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PSYCHE
A Journal of Entomology
Volume XXX
1923
Edited by Charles T. Brues
Published by the Cambridge Entomological Club, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston 30, Mass., U. S. A.
Printed by The St. Albans Messenger Company St. Albans, Vermont
PSYCHE
A JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY
Established in 1874
VOL. XXX FEBRUARY, 1923 NO. 1
CONTENTS
The Occurrence of Muscina pascuorum Meigen in North America in 1922.
C. W. Johnson 1
Two New Bembecids (Hymenoptera) from Channel Islands, California.
C. L. Fox 6
A Singular Habit of Sawfly Larvse. W. M. Wheeler & W. M. Mann ... 9
Two New Ants from Bolivia. W. M. Mann 12
A New Genus of Myrmecophilous Phoridse with Notes on Some
Related Forms. C.T.Brues 18
The Probable Occurrence of Parthenogenesis in Ochthiphila lolystigma
{F>\pte.rd) A, H. Sturtevant 22
Phorticolea boliviae, a New Myrmecophilous Cockroach from South
America. A. N. Caudell 28
Verbenapis - A Correction 30
A Fossil Genus of Dinapsidse from Baltic Amber (Hymenoptera)
C. T. Brues 31
Recent Books 35
Proceedings of the Cambridge Entomological Club 36
CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB
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OFFICERS FOR 1922 |
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President ..... |
A. P. Morse |
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Vice-President .... |
R. H. Howe, Jr. |
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Secretary ..... |
J. H. Emerton |
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Treasurer ..... |
. F. H. Walker |
Executive Commiitee . C. W. Johnson, Miss E. P. Butler
O. E. Plath
EDITORIAL BOARD OF PSYCHE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
C. T. Brues, Harvard University
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
C. W. Johnson, Nathan Banks,
Boston Society of Natural History. Harvard University. A. L. Melander, a. P. Morse,
Washington State College. Peabody Museum.
J. H. Emerton, J. G. Needham,
Boston, Mass. Cornell University.
W. M. Wheeler,
Harvard University.
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PSYCHE
VOL. XXX. FEBRUARY 1923
No. 1
THE OCCURENCE OF MUSCINA PASCUORUM MEIGEN IN NORTH AMERICA IN 1922.^
(Presented Dec. 26, 1922, at the Boston meeting of the Entomological Society of America.)
By Charles W. Johnson.
Boston Society of Natural History.
The increase and spread of this European fly in such num- bers and over so wide an area, before its presence was actually discovered, was a great surprise, especially to the dipterist. The first specimens to come under my observation were received on October 10, among some Diptera collected by Dr. W. M. Wheeler, at Colebrook, Connecticut. The three specimens were taken, August 10, 18 and 21. A few days later I received a box of flies from Mr. K. F. Chamberlain, of Cornwall Bridge, Conn., and among them was a specimen collected August 6, the earliest record I have for the species. Mr. R. T. Webber found among the material collected at the Bound Brook nurseries, N. J., a specimen taken September L Professor C. T. Brues observed it in numbers both in his house and about a neighboring cider mill at Petersham, Mass., October 8. Mr. F. H. Walker* collected two specimens at Marblehead, Mass., October 15. A few days later I received five specimens from Mrs. Ella L. Horr of the Worcester Natural History Society. Mrs. Horr said they were abundant in the cupola of the building and that the janitor said they were there in September, but that she did not happen to go there until about October 21. I wrote her that the fly was new to me and that I should like very much to have some more spe- cimens. No males had been seen and I was doubtful in which of two European species to place it. On October 25, Mrs. Horr wrote to me that she had sent some to Washington and on the 26th sent me 51 specimens. I wrote to Dr. J. M. Aldrich in
2
Psyche
[February
regard to the matter and on November 1 he replied as follows ‘‘It is Muscina pascuorum Meigen. I have compared it with European specimens determined by several authorities, and hence there is no doubt of what it is.”
On October 27 I took two specimens on the window at my home in Brookline and on the 31st I received several specimens from Mrs. L. C. Marshall, of East Walpole, who said they were abundant in her house. On November 1, Dr. G. M. Allen captured a specimen in his house in Cambridge. On the 3d Dr. F. T. Lewis brought in seven specimens taken at Waban, Newton, and on the same date Dr. J. A. Cushman collected a specimen at Sharon. On the 7th a specimen was taken on a window at the Boston Society of Natural History, and on the 8th Dr. Lewis took a specimen at the Harvard Medical School, Boston. Thes single specimens indicate that they were by no means common in the city. On the 7th Dr. Cushman collected at Sharon nine specimens, among which was a male, the first I had seen. Dr Cushman then made three collections at Sharon, which are in- teresting in showing the relative proportion of this and the other species that normally frequent houses in the autumn.
November 12, 46 Muscina pascuorum (all females), 30 M. assimilis, 19 Pollenia rudis, 10 Phormia reyina, 1 Cynomyia cadavorina, and 1 Musca domesiica.
November 16, 22 M. pascuorum, 12 M. assimilis, 15 P rudis, and 2 P. regina.
November 26, 13 M. pascuorum, IIP, rudis, and 5 P. regina
Another interesting series showing the relative abundanc of this species was made by Mr. F, H. Walker in the attic of a summer cottage at Asbury Grove, Mass. November 9, he col- lected 275 Muscina pascuorum (2 males), 21 Pollenia rudis, 15 Phormia regina, and 1 M. assimilis. Mr. Walker says: “I could have obtained thousands from neighboring cottages. The sky- light from which I obtained these flies measured 22 by 36 inches.”
The following additional records show how abundant and generally distributed the species is throughout eastern Massa-
1923] Occurence of Muscina pascuorum in North America
3
chusetts On November 10 Mr. M. T. Smulyan took a specimen at Melrose Highlands; on the 11th Mr. A. P. Morse captured a number at Ipswich; and on the 12th at Wellesley. On the 13th Mr. W. L. Maxcy reported it as abundant in his house at Still- water. On the 14th I caught the second male on a window in Brookline, and on the same date Mr. R. T. Webber reported it from Dover, and Mr. G. W. Barber from Arlington. On the 15th Miss Margaret Hayden collected it at Ashland; on the 18th Mr. C. V. Blackburn obtained it at Stoneham; on the 19th Mr. L. W. Jenkins secured it at Putnamville. On the 30th Mr. S. N. F. Sanford caught a specimen at Fall River, and on Dec. 2 Dr. G. M. Allen captured two at Cohasset.
Correspondence, together with a note published in Science (November 24), has further added to our knowledge of its dis- tribution. Under date of November 14, Dr. W. E. Britton, of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, writes: ‘‘We have noticed a number of large-sized flies around the windows and have killed some of them. We paid little attention to the species, but there are now some dead ones around the place and I will have some of them relaxed, pinned, and sent to you.” I received the flies, November 21 and they were all M. 'pascuorum. Dr. H. T. Fernald, of Amherst, Mass., writes, “Answering your letter of Nov. 17, I may say that we have noticed a species of Muscina on our windows this fall and took specimens first on Oct. 12, though they were present considerably before that date. We are referring it to Muscina pabulorum Meig. I should be very glad to know whether we are on the right track.” Under date of November 28, Dr. Fernald again writes: “Many thanks for your letter of Nov.. 27. It has been reasonably abundant here, and was certainly present for at least a week or ten days before we thought of taking and actually dating a specimen. I have not heard of it from any other part of the. state mainly because nobody appears to pay any attention to flies which show up on house windows.”
