Poecilopompilus algidus (Smith 1855)

Poecilopompilus algidus marcidus (Smith)
Pompilus marcidus Smith, 1862, Jour. Ent., 1: 395 [Type: 2, Mexico: Veracruz: Orizaba (BMNH, no. 19, 587)]. — Cresson, 1867, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, 1: 110. — Cresson, 1869, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 12: 371. — Cameron, 1893, Biol. Centr.-Amer., Hymen. II,
p. 211. Pompilus pygidialis Kohl, 1886, Verh. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien, 36: 314, 334
[Lectotype: 2, Mexico: Morelos: Cuernavaca (Bilimek) (? Vienna
Mus.)]. New synonym. Batozonus marcidus Bradley, 1944, Notulae Nat., Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., no.
145, p. 10. Poecilopompilus algidus marcidus Evans, 1950, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, 75:
243-245 (in part).
This form intergrades with the North American algidus Smith in Texas and is barely distinguishable from jervidus Smith of Panama and South America. I have not seen the type of pygidialis, which was described from specimens from Cuba, Buenos Aires, and Mexico. To avoid future confusion, the Mexican specimen is here designated lectotype.
Female. — Length 17-22 mm. Entire body castaneous, frequently with dull yellowish markings on posterior margin of pronotum, center of metanotum, and sides of posterior rim of propodeum; basal tergites with rather dark posterior margins, T2 occasionally with indistinct yellowish markings at base; apical 6 or 7 segments of antennae blackish; often with some blackish in ocellar triangle, along sutures of thorax, or at joints of tarsi. Wings wholly brownish, fore wing often paler toward the apex than basally, often somewhat tinged with luteous. Body pubescence pale, brownish-golden, erect setae also pale. Clypeus 2.2-2.3 X as wide as high, its apical margin truncate. Head broad, TFD 1.12-1.18 X VFD; vertex raised in an even arc above eye tops. MID .52-.57 X TFD; UID .50-.55 X LID; antennal segment three 1.3-1.5 X UID; POL:OOL = 5:4. Posterior margin of pronotum broadly angulate. Postnotum largely concealed on the mid-dorsal line. Propodeum sloping rather evenly, not notably protuberant on the sides. Front basitarsus with three comb-spines, the apical one subequal in length to second tarsal segment. Claws of front tarsus bifid, inner ray subtruncate, remaining claws dentate. Fore wing with marginal cell removed from wing tip by slightly less than its own length; SMC3 about as wide as, or wider than second, more strongly narrowed above than second.
Male. — Length 12-17 mm. Body color like that of female, but tending to be slightly more extensively marked with black and yellow; ocellar triangle black, the black extending downward, sometimes reaching bases of antennae; anterior margin of mesoscutum, postnotum, and various sutures on thorax often marked with black; lower front, outer orbits, pronotal margin, center of metanotum, rim of propodeum, and tegulae often yellowish; abdomen as in female; apical several segments of antennae infuscated, but extreme tip pale. Color of wings and of pubescence and erect hair as in female. Clypeus 2.1-2.3 X as
wide as high, its apical margin rounded. Head 1.2-1.35 X as wide as high; vertex evenly arched above eye tops; eyes very broad. MID .52-.S7 X TFD; UID .85-.90 X LID; POL slightly less than OOL. Third antennal segment equal to slightly over half UID. Propodeal slope rather even, its sides barely protuberant. Longer spur of hind tibia .6 the length of the basitarsus. Genitalia with the parameres very slender throughout, the aedoegus with two large, flaring apical lobes (as figured for a. algidus by Evans, 1950, fig. 43).
Distribution. — Available specimens of this form range from Nicaragua to Nayarit, San Luis Potosi, and southern Texas. Intergrades with the very similar fervidus should be looked for in Costa Rica and adjacent countries. (Map 37.)
Specimens examined. — 16 5 9, 12 8 8. Nicaragua: 1 2, Slope Volcan Cosiguina, 6 July 1932 (M. Willows) [CAS]. Mexico: 1 5 (no further data) [ANSP]. Veracruz: 1 2, Orizaba [BMNH]; 1 8, Minatitlan, 26 Aug. 1961 (RRD) [MSU]. Morelos: 1 2, Cuernavaca, 21 Oct. 1922 (E. G. Smyth) [USNM]; 2 8 8, Canyon de Lobos, nr. Yautepec, 4000 feet, 25 May 1959 (HEE) [CU, MCZ]; 1 2, Alpuyeca, 3 July 1951 (HEE) [MCZ]. Guerrero:
1 2 , Rincon, 2800 feet, Oct: (HHS) [BHNH]; 1 8 , 6 mi. N Taxco, 5500 feet, 19 June 1959 (HEE) [MCZ]. Jalisco: 2 2 2,2 8 8, Guadalajara, July, Sept. (HEE, RRD) [CU, MCZ, MSU]; 3 2 2, 8 mi. S Guadalajara, Sept. 1954 (FXW) [CAS]; 2 2 2 , San Juan Lagos, 27 July 1951 (HEE, PDH) [MCZ, CIS]. Nayarit: 1 2,
2 8 8, Ahuacatlan, 18-22 July 1951 (HEE) [MCZ]. San Luis Potosi: 1 8 , 5 mi. E Ciudad del Maiz, 4700 feet, 22 Aug. 1954 [KU]. Texas: 2 8 8, Port Isabel, Cameron Co., 23-27 June 1956 (HEE) [MCZ]; 1 2,1 8, Bexar Co. (H. B. Parks) [MCZ]; 1 2, Kingsville (C. T. Reed) [MCZ].
Variation. — The two males from Cameron Co., Texas, have the wings unusually dark, somewhat violaceous, perhaps indicating an introgression of genes from a. algidus, although in all other respects they are typical marcidus. Similarly, the two females from San Juan Lagos, Jalisco, and to a lesser extent those from Guadalajara, have the wings rather pale and luteous, much as in willistoni, but the abdomen is not colored as in that form. A broad band of intergradation may be found to occur between each of the subspecies.
Poecilopompilus algidus marcidus (Smith) O Poecilopompilus a. willistoni (Potton)
(ranges north to S. Dakota) A Poecilopompilus a. fervidus (Smith)
(also throughout northern S. America)

