SYSTEMATICS AND LARVAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE EUROPEAN AMPULEX JURINE, 1807 (HYMENOPTERA : SPHECIDAE)

Ampulex ruficollis Cameron, 1888, is redescribed. The most important characters differentiating it from Ampulex fasciata Jurine, 1807 are: coarser prothoracic sculpture, mesopleuron markedly shiny, more regular sculpture on the propodeal enclosure, and pattern of colouring. A. fasciata is widely distributed in Europe, whereas A. ruficollis is known only from Spain and Tanger (Morocco). A neotype is designated for A. ruficollis. The mature larva of A. ruficollis differs from the known larvae of its congeners by the following combinations, bidentate mandible with a small denticle near the basal tooth, epipharynx more spinulose, with more sensillae than in the other described species.