Anoplius aethiops (Cresson 1865)

Anoplius (Lophopompilus) aethiops (Cresson)
Pompilus aethiops Cresson, 1865, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., 4: 451 [Lectotype: 5, Colorado (ANSP, no. 413)]. — Cresson, 1869, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 12: 367 (Orizaba, Mexico). — Cameron, 1893, Biol. Centr.-Amer., Hymen. II, p. 199.
Psammochares ilione Banks, 1910, Psyche, 17: 249 [Type: Virginia: Falls Church, 12 Sept. (N. Banks) (MCZ, no. 13, 667)]. Synonymy by Regan, 1923.
Lophopompilus azotus Banks, 1929, Psyche, 36: [Type: 2, South Dakota: Springfield, 14 Sept. (H. C. Severin) (MCZ, no. 16, 232)]. Synonymy by Evans, 1951.
Anoplius (Lophopompilus) aethiops Evans, 1951, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., 76: 215-218.
Female. — Length 13-23 mm. Black, pubescence reflecting deep bluish; wings fuscous, violaceous. Clypeus with a broad arcuate emargination. Front broad, MID .60-.64 X TFD; inner orbits convergent above, UID .80-.88 X LID; OOL distinctly greater than POL; third antennal segment somewhat shorter than UID. Front basitarsus with three comb-spines (rarely a small fourth, basal one), the apical one about half the length of the second tarsal segment.
Male. — Length 9-18 mm. Color of body and wings as in female. Apical margin of clypeus slightly arcuately concave. MID .62-.66 X TFD; UID about .90-.95 X LID; OOL distinctly exceeding POL. Upper front and vertex rather convex, forming a nearly smooth surface with the eyes. SGP with the basal plumose process relatively short, bearing some long setae. Genitalia with the parameres slender, slightly arched, with a distinct preapical curvature (see
Mop 42
£ Anoplius (Lophopompilus) aethiops (Cresson)
(also widely distr, in U.S A Anoplius (Anopliodes) chinqui Evans
fig. 72 in Evans, 1951).
Distribution. — This large and relatively common species ranges from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south to North Carolina, Texas, and Guatemala. In Mexico the species occurs chiefly in open fields and meadows at high elevations, and is absent from the deserts and the coastal plains. (Map 42.)
Mexican and Central American specimens examined. — 39 9 9, 25 S S . Chihuahua: 1 $ , San Jose Babicora, 5 July 1947 (Schramel) [AMNH]. Durango: 1 9 , Las Puentes, 7500 feet, 24 July 1947 (MC) [AMNH]; 1 2 , Navios Viejos, 2 Aug. 1951 (PDH) [CIS]; 1 9,1 S , Palos Colorados, 8000 feet, 5 Aug. 1947 (Spieth) [AMNH]; 6 9 9,1 S , Coyotes & vie, 8000 feet, Aug. [MCZ, CIS, AMNH]; 1 9, 6 mi. NE El Salto, 7900 feet, 23 July 1953 [KU]; 1 9, 45 mi. W Durango (RHP) [MCZ]; 1 $ , 2 mi. NE Llano Grande, 27 Aug. 1956 (JWM) [CIS]. Zacatecas: 9 2 9,5 $ $ , 15 km. E Sombrerete, 28-31 July 1951 (HEE, PDH) [MCZ, CIS]; 1 9 , 1 mi. N San Jose de Felix, 14 July 1954 (EIS) [CIS]. Jalisco: 1 9, 2 mi. S Tlaquepaque, 11 July 1953 (P. Vaurie) [AMNH]. Mexico: 1 9,2 $ $ , Teotihuacan Pyramids, June, July [MCZ,
ENAC]; 1 8, 1 mi. W Tepexpan, 7300 feet, 4 July 1959 (B. D. Valentine) [MCZ]; 1 2, Chapingo, 27 June 1961 (FPM) [ENAC];
1 9, Valle de Bravo, 6500 feet, 3 Aug. 1962 (HEE) [MCZ]; 9
2 9,9 8 8, 34 km. W Toluca, 8500 feet, 9 Aug. 1962 (HEE) [MCZ]. Distrito Federal: 1 9 , Los Reyes, 2 July 1952 (EG & CM) [CIS]. Puebla: 1 9 , Puebla, 3 July 1952 (EG & CM) [CIS]. Veracruz: 1 9 , Orizaba [U. Nebraska]. Chiapas: 1 9,4 8 8, San Cristobal las Casas, 7500 feet, 26 April 1959 (HEE) [CU, MCZ]. Guatemala: 1 9 (no further data) [MCZ].

Anoplius aethiops is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae.