The Wharton Lab

Metopius (Peltastes) bellus Cresson, 1879

Lower tooth of mandible present, impressed inward toward mouth so that it is not on lower outer edge of upper tooth. Margin of clypeus impressed, not reflexed or raised from base of labrum. Interantennal process (Fig. 1) triangular, flat, convex or concave without strong lateral flanges and without a median carina. Frons with a median lamella that is continuous with posterior end of interantennal process of face. Epicnemial carina turned sharply forward above sternaulus abruptly approaching front edge of mesopleuron, then closely paralleling it. Metasoma with fourth tergite about 0.75 as long as wide (Fig. 2). Apical pale band on first metasomal tergite not interrupted medially (Figs 3, 4). Hind femur black, broadly white or yellow basally on the outer side, or sometimes the white or yellow covers entire femur except for an apical black mark which is most extensive on inner side (Fig. 2). Facial shield about 1.05 as high as wide. Space between facial shield and clypeal margin about 0.13 as great as height of shield. Second recurrent vein with two bullae.

Oregon and northern California.

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 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.