Poecilopompilus algidus willistoni (Patton)
Pompilus willistoni Patton, 1879, Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey, 5: 352 [Type: 5, Kansas: Northwestern part, 8 Sept. 1877 (S. W. Williston) (no longer extant)].
Poecilopompilus algidus marcidus Evans, 1950, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, 75: 243-245 (in part).
Although I placed willistoni in the synonymy of marcidus in 1950, it now seems to me desirable to employ Patton's name to apply to the rather characteristically colored population inhabiting the western Great Plains and the northwestern parts of Mexico. This subspecies is intermediate in color between marcidus and coquilletti and its range is interposed between that of those two forms.
Female. — Length 16-21 mm. Body predominantly castaneous, as in marcidus, but yellow maculations more extensive; clypeus and lower front suffused with yellowish, also outer orbits to some extent; collar and posterior pronotal margin marked with yellow, also center of metanotum and often part of scutellum; sides of posterior rim of propodeum yellow; tibiae streaked with yellow, and tarsi mostly yellowish; T3-5, and often much of 2 and 6, largely yellowish, except the tergites tending to have darker apical bands; last few segments of antennae blackish, front with some black in ocellar triangle, some
times also in center of front and along clypeo-frontal suture, thorax often also suffused with blackish in small part, especially along the sutures. Wings brownish, occasionally weakly violaceous, strongly suffused with yellowish at least along costal margin of fore wing, often more extensively, but never as brilliantly or extensively orange-yellow as in coquilletti. Head measurements as in marcidus. Propodeum sloping rather evenly, not or barely produced lateroposteriorly. Other features as described for marcidus.
Male. — -Length 11-16 mm. Color similar to that of female, abdomen largely yellowish beyond segment two (sometimes segment one) but the segments margined apically with castaneous; black markings somewhat more extensive than in female, the black in the ocellar triangle extending down to antennal sockets as a pair of streaks, usually confluent below thorax and legbases suffused with a variable amount of black, especially along sutures, mesosternum mostly or wholly black. Wing color as in female. Head measurements within the ranges of variation expressed for marcidus; POL often considerably less than OOL. Propodeum at most slightly, roundly swollen posterolaterally.
Distribution. — Baja California and Durango north through Arizona and New Mexico to Colorado and South Dakota. The records of marcidus from the United States (except those from Texas) presented by Evans (1950) apply to willistoni. Since 1950, I have collected specimens in Scott Co. and Kearny Co., in western Kansas, agreeing closely with Patton's description. East of about the 100 meridian this form is replaced by typical algidus. (Map 37.)
Mexican specimens examined. — 1 2,5 $ $ . Baja California: 1 8 , La Paz, 9 Oct. 1955 (FXW) [CAS]. Durango: 2 2 8 , Nombre de Dios, 6 Aug. 1951 (HEE) [MCZ]. Chihuahua: 1 5,1 8, 18 mi. W Jimenez, 10 Aug. 1951 (HEE) [MCZ]; 1 8, 18 mi. W Chihuahua, 12 Aug. 1951 (PDH) [CIS].

Poecilopompilus algidus is a species of spider wasp which is widespread in the Americas.