elevated, forming a low, lunar-shaped ridge resembling the clypeal elevation on the female of C. bicornuta Guerin, but not so elevated. It is only slightly puffed out. The three clypeal border denticles are low and flattened. Hair lobes are narrow. The terminal antennal segments are hooked as in C. bicornuta.

The thorax has two large patches on the pronotum and the scutellum is yellow; fore- and midlegs are black to near the distal ends of the femori; hind legs are yellow to near center of femori; tibiae and tarsi are largely yellow.

The abdomen has tergum 1 with two yellow patches and an emarginate band on tergum 3. The remainder of the abdomen is lost.

This species, as indicated by the male type, is near C. bicornuta Guerin, but the surface of the face is not the same and basal tarsal segment is not S-shaped as it is on C. bicornuta Guerin male (Scullen 1965a: fig. 153d). It is also near the males of C. frontata Say and C. mimica Cresson, but the face is not like that of either. No other specimens have been seen that conform to this type specimen.

TYPE.—The holotype male of C. acolhua Saussure from Chapultepec, Mexico, taken in June, is at the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna.

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from type-locality.

PREY RECORD.—None.

PLANT RECORD.—None.