Esperanza texana Barber, 1906

(Figs. 8, 21, 34, 54–55))

Esperanza texana Barber 1906: 270 .

Diagnosis. Recognized by having the humeral angles of the pronotum and hind femora without spines and the apex of the scutellum is prolonged into a short, very acute, upturned spine.

General distribution. MEXICO: Hidalgo (Tasquillo), Jalisco (Chamela and El Tuito), Nuevo Leon (Linares), San Luis Potosi (Tamuin and 8 mi W of Valles), and Tamaulipas (8 mi W El Limon). UNITED STATES: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas (Barber 1906; Brailovsky & Zurbia 1979; Froeschner 1980; Wheeler & Henry 1984).

Material examined. New records. COSTA RICA: Prov. Guanacaste, Playa Hermosa, 10–19-VIII-1995, J. E. Eger (UNAM) 1 male . GUATEMALA: Zacapa, San Lorenzo, Quarry Road, 7 km N Sta. Cruz, CA9, 17-VII- 2008, C. W. & L. O’Brien and F. Skillman (UNAM) 1 male; Frontera-Ahuachapan, El Salvador, 25-VIII-1985, F. Arias (UNAM) 1 male . MEXICO: Coahuila, CC El Cañon, 6-IX-2010, A. Zaldivar (UNAM) 1 female . Estado de Mexico, Malinalco, 10- II- 1979, E. Barrera (UNAM) 1 female . Guerrero, km 8 road Chilpancingo-Omilteme, 29-I-1982, A. Ibarra, M. Garcia (UNAM), 1 female; Atlixtac, km 39 road Chilapa-Tlapa, 1425 m , 17°35’47’’N– 99°01’06’’W, 11-XII-2006, L. Cervantes, C. Mayorga (UNAM) 1 female . Hidalgo, km 9 road Huejutla-Atlapexco, 21 ° 03’84’’N–98 ° 22’88’’W, 29-VIII-1999, E. Barrera (UNAM) 2 males, 1 female . Michoacan, Zitacuaretiro, 15- VII-1983, M. Garcia (UNAM) 1 male . Morelos, Cuautla, 25-X-1981, H. Brailovsky (UNAM) 1 male; km 49 road Cuernavaca-Taxco, 19-X-1988, H. Brailovsky, E. Barrera, J. Bueno (UNAM) 1 female; Tepalcingo, S of El Limon, 1190 m , 18°31’16.1’’N– 98°56’48.2’’W, 23–25-VI-2006, V. H. Toledo, A. M. Corona (UNAM) 1 male . Nayarit, Rincon de Guayabitos, 14-VIII-1981, R. Zurbia (UNAM) 1 male . Oaxaca, Tuxtepec, 20-VII-1987, R. Barba, L. Cervantes (UNAM) 4 males, 2 females; SE Tlacolula, 6500’, 12-VIII-1974, C. W. & L. O’Brien (CASC) 1 male . Puebla, Chiautla, 12-XII-1986, H. Brailovsky (UNAM) 1 female . Queretaro, Ciudad de Queretaro, 30- III- 2010, Ka. Brailovsky (UNAM) 1 female . Tamaulipas, Gomez Farias, km 2 La Libertad-Julilo, 326 m, 23°07’28’’N– 99°09’53’’W, 12-V-2007, E. Barrera, H. Brailovsky, L. Cervantes (UNAM), 1 male, 1 female; Llera de Canales, km 11 Llera de Canales-Ciudad Victoria, 495 m , 23°20’49’’N– 99°01’24’’W, 13-V-2007, H. Brailovsky, E. Barrera, L. Cervantes (UNAM) 5 males, 4 females . Veracruz, Palma Sola, VIII-1972, G. Halffter (INECOL), 6 males, 3 females . Yucatan, Chichenitza, 20°38’04’’N– 88°27’082’’W, 13-IX-1994, E. Barrera (UNAM) 1 male .