In a letter from Dr. O. A. Johannsen. of Ithaca, N. Y., dated November 24, he says: —
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Psyche
[February
‘‘I saw your note in Science this evening with regard to Muscina pascuorum and hasten to state that in Ithaca we have just discovered a new Muscina. Tuesday of this week I caught a fly in my laboratory which looked like M. stabulans but with black legs. As I was busy with other things I thought no more about it until the next day when Mr. Raymond C. Shannon came in with a fly which he asked me to look at. He realized that it was not one of the two species of Muscinas which were prevalent here. Mr. Shannon has been taking this species in Ithaca now for several days and he told me that there is one (either in his own or in the University collection, I have for- gotten which) which was caught here in September. We tried to identify it and reached the conclusion that it was either pabulorum or pascuorum.”
Later Mr. Shannon wrote: ‘‘My captures of Muscina pas- cuorum consist of nine females and one male, collected from September 5 to November 22. “On December 16 Jos. C. Ouellet, C. S. V. of Outremont, Quebec, writes: — “I have just received from Father Ducharme of Rigaud College, a specimen which closely resembles Muscina pascuorum. I am mailing you the specimen today.’’ The specimen was received on the 20th and proved to be a male of that species and the most northern record.
Over 450 specimens have come under my observation and of these only ten were males. A natural inference is, that this is probably due to their having been discovered so late in the season, and that it is usually the female that comes into the houses to hibernate. On the other hand it was not until Novem- ber 7 that I saw a male, after over 90 specimens had been seen, and Dr. Wheeler informs me that the specimens he collected in August were taken on flowers.
I can find very little in literature pertaining to the habits of this species. Schiner (Fauna Austriaca, I, 597) says that “Bremi found the larvjae in Agaricus citrinus.” On making some inquiry regarding the fungi found in the vicinity of Boston, Miss Jennie F. Conant, Secretary of the Boston Mycologial Club, informed me that this is the same as Amanita citrina, common to both
1923] Occurence of Muscina pascuorum in North America
5
Europe and North America. It is found from August to early November, and some of the members of the Club say that it was quite common this year. Charles Mcllvaine (One thousand American Fungi, p.7. 1900) considers it only a form of A. phal- loides. Miss Conant also reported a number of other species of Amanita, including A. phalloides, as being common, and as early as July, If Muscina pascuorum is strictly fungicolous, the abundance of these fungi might account for the rapid in- crease of this fly during the autumn.
The wide distribution that this fly has attained in this country before being discovered, makes it difficult to ascertain where the species was actually introduced. The prezence of the fly in Connecticut and New Jersey at least two months before being observed in the vicinity of Boston, is an indication that it was probably introduced somewhere near New York City, sometime prior to the present year (1922). This theory is strengthened by the usual or apparently natural line of dispersal of species in a northerly or northeasterly direction, as followed by most of the introduced species; e. g., elm beetle, asparagus beetles, leopard moth, gipsy moth, etc.
Its present distribution would indicate a still wider dispersal if all records were available. Its habit of entering houses would also induce it to enter railroad cars and thus be rapidly and widely transported over the country, a factor that probably partly accounts for its sudden and wide-spread appearance. It promises to be as great a nuisance to housekeepers as the cluster fly {Pollenia rudis) which often enters houses in great numbers in the autumn. The last living specimen of Muscina pascuorum was received from Dr. Lewis, Waban, Mass., December 14. It will probably continue to appear in lesser numbers during the warm days throughout the winter and spring. A study of its habits and dispersal during the coming year will prove very interesting.
6 Psyche [February
TWO NEW BEMBECIDS (HYMENOPTERA) FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, CALIFORNIA.
By Chas. L. Fov, San Fransico, Cal.
Bembix hamata sp. nov.
Male: Black; labmm, mandibles except apex, broad base and narrow lateral margins; clypeus; lower part of Irons between antennal bases (angled dorsally); scape below; broad anterior orbits much shortened above; very narrow posterior orbits, ab- breviated above and much shortened below at lower fourth of eye from mandibles; fascia on the first tergite reduced to small sub- ovate lateral spots; narrow undulate fascia on tergites 2-6, usually narrowly interrupted medially, except that on 6 which is continuous and strongly notched on posterior border; small spot on each side apical area of ultimate tergite, sometimes wanting, lateral spots of sternites 2-5, sometimes very small ones on 6, an apical wedge shaped stripe on femora above, longer on anterior pair, tibiae except black stripe on posterior surface and tarsi, all dull greenish yellow, the tarsi having a rusty tinge. Seg- ments 7-9 of flagellum sub-spinose on posterior border; segments 9-11 bearing large open flat depressions, the ultimate segment a trifle longer than the preceding, only slightly curved, almost as broad at the roundedly truncate apex as at the base; inter- mediate femora below irregularly serrate-dentate; second ster- nite bearing a median hooked process distinctly higher than its basal length, much as in foxi, the sixth bearing a prominent ob- lique process narrowed and more produced posteriorly than in nubilipennis; this sternite also bearing a similar pair of rounded lateral processes or ridges; seventh sternite with a prominent median carina. Inner margins of the eyes nearly parallel. Flagellum tinged with fulvous below. Wings hyaline, veins dark brown. Head, thorax, median segment, base of abdomen, coxae, trochanters and femora clothed with dense long pale pubescence, becoming longer and white beneath, the rest of the abdomen shorter-pubescent.
1923]
Two New Bembecids from the Channel Islands
7
Genital stipites shaped much as in comata as shown by Parker (fig. 163) but the inner margin more arcuated before the apical notch, the hairs longer and confined to the inner half of the surface and the basal suture oblique for its whole length, as in Parkers’ figure 169. Length 18-20 mm.
Both in the Handlirsch and Parker keys this species runs to nubilipennis from which it differs in the size and shape of the body (being very robust) and in the absence of maculation on the thorax, pattern of maculation on the tergites and ster- nites, color and maculation of the legs, spinose character of the segments of the flagellum, serrate dentations of the intermediate femora, the longer and more dense pale pubescence and the form of the male stipites. In general appearance this species some- what resembles amoena, principally on account of the robustness of the body and the pattern of maculation on the tergites, but from which it can readily be distinguished by the character of the processes on the second and sixth sternites, absence of macula- tion on the thorax, the much shorter apical spurs on the inter- mediate tibiae and the form of the stipites. Like the related species this shows some variation in the yellow marking; two specimens have small spots on the tegulse and one a larger spot at the inferior angle of the prothorax.
Described from twelve males taken by Mr. E. P. Van Duzee on San Miguel Island, Santa Barbara County, California, May
20, 1919.
Holotype, male. No. 928, Mus. Calif. Acad. Sci.; paratypes in the collection of the Academy and in that of the author.
Type locality; San Miguel Island, Calif.
Bembix hamata subsp., lucida subsp. nov.
Male: Black; labrum, mandibles except apex and very nar- roe base; clypeus, lower part of frons between antennal bases (angled dorsally); anterior orbits, much shortened above, nar- row posterior orbits slightly shortened above and below almost reaching base of mandibles; posterior edge of tubercles continued
8
Psyche
[February
in a narrow stripe down the sides of the prothorax ; tegulse except apex; fascia on first tergite, very widely interrupted medially, shortened to large elongated lateral spots; fasciae on tergites 2-5, continous and undulate on anterior border, deeply notched on posterior, that on sixth covering entire tergite except narrow posterior edge; large quadrate spot on apex of ultimate tergite, emarginate anteriorly; lateral spots on sternites 2-6; femora distally above and below ; anterior tibiae except broad stripe below and narrow one above, intermediate and posterior except short stripe below, and tarsi, all greenish yellow. The markings of head and femora below are more of a greenish white (in the species yellow). The segments of the flagellum have the same characters and color as in the species; the intermediate femora are more strictly dentate than in the species. The second sternite bears a large median hooked process (not so high as in the species), and the sixth a shorter and more acute median process and less prominent lateral ridges; seventh with a prominent median carina. The characters of the eyes and pubescence are the same as in the species.
