DESCRIPTION OF THE MATURE LARVAE OF SEVERAL SPECIES OF PSENULUS, WITHCOMMENTS ON LARVAL CHARACTERS IN THE GENUS (HYMENOPTERA, SPHECIDAE)

The mature post-defecating larvae of Psenulus berlandi Beaumont and P. schencki (Tournier) are described, that of Psenulus concolor (Dahlbom ) is redescribed, and additional data on the morphology of Psenulus pa llipes (Panzer) are provided. The morphology of these larvae is compar ed with that of the rest of the species described in the genus. The su batrium structure is one of the most appropriate characters for specie s separation, although the possible use of other characters is also an alyzed : tegumental formations of the labrum and epipharynx, and cepha lic chaetotaxy. This study shows also that the description of the larv a of Psenulus schencki, carried out by ASIS et al. (1993), actually co rresponds to Psenulus pal lipes.