Comprehensive Description
provided by Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology
Orgilus laeviventris (Cresson)
Ischius laeviventris Cresson, 1872b, p. 182.
Orgilus laeviventris (Cresson).—Cresson, 1887, p. 228.—Muesebeck and Walkley, 1951, p. 111.
Muesebeck and Walkley (1951) suppressed laeviventris as a synonym of mellipes (Say), but I now believe that action was not warranted. The unique type differs from what is currently identified as mellipes in its completely smooth and polished second tergite, which is as long as broad at base; in its more slender hind femora, which are about five times as long as broad; in its almost completely smooth and polished first tergite, and in having all coxae darkened. Unfortunately, the holotype is a headless male. Because head characters are very important in this group, and because no other specimen has been encountered that can definitely be identified as laeviventris, it has seemed advisable to omit this form from the key and to treat it, at least temporarily, as a doubtful species.
HOLOTYPE.—USNM 1640.
DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from the holotype male from Texas.
- bibliographic citation
- Muesebeck, Carl F. W. 1970. "The Nearctic species of Orgilus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)." Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 1-104. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.30