This subspecies can readily be distinguished from the typical form of the species by the maculations on the head, thorax and abdomen and the general clearer color.
Described from one male taken by Mr. E. P. Van Duzee on Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County, California, May 18, 1919.
Holotype, male. No. 929 Mus. Calif. Acad. Sci.
Type locality; Santa Cruz Island, California.
1923]
A Singular Habit of Sawfly Larvae
9
A SINGULAR HABIT OF SAWFLY LARViF
By W. M. Wheeler and W. M. Mann.
The following casual observations made in two widely separated South American localities seem worth recording as we have been unable to find any published account of similar behavior among the larvae of New World sawflies.
July 16, 1920, the attention of the senior author was at- tracted to a very conspicuous, compact mass of sawfly larvae crawling like a hugh slug over the short grass and sandy soil along the side of a trail through the jungle near Kartabo, British Guiana. The mass was about ten inches long, four inches broad and two inches thick in the middle. It was elongate elliptical and rather pointed at each end and retained its shape and size unaltered as it progressed like a single organism over the sub- stratum. It consisted of about 200 larvae, each an inch long and of a deep metallic blue color (Fig. 1). Further investigation of of this singular mass was cut short by a heavy tropical shower. A number of the larvae were hastily thrown into a vial of alcohol. Although the senior author hoped to find the larvae in the same locality under conditions more favorable for study, they were not again encountered either by him or by any of the other workers at the Tropical Laboratory.
The junior author had occasion to study a migrating mass of the same or of a closely related sawfly larva during February 1922, on the forest trail between the Mission and the edge of the pampa, near Cavinas on the Rio Beni, in Bolivia. The mass which he encountered was about a foot long, three or four inches broad at the middle, narrowed in front and behind and thickest in the middle. It, too, consisted of more than a hundred dark metallic blue larvse of the same size as those observed by the senior author. The mass was also moving along as a compact unit and from a distance looked like a gigantic Planarian. When a pair of forceps was thrust into the midst of the larvse and a number of them thrown out to the side, those in front and behind
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Psyche
[February
slowed up, appeared to be disturbed and jerked from side to side. The ejected individuals immediately headed for the mass and crawled into it and the whole, thus redintegrated, then quickened its pace and was soon moving along as before.
Fig. 1. Sawfly larvae from Kartabo, British Guiana. X 1%
Mr. S. A. Rohwer kindly examined a number of the larvae taken at Kartabo and reported as follows: “I regret that I am unable to help you very much with the identification of these specimens. We know so little about the larvae of exotic saw- flies and especially about those from South America. The only thing I can do is to guess as to the group to which your specimens belong. They remind me very much of the larva of Perga, and as this group is not represented in South America, but is replaced by another subfamily, I venture to suggest that your specimens belong to the family Perreyidae, subfamily Syzygoniidae ( Philo- mastiginae of my classification of 1910). I imagine that the crawling larvae you saw were in their last feeding stage and were looking for a place for pupation. I should also imagine that they had fed gregariously and that they would cocoon gregariously. Perhaps their cocoons will resemble those of the Australian genus
1923]
A Singular Habit of Saw fly Larvce
11
Perga or those of the subfamily Argiinse; that is, they would have a single, more or less impervious cocoon surrounded by a loosely woven, reticulate, outer cocoon which would be covered with long hair/’
Such literature as we have been able to consult on the habits of the Australian saw-flies of the genus Perga proves to be very interesting in connection with the South American larvae referred by Mr. Rohwer to the family Perryidae. Froggatt (1891, 1901 and 1918) has published notes on the larval habits of several species of Perga. Concerning one of them, the ^‘steel-blue saw- fly”, P. dorsalis Leach, he says (1918): “The gregarious larvae feed at night, and rest during the day, clustered together in an oval mass, on the stem of the gum-tree upon which they are feeding. When disturbed, they exude a sticky yellow substance from the mouth, at the' same time raising the tip of the body, and tapping it down on the foliage. The leaves are devoured from the top of the young gum trees; and when the larvae are full fed, they crawl down the stem to pupate. I have found them fully developed in the middle of April; but when they descend from their resting place, they wander about over the grass for several days before they finally select a place in which to pupate, general- ly the softer soil against a tree-trunk. Into this they burrow to a depth of three or four inches, massing their large, oval cocoons in rows, one against the other. I watched several large swarms feeding upon the Peppermint-gums {Eucalyptus novce-anglicB) at our Experiment Station at Uralla, and afterwards in their erratic wanderings over the grass; and marked down their final resting place and dug up the cocoons. At Binalong, in April, I observed two large swarms marching in massed formation; the heads of the hind rows always rested upon those in front as they moved along steadily together. Every now and then, the front rank came to a dead stop, when they all rested for three or four minutes; then a number began raising up and tapping down the tip of the abdomen, whereupon the whole band took up the motion; the leading ranks made a fresh start, and all moved along again. In the largest band, I counted two hundred and fifty caterpillars.”
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Psyche
[February
Social tendencies are revealed not only by the Perga larvae and pupae, but also in the extraordinary protection of the young larvae by the mother saw-fly. Lewis (1836) long ago described this behavior in P. lewisi Westwood of Tasmania, and Froggatt (1901), who says that this is ‘^the commonest sawfly about Sydney on bloodwood” {Eucalyptus corymbosa), records his own observations as follows: ‘^The female makes a double slit on the upper surface of the leaf generally among the young growth, in which she inserts a double row of elongate eggs, which, as they swell form a regular blister, but the most remarkable fact in the life history of this insect is the care she takes after laying her eggs. Nearly all insects after the eggs are laid leave them to their fate, but Lewis’ saw-fly not only stands guard over them until they are hatched but further looks after the helpless grubs for some time after they have commenced feeding. She straddles the eggs with her wings half opened, the tip of her abdomen turned up, and with her jaws open, makes a slight buzzing sound if meddled with; if you pick her up, she never attempts to fly, but crawls back to her post, reminding one of an old hen protecting her chicks. The grubs when full grown are slightly under 13^2 inches in length, general colour dull brown to dirty yellow, cover- ed with short brown hairs, the last abdominal segment yellow. When full grown they crawl into the ground and form the typical form of cocoon, generally in regular rows.”
LITERATURE.
1836. Lewis, R. H. Case of Maternal Attendance on the Larva by an Insect of the Tribe of Terebrantia, belonging to the genus Perga, observed at Hobarton, Tasmania. Trans. Ent. Soc. London 1, 1836, pp. 232-234.
1891. Froggatt, W. W. Notes on the Life-history of Certain Saw-flies (Genus Perga) with Description of a New Species. Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 5, 1891, pp. 283-288.
1923] Two New Ants from Bolivia 13
1901 The Pear and Cherry Slug {Eriocampa
limacina Retz), generally known as Selandria cerasi, with Notes on Australian Sawflies. Agric Gazette N. S. Wales 1901, pp. 1-11, 4 pis.
1918 Notes on Australian Sawflies (Ten-
thredinidse). Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales 43, 1918, pp. 668-726.
TWO NEW ANTS FROM BOLIVIA
(Results of the Mulford Biological Exploration. — Entomology.)
By Wm M. Mann.
BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. S. DEI ARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Among the material collected in Bolivia and so far studied, two ants are of especial interest. One belongs to an aberrant undescribed genus of “driver ant” (Dorylinse) and the other is a Ponerine species very similar to Proholomyrmex filiformis Mayr known from workers described in 1901, from Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony. The latter is an example of discontinuous dis- tribution, such as is frequently found among the Ponerine ant«i. but it is the first case in its subfamily of a South African and South American relationship.
Subfamily Dorylinoe
Leptanilloides gen. nov.
Worker. — Small, slender, monomorphic. Head elongate, subquadrate, anterior portion of front rather strongly impressed. Clypeus short. Frontal carinse very short, fused between the antennae, separated anteriorly and bordering the antennal fossae. Cheeks with a strong carina, which projects forward as a blunt tooth. Mandibles with distinct basal and apical portions sep- arated by a rounded angle. Eyes absent. Antennae 12-jointed, stout, scape short, funiculus moderately thickened distally,
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Psyche
[February
joints submoniliform. Thorax long, slender and flattened; mesoepinotum compressed laterally; promesonotal impression strong; mesoepinotal impression obsolete. Epinotum unarmed. Petiole subcylindrical, not pedunculate. Postpetiole shorter and broader than the petiole. Gaster long and slender, the three segments visible from above separated by strong constrictions. Legs, long spines of anterior tibise very strongly pectinate, those of middle tibise small, of the posterior pair moderately pectinate. Claws simple.
Genotype. — Leptanilloides hiconstricta^ new species.
Leptanilloides biconstricta sp. nov. (Fig. 1)
Worker. — Length 1.80-2 mm.
Head subquadrate, very slightly narrowed behind, more than twice as long as broad, sides nearly straight and parallel; occipital corners rounded, border feebly concave. Mandibles slender; their blades edentate. Anterior border of clypeus straight. Antennse stout, scapes clavate, extending about three-eighths the distance to occipital borders; first funic- ular joint rounded, broader and longer than the second; joints 2-10 slightly transverse, gradually increasing in size toward apex; terminal joint about as long as the two preceding together. Thorax and epinotum elongate, slender, flat above; pronotum from above broadest at humeri, with sides feebly convex; mesoG pinotum seen from above, quadrate, two and a half times as long as broad, with nearly straight sides; epinotal declivity very short and rounding into the basal portion. Petiolar node from above a little longer and two-thirds as broad as the post petiole, very slightly narrowed from front to rear and with straight sides; in profile slightly convex above, the ventral outline convex at anterior half and concave behind, projected anteriorly as a blunt cone. Postpetiole in profile rather strongly convex beneath, feebly above; from above a little longer than broad, feebly broadened from front to rear, with straight anterior and posterior borders and nearly straight sides. First gastric
1923]
Two New Ants from Bolivia
15
segment a little longer than the second or third. Legs long, the femora swollen and the tibiae enlarged apically.
Fig. 1. Worker Lepianilloides biconslricia gen. nov. et sp. nov. A, dorsal, B, profile view.
Shining; head with abundant, separated, coarse, punctures; thorax and abdomen with much finer and sparser punctures. Head, body and appendges with abundant, rather coarse, short and erect, brownish hairs.
Color brownish red.
Type-Locality. — Tumupasa, Bolivia.
Cotypes. — Cat. No. 25905, U, S. N. M.
Described from a small series of workers, taken with callows, but without sexual or immature phases, from beneath a deeply embedded stone near a stream.
In general habitus this is very similar to Leptanilla, but the structure of the head associates it more closely with Eciton, from which it is distinct in the form of the frontal lamellae, the form of the gaster and in not being polymorphic.
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Psyche
[February
Subfamily Ponerince.
Pfobolomyrmex? boliviensis sp. nov. (Fig. 2).
Female. — (dealated) Length 2.8 mm.
Head about one and one-half times as long as broad, with slightly convex sides, rounded occipital angles and straight border; vertex and posterior portion of head broadly and evenly rounded, anterior part projected as a thick plate, broader than long and truncated in front, completely covering the mandibles. Clypeus on the anterior truncated portion, triangular, not sharply defined. Mandibles small and rather slender, blades rounding into the basal portions, with two indistinct and blunt teeth. Maxillary palpi 3-jointed, the first and second joints subequal in length and together as long as the third. Labial palp small, apparently 2-jointed. Frontal area rather large, feebly impressed. Frontal lamellae fused into a high, thin plate, strongly convex in profile; behind separated and very short. Antennal insertions near front margin of head, bordered by a fine Carina. Antennae 12-jointed, scape extending about four- fifths the distance to occipital corners; funiculus evenly enlarged distally, without club; first funicular joint longer than broad; joints 2-10 transverse; terminal as long as the three preceding joints together. Eyes small, little convex, situated at middle of sides. Ocelli small. Thorax long and rather narrow, moderately convex above and at sides, humeri broadly rounded Mesonotum one and one-third times as long as broad. Scutellum longer than broad, rounded behind, with feeble impressions at middle of sides. Epinotum with feebly convex base and nearly flat de- clivity, bluntly dentate at angle. Petiole elongate nodiform; from above, twice as long as broad, with the posterior margin concave at middle and subdentiform at sides; in profile longer than broad and nearly twice as thick behind as in front, its ventral outline bisinuate, with a blunt antero-ventral tooth; posterior surface strongly concave. Gaster slender, strongly constricted between the first and second segments, first segment narrowed in front, shorter than the second, remaining segments small, directed downward. Sting well developed and strong.
1923]
Two New Ants from Bolivia
17
Legs long, rather slender, tibial spines coarse, those on posterior pair strongly pectinate.
(Fig. 2. Female Probolomyrmex? boliviensts sp. nov. A, profile view; B, head, dorsal view)
Opaque, finely, densely reticulate and in addition with rather coarse, foveolate punctures, especially prominent on the front of head, epinotum and gaster. Pubescence white, very fine, closely appressed, moderately abundant, more so on gaster and appendages.
Brownish red, appendages brownish yellow.
Type-locality . — Rurrenabaque, Bolivia.
Type.— Cat. No. 25906, U. S. N. M.
Described from a unique female found beneath a stone, near a small colony of Ponera sp.
In Probolomyrmex holiviensis the posterior segments of the gaster are much smaller, the antero-ventral petiolar spine is rounded and points forward and the epinotum is dentate rather than angulate, characters different from those in P. filiformis Mayr, but I can find no difference of generic value that would separate the two. In the worker of filiformis Mayr the posterior gastric segments are larger, the antero-ventral petiolar spine is lamellate and "directed backward and the epinotum is angulate, instead of dentate. Perhaps when the female oi filiformis or the
18
Psyche
[February
worker of boliviensis is discovered it will be necessary to separate the two species generically, but the female of the latter resembles fiUformis so closely, even to the curious Platythyrea-like sculpture, that had it been taken in South Africa, instead of South America, one would be tempted to regard it merely as the female of Mayr’s species.
A NEW GENUS OF MYRMECOPHILOUS PHORID.E, WITH NOTES ON SOME RELATED FORMS.“
By Charles T. Brues.
Among the insects obtained by Dr. William M. Mann while a member of the Mulford Exploration in South America, are several species of wingless and subapterous Phoridse. With the exception of a single species, all were taken in the nests of ants and are undoubtedly myrmecophilous. One, which proves to represent a new genus, occurs with Tranopelta, a hypogseic ant not hitherto known to harbor any phorid myrmecophiles, while the others are ecitophiles previously described from other parts of the South American continent.
The type of the new species is deposited in the United States National Museum.
Tranopeltoxenos gen. nov. (Fig. 1).
