Drepanaporus collaris

Planiceps collaris Cresson, 1865, Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia, vol. 4, p. 132. [Holotype: ♀ (ANSP)].

Planiceps cubensis Cresson, 1867, Transactions of the American Entomological Society Philadelphia, vol. 1, p. 136 [Holotype: ♂, CUBA (IZAC)].

Pompilus falco Dalla Torre, 1897, Catalogus Hymenopterorum, vol. 8, p. 288 [proposed as new name for Planiceps cubensis Cresson, 1867, nec Cresson 1865].

Pompilus troglodytes Dalla Torre, 1897, Catalogus Hymenopterorum, vol. 8, p. 328 [proposed as new name for Planiceps collaris Cresson, 1867, nec Sphex collaris Fabricius, 1775].

Odontaporus simulatrix Bradley, 1944, Transactions of the American Entomological Society Philadelphia, vol. 70, p. 113 [Holotype: ♀, PUERTO RICO, Jayuya, (USNM)], syn. nov.

Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the following unique combination of characters: the fore wing has two radial sectors; 2m-cu vein is not interstitial with the 2r-m vein (Fig. 2C); and the antennal segment four is as long as or longer than 1.50 × its width. Additionally, the female (Fig. 7D) is black except for the following red areas: markings on the front of the pronotum, a band crossing the streptaulus, and a band on the posterior margin of the pronotum and the metasoma. Also, the eyes are glabrous or have very short vestigial setae in the female. The male (Fig. 7E) is black with silvery pubescence.

Material examined. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: 1 ♀, Pedernales, Sierra de Baoruco, Aceitillar, 23.6 km NE Pedernales, 18–09–23N, 71–34–09W, 1569 m, 14.VI.2003, open pine forest with grassland, malaise trap, sample 42182, C. Young et al., CMNH –369,993; 10 ♀, La Vega, Cordillera Central Loma Casabito, 15.8 km NW Bonao, (19–02–12N, 70–31–08W), 1455 m, 28.V.2003, evergreen cloud forest, east slope, yellow pan trap, sample 21262, CMNH – 369,993/ 370,630/ 370,799/ 370,268/ 370,161/ 370,994/ 370,387/ 369,505/ 367,265/ 370,310; Pedernales, Sierra de Bahoruco, Aceitillar, 25.4 km ENE Pedernales, (18–05–27N, 71–31–08W), 1270 m, 14.VI.2003, open pine forest with grassland, yellow pan trap, sample 42162, E. Young et al., 1 ♀ CMNH –370,397, 1 ♂ CMNH –370,980; 1 ♀, La Vega, Cordillera Central, 4.1 km SW El Convento, 18–50–37N, 70–42–48W, 31.V.2003, dense secondary evergreen forest with pine, yellow pan trap, sample 22262, CMNH –369,529; 2 ♀, Pedernales, Sierra de Bahoruco, Aceitillar, 25.4 km ENE Pedernales, dense broadleaf forest, pine, yellow pan trap, sample 42262, C. Young et al., CMNH –371,096/ 370,704; 1 ♀, Independencia, Sierra de Neiba, south slope near summit, 4 km N Angel Feliz, 18–40–21N, 71–46–05W, 1825 m, 1–2.IV.2004, broadleaf cloud forest without pine, yellow pan trap, sample 34263, J. Rawlins et al., CMNH –370,296; 1 ♀, Pedernales, Along Rio Mulito, 13 km N Pedernales, 18–09N, 71–46W, 230 m, 17.VII.1992, riparian woodland, J. Rawlins et al., CMNH –370,849; 1 ♀, Pedernales, 9.5 km N Cabo Rojo, 18–02N, 71–39W, 35 m, 13–19.VII.1990, desert scrub, intercept trap, L. Masner et al., CMNH – 369,623; La Vega, Cordillera Central, Loma Casabito, 16 km NW Bonao, 19–02–21N, 70–31–05W, 1487 m, 28.V.2003, J. Rawlins et al., 1 ♀ CMNH –370,555 (evergreen cloud forest at summit, canopy trap, sample 21192), 6 ♂ CMNH –370,908/ 370,272/ 370,356/ 371,474/ 370,359/ 370,405; 2 ♀, 4 ♂, Pedernales, Sierra Bahoruco, 15 km W Cabo Rojo, VIII. 1990, 540 m, L. Masner (PMAE); 2 ♂, Pedernales Prov [ince], 21 km N Cabo Rojo, 19–20.VI.1976, R.E. Woodruf and E.E. Grissell, Malaise Trap (FSCA); 2 ♀, 1 ♂, La Vega, P.N. Armando Bermudez, 1000 m, 17.I.1989, L. Masner (AEIC); 4 ♂, Duarte, 10 km NE San Francisco de Macoris, Loma Quita Espuela, M[alaise]T[rap], 800 m, VI.1991 (PMAE).

Distribution. Puerto Rico, Cuba (Snelling & Torres 2004), Bahamas, and Dominican Republic.

Host. Unknown.

Remarks. Odontaporus simulatrix historically was separated from D. collaris by the presence of a cleft tarsal claw (Bradley 1944). However, this character is variable and the two types of tarsal claws are found in sympatry throughout the Dominican Republic. We conclude that this character is not sufficient to distinguish two species that are otherwise identical. In addition, a single male morph has been found in the localities where females of the two claw types have been collected, which would support the idea of a single species. Preliminary molecular analyses support the synonymy as well. There are no records on the biology of this species. They presumably use trap-door spiders as hosts (Snelling & Torres 2004). This is the first record for the Dominican Republic.