Chrysis simillima

CHRYSIS SIMILLIMA (GRIBODO, 1879) According to Kimsey & Bohart (1991), the holotype of C. simillima was deposited at MSNG.However, we found out that this type had never been deposited either in Gribodo’s or Invrea’s collections (Rosa 2009). Instead, the holotype was found in the collection of the NHMUK (box 79), along with a syntype of C. smithii (box 76). In fact, both types were sent back to Smith by Gribodo who only retained a syntype of C. smithii for his collection (Fig. 3). Chrysis simillima (Figs 2C; 4C) is similar to C. stilboides, albeit with a simple, sharp transverse frontal carina lacking three branches, a longer ratio of length of the first flagellomere (l/w = 1.6 vs 1.0), a shorter second flagellomere (1.3 × F1 length vs 2.3) and a larger, triangular and flat metasomal mucron (smaller and medially concave in C. stilboides). This species has not yet been found in the Arabian Peninsula and previous records reported by Linsenmaier (1994) refer to C. smithii Gribodo.