Metopius basalis Cresson , 1879

Taxonomic History / Nomenclature
Metopius (Peltastes) basalis Cresson, 1879
Remarks
Subspecies:
Metopius (Peltastes) basalis heinrichi Townes and Townes, 1959
Metasomal tergites 3 to 5 each with an ivory apical band or apicolateral pair of spots. Transcontinental across northern U.S. and southern Canada.

Metopius (Peltastes) basalis basalis Cresson, 1879
Metasomal tergites 3 to 5 entirely black. Known from Georgia and Florida.

Diagnosis and Relationships
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 mesopleurum, then closely paralleling it. Fourth tergite of metasoma about as long as wide (Figs 2, 4). Apical pale band on first metasomal tergite interrupted medially. Second metasomal tergite relatively sparsely punctate.
20794_mximage
1. Metopius basalis face...
20795_mximage
2. Metopius basalis lateral...
20796_mximage
3. Metopius basalis propode...
20797_mximage
4. Metopius basalis metasom...
 
Distribution
No referenced distribution records have been added to the database for this OTU.
Biology / Hosts
reared from a saturniid
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 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.