Entirely wingless. Head seen from above wide, twice as broad as long; antennae widely separated, nearly round, their cavities separated; arista very short and thick, indistinctly pubescent; palpi strongly bristled; front with a series of six small, slightly proclinate, bristles along the anterior margin between the antennae, and with eight macrochaetae disposed in two transverse rows; of these, the anterior row curves forward medially, with its lateral bristle behind the eye and the posterior row lies close to the occipital margin. Eyes very small; ocelli
iResults Mulford Biological Exploration. — Entomology.
2Contribution from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Harvard University. No. 215.
1923] Notes on Some Genera of Myrmecophilous Phoridce
19
absent. Proboscis short, stout, heavily chitinized and porrect. Thorax very short on its dorsal surface (as indicated by a pair of humeral and posterior-lateral macrochsetse) but when the abdomen is bent down, exposing the posterior slope, it is seen to be nearly as long as the head. Abdomen large, ovate, fully twice as wide as the head and broadest at the third segment behind which it tapers obliquely; second to fifth segments each with a row of six long, but not very stout bristles extending across the disc near the middle; sixth with a denser fringe along the margin; sides of all the segments each with several additional bristles. First six segements heavily chitinized, without any membranous bord- ers; following three segments tubular. Abdomen above moder- ately convex, below flat, so that in cross-section it is very strongly depressed. Legs rather short and stout; four posterior tibiae ciliate on the edge.
Type : T. manni sp. nov.
This insect is quite unique and I cannot place it in any of the described genera in spite of the fact that these are already very numerous. There is no indication of any gland opening on the fifth abdominal segment and the abdomen is heavily chitinized over its entire dorsal surface. It resembles Chonocephalus Wandolleck, but the form of the abdomen is very different, the palpi are very densely bristled, and both the cephalic and thoracic chsetotoxy disagree. Chonocephalus, also, so far as is known, is not myrmecophilous.
Tranopeltoxenus manni sp. nov. (Fig. 1).
9 . Length 1.5 mm. Head and its appendages, thorax and legs, pale yellow; first five abdominal segments black or piceous, the sixth segment fuscous, the extrusible ones beyond whitish. Head above covered with sparse, appressed black hairs and at the sides anteriorly below the antennae with a row of bristly hairs. Bristles of palpi dense, as long as the width of the palpus. Antennae rather small, the arista but little longer than the diameter of the third joint. Post-antennal bristles rather stout, parallel, proclinate; inner bristles of lower frontal row rather
20
Psyche
[February
weak, set far apart, just above the antenna: bristles of upper row very large and curving backward very strongly. Second to fifth abdominal segments of about equal length, the third wider than the second; third and fourth narrower, the base of the fifth only two-thirds as wide as the second; sixth small; seventh to ninth fleshy, completely retractile. Transverse row of bristles
Fig. 1. Tranopeltoxenos manni sp. nov. 9
on second segment placed before the middle, those of the third behind the middle, of the fourth and fifth some distance before the apex; sixth with a dense fringe at the apex.
Described from two specimens, taken in a nest of Tranopelta gilva, var. amhlyops by Dr. W. M. Mann during December 1921 at Tumupasa, Bolivia. Type No. 25904, United States National Museum.
1 1923] Notes on Some Genera of Myrmecophilous Phoridce 21
Acontistoptera brasiliensis Schmitz
Zool. Jahrb , Abth. f. Syst. vol. 37/p. 527 (1914)
Dr. Mann obtained this species on two occasions, once at Tumupasa, Bolivia (December 1921) with Eciton coecum and again at Covendo, Bolivia, with the same ant. The type was found with E. predator in Santa Catarina, Brazil.
There is a slight disagreement between these specimens and Schmitz’s original description, but I think this is undoubtedly due to the poor condition of the type which according to its describer is defective and glued to a card The mesonotum bears a pair of marcochsetse on the disc in front of the pair shown in the original figure ; so that there are two pairs of dorso-centrals instead of one. Also the abdomen bears a very small basal plate, elongate oval in form which is no doubt a vestige of the second tergite which is so large in most of the related genera. The three known species of Acontistoptera may be distinguished quite readily by the form of the thorax which is more or less triangular in all, but varies in width and length. Thus in A. melanderi Brues from Texas it is considerably longer than broad, in A. mexicana Malloch from Mexico, nearly twice as long as broad and narrowed almost to a point at the base of the scu- tellum, while in the present species the length scarcely exceeds the width.
Ecitomyia comes Schmitz.
Zool. Jahrb. Abth. f. Syst., vol. 37, p 524 {Ecitophora)
This species is represented by two series, one taken with Eciton hurchelli at Huachi, Bolivia and the other with E. coecum at the mouth of the Rio Madidi, Bolivia (January 1922).
The specimens all agree exactly with Schmitz’s original description and figures, but have no ocelli, and I feel quite positive that the hyaline spots referred to as ocelli are really the points where bristles have been broken off. Compared with Ecitomyia wheeleri Brues^ E, comes may be readily recognized by the complete absence of the second chitinous plate (third tergite) on the abdomen and by the more heavily bristled wings.
22
[February
Psyche
Pulidphora venata Aldrich
Trans. Entom Soc. London, p. 436 (1896) (Phora).
Brues. Trans. Amer. Entom. Soc., vol. 29, p. 382 (1903). (PachyneureUa)
Brues. Bull. Wisconsin Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. 12, p. 142 (1915)
I cannot distinguish a series of females taken at Espia, Rio Bopi, Bolivia from the West Indian form. Dr. Mann’s specimens were attracted to masses of old cheese that had been abandoned by the expedition. A number of others in my collection from Grenada, B. W. I. were similarly trapped in jars containing chicken bones to which I found them attracted in great numbers.
THE PROBABLE OCCURRENCE OF PARTHENOGENE- SIS IN OCHTHIPHILA POLY STIGMA.
(DIPTERA)
By a. H. Sturtevant, New York City.
A total of 68 living specimens of Ochthiphila polystigma Meigen (one of the Ochthiphilinae. a subfamily included among the Acalypterate Diptera) was examined between August 23 and September 30, 1922. All were females; and there is no possibility that the males were found but not recognized as belonging to this species, since during that period no other member of the genus was taken. With the exception of a single female belonging to an apparently undescribed genus, the only other members of the subfamily Ochthiphilinae taken belonged to the very different genus Leucopis, and here both sexes were found. Eleven of the 0. polystigma females were dissected, and three more were fixed and sectioned. In none of these was any trace of sperm found. I was during this time making a com- parative study of the structure of the internal reproductive organs of the females of all the Acalypterae, and was thus in a position to know how and where to look for sperm. It is safe to
1923] Probable Occurence of Parthenogenesis in Ochthiphila 23
say that none was present. Yet several of these females con- tained what appeared to be fully formed eggs — in fact in a number of cases there was an egg already in the uterus. Such females, evidently laying eggs but without sperm present, were found as early as August 23 and as late as the middle of September. At both times there were also found females with ovaries still small — these again being without sperm. It seems clear thus that the results are not due to the collecting having been done either at the beginning of a generation, before males had emerged or at the end of one, after the males had mated and died.
In addition to the live females just discussed, I have examin- ed the pinned material in my own collection, in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History, in that of the United States National Museum, and in that of Prof. J. M. Aldrich. All the specimens of 0. polystigma found in these collections were again females. The data thus obtained (including the live specimens examined) are summarized in Table I.
