Metopius errantius Davis, 1897

Taxonomic History / Nomenclature
Metopius (Peltales) errantia Davis, 1897

Metopius (Peltales) errantius: Townes and Townes (1959). Unjustified emendation

Remarks
Subspecies include
Metopius (Peltales) errantia errantia Davis, 1897
Ground color of metasoma and side of thorax blackish. Range: Ontario, Canada to North Carolina, east to Minnesota.

Metopius (Peltales) errantia floridanus Townes and Townes, 1959
Ground color of metasoma and side of thorax medium brown. Range: northern Florida.

Metopius (Peltales) errantia arizonicus Townes and Townes, 1959
yellow mark on metasomal tergites 3 and 4 not extending forward much if any beyond midlength of tergite. Range: Arizona

Metopius (Peltales) errantia californicus Townes and Townes, 1959
Yellow mark on metasomal tergites 3 and 4 extending forward sublaterally almost to the front margin. Range: California, Oregon.

Diagnosis and Relationships
Lower tooth of mandible present, impressed inward toward mouth so that it is not on lower outer edge of upper tooth. Interantennal process of face without a median carina, quadrate to nearly triangular (Fig. 3), strongly concave and margined by distinctly elevated flanges. Margin of clypeus impressed, not reflexed or raised from base of labrum. Epicnemial carina turned weakly forward above sternaulus, gradually approaching front edge of mesopleuron but ending well separated from it. Frons with a strong swelling anterior to median ocellus, separate from interantennal process. Mesoscutum entirely black (Figs 4, 5).
23501_mximage
1. Metopius errantius face...
24162_mximage
2. Metopius errantius face ...
24164_mximage
3. Metopius errantius inter...
23502_mximage
4. Metopius errantius habit...
24163_mximage
5. Metopius errantius mesos...
23503_mximage
6. Metopius errantius base ...
24315_mximage
7. Metopius errantius legs...
24166_mximage
8. Metopius errantius claws...
 
Distribution
See remarks section.
Distribution
No referenced distribution records have been added to the database for this OTU.
Biology / Hosts
reared from a geometrid host
Map

There are no specimens currently determined for this OTU, or those specimens determined for this OTU are not yet mappable.

Acknowledgements
This page was assembled by Bob Wharton and Danielle Restuccia and was supported by the National Science Foundation under PEET grant # DEB 0328922. We thank David Wahl (American Entomological Institute) for extended loans of material used for this study. Images for most of the Nearctic species of Metopius were taken by Aubrey Colvin. Page last updated April, 2014. The material on this page is freely available, but should be acknowledged if used elsewhere.

This material is based upon work at Texas A&M University supported by the National Science Foundation under PEET Grant Number DEB 0328922.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.