Species Psorthaspis brimleyi

Psorthaspis brimleyi (Malloch, 1928)

Pedinaspis brimleyi Malloch 1928

Named for North Carolina entomologist Clement Samuel Brimley (1863-1946). Brimley collected the type specimen (Malloch, 1928).

female body length 20 mm (Malloch, 1928); 23 mm (guide photo)

Apparently the only eastern member of the genus where female is mostly dark. Like most other members of this genus, known only from the female. Original description below (Malloch, 1928):

Pedinaspis brimleyi, new species.

Female. — Black, shining where abraded, otherwise dull because of the dense tomentum; abdomen with a large orange-yellow mark on dorsum of second tergite which extends from anterior margin about three-fourths of its length, and is slightly notched in middle of its posterior outline.

Head a little wider than thorax, vertex slightly raised above eyes; posterior ocelli distinctly proximal of upper margin of eyes, separated from each other by about three-fourths as great a distance as either is from eye; central depressed line faint; clypeus broadly rounded, flat on disc, a quite large conspicuous depression around bases of antennae which is rather abrupt on its lower margin, extending over upper margin of clypeus; second, third, and fourth, flagellar segments subequal. Propodeum but shghtly concave posteriorly, no obvious angle on sides of hind margin; no submedian angles on hind margin of mesosternum. Abdomen as in mariae. Third submarginal cell subquadrate.

Length, 20 mm.

Type locality.— Raleigh, N. C., July 2, 1921 (C. S. Brimley).

Type.—Cat. No. 27433, U. S. N. M.

Named in honor of the collector.

This species superficially resembles Psammocharis (Lophopompilus) atrox (Dahlb.). It runs to texanus in Banks' key to the species of this genus but differs in having only the second abdominal tergite largely reddish, the depressions at bases of antennae much larger, and the hind margin of mesosternum more rounded.

Editorial note. Psammocharis (Lophopompilus) atrox = Anoplius atrox.

Southeastern United States (BugGuide records)

Reported June-September from North Carolina--guide photos and Brimley (1).

Brimley, p. 432 lists as Pedinaspis brimleyi from Raleigh (type locality), Cary, Beaufort, Marion, and Wilkes County, North Carolina, July-September (1).

Malloch, J.R. 1928. Three new species of the genus Pedinaspis (Hymenoptera, fam. Psammocharidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 30: 100-102.(BHL link)

North Carolina State University Entomology Collection--32 pinned (link dead--retained for reference)