Table I. Distribution of Ochthiphila poly stigma Meigen
|
State or Province |
Number of females |
Months in which taken |
|
New Hampshire |
1 |
? |
|
Ontario |
7 |
May — |
|
Massachusetts |
89 |
June — Sept |
|
Connecticut |
3 |
May |
|
New YorU |
4 |
Sept. |
|
New Jersey |
1 |
Sept. |
|
Pennsylvania’ |
8 |
Oct. |
|
Maryland |
3 |
Apr. — Aug. |
|
Indiana |
10 |
July — Aug. |
|
Illinois |
3 |
June |
|
Wisconsin |
1 |
July |
|
South Dakota |
1 |
June |
|
Manitoba |
2 |
July |
|
Utah |
2 |
July |
|
Holland |
2 • |
June |
|
Total |
137 |
Apr. — Oct. |
iTwo of the specimens from New York and all of those from Pennsylvania were taken by Dr. F. Schrader, and have not been seen by me. Dr. Schrader states that all were females.
24
Psyche
[February
In the collections of Prof. Aldrich and of the U. S. National Museum are specimens of four other species of Ochthiphila, identified by Coquillett and by Aldrich. These all include males, as will appear from Table II (which also includes 6 European specimens from my own collection). In all four species the males have large conspicuous external claspers, and could not possibly be mistaken for females. This indicates that the failure to find males of 0. polysHgma is not due to failure to recognize them as males.
Table II Relative abundance of the sexes in Ochthiphila.
Species 9 (f
0. aridella Fallen 11 11
0. elegans Panzer 12 5
0. geniculata Zetterstedt 1 1
0. j uncorum Fallen 5 9
A case very similar to the one just described occurs in Lon- choptera furcata Fallen. It was found by de Meijere (1906) that nearly all individuals of this species were females, and that these did not have sperm in their receptacles. In other Europ- ean species, such as L. lutea Panzer, both sexes occur in nearly equal numbers, and sperm is present in the receptacles. The extreme scarcity of males has been confirmed by Lundbeck (1916) for the European L. furcata, and by Aldrich (1918) for the American forms, which apparently belong to the same species. Aldrich was able to find only two American males of the genus (one from Ontario and one from Colorado), though he recorded 2652 females.
I have myself collected numerous American specimens of Lonchoptera, and have examined the material in the American Museum of Natural History. Table III shows the result of this study. The five males that appear in the table, and two of the California females as well, appear to belong to a distinct species; all the others (except perhaps the Colorado female) are almost certainly L. furcata. I have several times obtained eggs from females of this species, and these have hatched into larvae; but in
1923] Probable Occurence of Parthenogenesis in Ochthiphila 25
no case have I been able to rear these larvae, nor have I been able to be sure that the mothers did not contain sperm — though it is extremely unlikely that sperm was present. This obser- vation makes it probable, however, that Lonchoptera reproduces by adult parthenogenesis, rather than by pedogenesis.
Table III. Relative abundance of the sexes in Lonchoptera.
State or Province New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts New York New Jersey Ontario Pennsylvania District of Columbia North Carolina Wisconsin Colorado
Santa Clara Co., California Monterey Co., California Truckee, California Total
9
1 0
1 0
53 0
403 0
53 0
1 0
1 0
1 0
2 0
1 0
1 0
426 0
23 4
344 1
1311 5
Parthenogenesis has been described in the Chironomid genera Chironomus, Corynoneura, and Tanytarsus by Grimm (1870) Johannsen (1912), Goetghebuer (1913), Edwards (1919), and others. Eggs are produced in some cases by the larvae, in others by the pupae, and in still others by the imagines. In all cases in which imagines have been produced by parthenogenetic (in- cluding pedogenetic) lines, these have been females and have bred parthenogenetically if at all. Males are known to occur in these genera, and in one case even in a species that reproduces parthenogenetically; but in no case are males reported as arising from larvae known to have been produced by parthenogenesis.
The first case of parthenogenesis recorded among the Diptera was that of the Cecidomyiid, Miastor, discovered by
26
Psyche
[February
Wagner (1863). In this case it is the larvae that reproduce parthenogenetically. Imagines are not often produced, but when they do appear both sexes are found (Meinert 1864, Wagner 1865, Kahle 1908). Kahle states that there is a significant excess of females, and Felt (1911) describes only the female, though he does not state that males were absent. It is not known whether the imagines breed at all, or not; Kahle states that he did not observe copulation. It does not appear to have been entirely proven that the males arise from larvae that have been produced by pedogenesis, though most students of Miastor have apparently taken this for granted without making cultures from isolated larvae.
Parker (1922) has reported a probable case of pedogenesis in the blow-fly, Calliphora erythrocephala Meigen, with the production of male and female imagines in something like equal numbers from isolated individual larvae. Since the actual pro- duction of eggs or larvae was not observed to go on in Parker’s larvae, and since Lowne (1892) and others have dissected large numbers of larvae of this species without finding mature eggs or larvae in them, it seems best to withhold judgment for the present as to the occurrence of pedogenesis in Calliphora, as Parker himself indicates.
LITERATURE CITED.
Aldrich, J. M. 1918. Notes on Diptera. Psyche 25: 30-35. Edwards, F. W. 1919. Some Parthenogenetic Chironomidae.
Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 3; 222-228.
Felt, E. P. 1911. Miastor americana. An account of pedogenesis.
New York State Mus. Bull. 147: 82-104.
Goetghebuer, M. 1913. Un cas de parthenogenese observe chez un Diptere Tendipedide {Corynoneura celeripes). Bull. Acad. Roy. Belg. 1913; 231*233.
Grimm, O. 1870, Die ungeschlechtliche Fortpflanzung einer Chironomus-Art und derenEntwicklungausdem unbefrucht- eten Ei. Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Petersbourg ser. 7, tome 15.
1923] Probable Occurence of Parthenogenesis in Ochthiphila 27
Johannsen, O. A. 1912. Parthenogenesis and Psedogenesis in Tanytarsus. Maine Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 187 ; 3-4.
Kahle, W. 1908. Die Padogenesis der Cecidomyiden. Zoologica, Bd. 21, Heft. 55. 80 pp., 6 plates.
Lowne, B. T. 1892-1895. The Anatomy, Physiology, Morphology, and Development of the Blow-fly. London. 2 vols., 778 pp
Luhdbeck, W. 1916. Lonchoptera. Diptera Danica 5; 1-18.
de Meijere, J. C. H. 1906. Die Lonchopteren des palaarktischen Gebietes. Tijd. v. Ent. 49; 44-98.
Meinert, F. 1864. Weitere Erlautemngen tlber die von Prof. Nic. Wagner beschriebene Insectenlarve, welche sich durch Sprossenbildung vermehrt. Zeits. wiss. Zool. 14; 394-399.
Parker, G. H. 1922. Possible Pedogenesis in the Blow-fly Calliphora erythrocephala. Psyche 29; 127-131.
Wagner, N. 1863. Beitrag zur Lehre von der Fortpflanzung der Insect enlarven. Zeits. wiss. Zool. 13; 513-527.
Wagner, N. 1865. Ueber die viviparen Galliniickenlarven.
Zeits. wiss. Zool, 15; 106-117.
28
Psyche
[February
PHORTICOLEA BOLIVIA, A NEW MYRMECOPHILOUS COCKROACH FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
(Results Mulford Biological Exploration. — Entomology).
By a. N. Caudell.
Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Among the insects collected in Bolivia by Dr. Wm. M. Mann, entomologist with the Mulford Expedition to South America in 1921-1922, was an apparently undescribed myrme- cophilous cockroach bBlonging to the genus Phorticolea of Bolivar. Although only males were collected there seems to be no doubt that this generic assignment is correct, as the specimens agree in every essential with the characters given for Phorticolea. The size and locality of the new species here described indicate specific distinctness from testacea, the type and only described species of Phorticolea, though the very brief diagnosis of the latter makes comparative characterization impossible.
