Cerceris alamos Scullen 1972

Cerceris alamos

FEMALE.—Length 7.5–8 mm. Black with creamy-white markings; punctation and pubescence average; clypeal process with a single acute denticle on the terminal border.

Head subequal in width to the thorax; black except for large frontal eye patches, the dorsal surface of the clypeal process, the scape of the antennae, the basal third of the mandibles, and a small spot back of the eyes, all of which are creamy white; border of the medial clypeal lobe with three low rounded denticles; clypeal process rounded terminally and with a single acute denticle medially; mandibles bidentate, the more distal denticle the larger; antennae normal in form, light tan below and dark above.

Thorax black except for a divided band on the pronotum, two patches on the scutellum, the metanotum, a patch on the pleuron, and the tegulae, all of which are creamy white; tegulae smooth and slightly elevated; enclosure deeply and coarsely pitted and with the usual medial groove; mesosternal tubercle absent; legs black except for an oval patch on the fore- and midfemori, the fore- and midtibiae, and a patch on the hind tibiae, all of which are creamy white and the fore- and midtarsi, which are somewhat amber in color; wings subhyaline but clouded apically.

Abdomen black except for a patch on tergum 1, emarginate bands on terga 2, 3, 4, and 5, the band on tergum 2 somewhat the broader; venter immaculate; pygidium as illustrated (Figure 96c).

MALE.—Length 7 mm. Black with cream to light yellow markings; punctation average; pubescence very short.

Head subequal in width to the thorax, black except the entire face below the antennal scrobes, the scapes of the antennae, and the base of the mandibles, all of which are creamy white; medial clypeal border with three low black denticles; mandibles without denticles; antennae normal in form, tan below and darker above.

Thorax black except for a broken band on the pronotum, two patches on the scutellum, the metanotum, a patch on the pleuron, and the tegulae, all of which are cream colored; tegulae smooth and slightly elevated; enclosure coarsely punctate with a medial groove; mesosternal tubercle absent; legs black to near the distal end of the femori; fore-and midfemori with oval light patches on their distal ends, hind femori distal ends light, more distal segments of all legs light colored except for dark patches near the distal ends of the hind tibiae; wings as on the female.

Abdomen black except for a patch on tergum 1, a broad uniform band sometimes emarginate on tergum 2, and narrow, slightly emarginate bands on terga 3, 4, 5, and 6, all of which are light yellow; pygidium as illustrated (Figure 96f).

Male specimens of C. alamos are difficult to distinguish from closely related species except when associated with the females.

TYPES.—The type female and allotype male of Cerceris alamos, taken from 10 miles southeast of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico, 29 June 1963 (F. D. Parker and L. A. Stange), are at the California Academy of Sciences. Paratypes are as follows:

MEXICO: SINALOA: ♀, ♂, 8 mi SE Elota, 18 May 1962 (FDP); ♂, same location, 19 April 1962 (LAS); ♀, Mazatlan, 15–20 August 1962 (HEE). SONORA: 8♀, 17♂, 10 mi SE Alamos, 29 June 1963 (P and S); ♂, Cocorit, 23 May 1962 (P and S); 6♂, 10 mi E Navojoa, 13 August 1959 (WLN and FGW).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from southern Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico.

PREY RECORD—None.

PLANT RECORD.—None.