Phorticolea boliviae sp. nov.
Description. — Adult male, the opposite sex unknown. General color reddish brown, laterally somewhat darker. Head yellowish with black eyes; vertex evenly convex, not quite con- cealed beneath the pronotal disk; eyes lateral, subreniform, strongly fasceted and almost or quite three times as long ver- tically as broad; interocular space fully twice as great as the vertical length of one of the eyes; labial palpus with the terminal segment large, thick, fusiform, about two and one half times as long as the median width and a little more than twice as long as the proceeding segment, which is triangular in shape. Antenna approximately as long as the insect itself and consisting of at least thirty segments^; first segment noticeably longer than broad and flattened basally; second and third segments subquadrate, each being about, or a little more than half as long and scarcely
lOne specimen only cf the three examined has both antennae apparently complete and here consists of thirty segments. The other two specimens have the antennae more or less mutilated.
1923]
A New Cockroach from South America
29
as thick as the basal one; fourth to fourteenth segments trans- verse, the fourth to the eleventh or twelfth being two or more times as broad as long, the more basal ones especially broad; fifteenth and sixteenth segments subquadrate and the suc- ceeding ones longer than wide, those towards the apex being twice as long as broad, some of them slightly more.
Pronotum about twice as broad as long, broadly rounded anteriorly, truncate posteriorly, the lateral angles rounded and slightly produced posteriorly, as are also those of the meso- and metathorax, which segments are subequal with each other in length and together barely as long as the pronotum. Organs of flight entirely absent. Legs stout; femora fusiform, broad and flattened, the anterior pair somewhat smaller than the others, the intermediate pair about three times as long as the greatest width and the posterior ones a little stouter, being about two and one half times as long as broad; anterior femora armed beneath with a series of fine setiform hairs, the intermediate and posterior ones armed beneath on both margins with a few very minute spinules in the apical portion, so small as to be scarcely noticeable under moderate magnification, a subapical one on each margin being decidedly larger; all the femora have an apical calcar on the cephalic geniculation ; tibiai strongly spinose above, the spines in three series, and beneadh with mostly finer hair-like spinules, a couple of larger ones in the cephalic margin of the intermediate and posterior ones; tarsi slender, the posterior metatarsus barely shorter than the combined length of the rest of the segments; arolia present, of medium size.
Abdomen anteriorly about as broad as the posterior width of the metanotum, abruptly narrowing posteriorly and scarcely as long as the combined lengths of the three thoracic segments; there are seven dorsal segments visible exclusive of the supraanal plate; lateral margins straight, the posterio-lateral angles sharp and moderately produced posteriorly; the posterior margins of the segments are subtruncate, that of the one pre- ceeding the supraanal plate concave near each side opposite the insertion of the cerci; supraanal plate somewhat more than twice as broad as long, rather narrowly rounded apically; sub-
30
Psyche
[February
genital plate broad and rounded apically; cerci short and very broad, tapering from near the base, about twice as long as the greatest width, apically pointed and without distinct segmen- tation; styles simple, about two thirds as long as the cerci, subcylindrical in shape, rather bluntly pointed apically and the whole organ about four times as long as the basal width.
The entire insect is beset with short pile, the lateral margins of the abdominal segments, supraanal plate, cerci, styles and legs with stout setae instead of pilose hairs. .
Measurements. — Length, entire insect from front of head to tip of abdomen, about 2.7 mm.; pronotum 1 mm.; posterior femora, 1 mm.; posterior tibia, .8 mm,; posterior tarsus, .7 mm.; posterior metatarsus, .3 mm. Width pronotum posteriorly, 1.8 mm.; metanotum posteriorly, 2.1 mm.; posterior femora medially, .3 mm.
Type locality. — Cachuela Esperanza, Beni, Bolivia.
Described from three males collected in March, 1922, by Dr. Wm. M. Mann in the joint nests of Crematogaster limata var.parahiotica Forel and Camponotus{Myrmothrix)femoratusFsihY.
Type and paratypes in U. S. National Museum. Catalogue No. 25757, U. S. N. M.
VERBENAPIS - A CORRECTION.
In Psyche, vol. 29, p. 162 (August 1922) the name of the genus of bees, Verbenapis is misspelled. Although the error is quite obvious. Professor Cockerell has reminded me that it might receive the attention of nomenclaturists unless corrected. [Editor.]
1923] A Fossil Genus of Dinapsidce from Baltic Amber
31
A FOSSIL GENUS OF DINAPSID^ FROM BALTIC AMBER (HYMENOPTERA)
Contribution from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Harvard University, No. 22C.
By Charles T. Brues.
A small lot of amber insects which I have had for a number of years contains a very extraordinary hymenopterous insect. Several times I have attempted to locate it in one of the re- cognized families of the order, but I have never been satisfied with the result. It has also been shown to a number of entomolo- gists, none of whom were vv^illing to express any positive opinion concerning its relationships. Several weeks ago it was sent to the hymenopterists of the United States National Museum with a request that they examine it, and I soon received a note from Mr. R. A. Cushman calling my attention to a paper by Dr. James Waterston just received in the current October number of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History wherein he describes an almost exactly similar living insect from South Africa. For the African form Waherston has proposed the genus Dinapsis which he makes the type of a new family, Dinapsidse. He re- gards Dinapsis as more closely related to Megalyra than to any known Hymenoptera and from an examination of the fossil insect it seems that he is quite justified in expressing this opinion. Dinapsis is known only from the female, while the amber species is represented only by the male, but the two differ so clearly in wing venation and in the structure of the head and thorax that they cannot be regarded as congeneric. As the amber insect throws much light on the relationship of Dinapsis, it seems appropriate to describe it immediately after the appearance of Waterston’s paper.
Fortunately, the fossil specis is beautifully preserved and I able to give a quite complete description.
Prodinapsis gen. nov.
cf. General form and size similar to Dinapsis Waterston. Head slightly broader than the thorax, obliquely narrowed
32
Psyche
[February
behind the eyes which are large and pubescent; occipital margin raised, carinate; posterior orbits with a narrow groove; ocelli in a large triangle; vertex with a fine, but clearly impressed median line. Antennae 14-jointed, filiform, inserted near the cly- peus. Mouthparts not visible. Mesonotum about twice as broad as long; without parapsidal furrows but with a deep, complete, crenulate median furrow; inner angles of axillae not meeting, their edges margined by deeply crenulate grooves and their inner angles connected by a crenulate groove. Propodeum coarsely reticulated and apparently without the more prominent longitudinal carinae present in Dinapsis. Four anterior legs slender, the hind pair stout, with the femora somewhat swollen and the tibiae enlarged apically; tibial spurs very small; hind coxae very large; tarsal claws very small and slender, simple. Abdomen as long as the thorax, elongate oval, with seven nearly equal segments; claspers prominent, projecting downwards and curved forwards, obtusely pointed. Venter convex, the sternites almost as wide as the tergites. Fore wing with a small elongate stigma; subcostal cell broad; radial vein short, curved, leaving the cell widely open; basal half of cubitus present, but the transverse cuoiti and recurrent nervure are wanting; two closed discoidal cells; basal cells indistinctly separated as the separating vein is very weak and delicate; nervulus interstitial.
Type: P. succinalis sp. nov.
Prodinapsis differs ro m D.napsis most strikingly in having the radial cell inocmplfete, in lacking the transverse cubitus and in possessing two discoidal cells. Also the orbital groove is narrower and the axillae do not meet at their inner angles.
Prodinapsis succinalis sp. nov. (Fig. 1).
cf. Length 2.7 mm. Probably with the head and meso- notum black, the remainder of the thorax dark brown, the abdomen light brown and the legs piceous on the femora and tibiae; wings hyaline and antennae with no trace of annulation. Head coarsely shagreened, about one-half wider than long; temples two thirds as broad as the eye, occipital groove dis-
1923] A Fossil Genus of Dinapsidce from Baltic Amber
33
tinctly crenulate; posterior ocelli two-thirds as far from the eye as from one another. Antennae (Fig. Ic) slightly longer than the head and thorax; scape stout, curved; pedicel globose or but little elongated; flagellar joints of about equal length, all long and slender (probably the basal joints are slightly longer, but they cannot be viewed exactly in the proper plane). Meso- notum and scutellum shagreened; posterior edge of mesonotum straight, the suture not crenulate. Pleurae and coxae smooth or finely granulate; mesopleura with a crenulate line along the anterior and posterior edges. Abdominal segments of nearly
Fig. 1. Prodinapsis succinalis sp. nov. A, wing; B, head and anterior portion of thorax,
C, antennae
equal length, the second and also the first slightly, but not very noticeably, longer than the others; the posterior edges of the segments sinuous and slightly incised medially. Claspers almost as long as the dorsal length of the sixth segment. Wings ample, the margins with the usual short fringe of hairs, but none of the veins appear to be bristly as in Dinapsis. Venation (Fig. la)
34
Psyche
[February
rather pale brown, but very distinct, the veins terminating abruptly as indicated; weak apical section of radial vein very indistinct and visible only in certain lights.
Type in the Amber collection of the Zoological Museum of the University of Konigsberg.
Taken together the two genera exhibit a much closer affinity to Megalyra than is evident from a knowledge of either Dinapsis or Prodinapsis alone. In fact the neuration of Prodinapsis is almost identical to that of Megalyra except that the basal cells are separated by a very heavy vein in the latter and the apical part of the radius, although not vein-like, is indicated by a much more evident thickening. That the unknown female may be provided with a long ovipositor is also probable. The short and complete radial cell and absence of discoidal cells in Dinapsis give the wing a very different appearance, but the almost exactly similar, yet strikingly characteristic cephalic thoracic and ab- dominal structure, shows Dinapsis and Prodinapsis to be very closely related. On account of this similarity to Megalyra, it seems very doubtful whether the Dinapsidse can be retained as a family distinct from the Megalyridse since the differences are of a very minor nature. In both groups the head, antennae, medially grooved meson otum, scutellum with separated axillae, oval sessile abdomen with more or less equal segments, long thread-like ovipositor and wing venation agree closely in form and structure; only the size is different, for Megalyra is a large insect and the other two genera are very small.
The actual relationship of the three genera is rather difficult to elucidate, since as already stated Megalyra and Prodinapsis have almost identical wings while Prodinapsis and Dinapsis are almost identical in bodily characters, but each with a wing type that cannot be derived one from the other, nor can both be derived from that of Megalyra. If the three are closely related, as seems undoubted, the ancestral form must have had a body like Dinapsis or Prodinapsis and wings with a marginal, cubital, two basal and two discoidal cells. Such an insect must have been more or less Oryssoid in many somatic and venational
1923]
Recent Books
35
characters although perhaps only superficially similar. The median thoracic suture so pronounced in Dinapsis and Prodi- napsis occurs elsewhere, so far as I am aware, only in certain Ceraphronidse, Scelionidse and Belytidae of the Serphoid series where it may or may not be associated with the paired parap- sidal furrows, although a few Bethylidae and the Ampulicidae have a median pronotal (not mesonotal) furrow. In Megalyra it is prominent and undoubtedly homologous to the one in Dinapsis.
Recent Books.
In these lists are included titles relating entirely or directly to insects, as well as books in the related fields of biology which are of immediate interest to the Entomologist.
Folsom, J. W. Entomology, with Special Reference to its Ecological Aspects, pp. 502, extensively illustrated. P. Blakiston’s Son & Co. Philadelphia, 1922. A third edition of this well known and useful text, containing much new material, and needing no introduction to American entomol- ogists.
Parker, G. H. Taste, Smell and Allied Senses in the Ver- tebrates. pp. 192, illustrated. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia $2.50. Relates specifically to the vertebrates from the standpoint of both anatomy and physiology and presents material that the entomologist will find very useful.
Rousseau, E. Les larves et nymphes aquatiques des in- SECTES d’Europe. vol. 1, pp. XX 967, 344 figures. J.
Lebeque, Brussels. The first volume includes the Rhynchota neuropteroids and Trichoptera. A very complete and well illustrated compendium on the biology, morphology and classification of the aquatic members of these groups, with extensive bibliographical references.
36
Psyche
[February
B Olivier , E. L. The Physic Life of Insects. English trans- lation by L. O. Howard, pp. XVIt377 New York, The Century Co.
Dr. Howard has made available to the English-reading public, in a most excellent translation, Bouvier’s highly enter- taining and stimulating treatment of insect-behavior.
Lavier, Geo. Les parasites des invertebres hematophages;
PARASITES QUI LEUR SONT PROPRE) PARASITES QU’lLS TRANSMETTENT AUX VERTEBRES. 218 pp. illuS. Paris, Vigot Freres, 1921.
A very complete account of the microparasites of blood- sucking insects and of their relations to disease in man and other vertebrates.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE ENTOMO- LOGICAL CLUB
March 14, 1922, Mr. C. W. Johnson showed a collection of New England Hippoboscidse and gave an account of their habits, classification and distribution. See vol. 39, Nos. 4-6.
Mr. W. J. Clench showed the milkweed beetles Tetraopes tetraophthalmus and canteriator and a supposed hybrid between them.
Prof. W. M. Wheeler told about a mass of saw-fly larvae, which he had observed in South America, moving slowly through the wet grass like a single animal. Mr. C. W. Johnson called attention to a similar habit in the dipterous genus Sciara in . which the larvae cluster together in a long narrow mass which moves along like a worm. See vol. 29, Nos. 4-6.
April 11, 1922. Mr. F. Waldo Dodge showed a collection of over a hundred species of the coleopterous family Tenebrionidae. He also gave an account of the common species of Coccinella, illustrated by drawings.
1923] Proceedings of the Cambridge Entomological Club
37
Several members discussed the food-habits of Dragon-flies. Mr. Frost said that while collecting he had been protected from mosquitoes by Dragon-flies as long as he remained in sunshine, Mr. Dodge described the catching of Cicindela by Dragon-flies; he said the beetle could defend itself by standing on end and offering only its head and mandibles to attack.
Mr. Roland Hussey gave an account of the hemipterous bugs of the genus Triatoma. See Psyche Vol. 29 No. 3.
Mr. C. W. Johnson described a Tipula from Mt. Washington in which the venation of the wings differed on the two sides in ways previously considered characteristic of different species.
The committee on public lectures reported that six lectures had been given as follows :
February 18. L. O. Howard. On the work of the Bureau of Entomology with special reference to the Gipsy Moth and other injurious insects of local interest. February 25. Wm. T. M. Forbes. On the Butterflies and Moths. March 4. J. Chester Bradley. On Some Habits of Wasps and their relatives. March 11. C. T. Brues. On Mosquitoes and other insects as carriers of disease. March 18. Miss Edith M. Patch. On the Seven Lives of an Elm Aphis, Erisoma lanigerum. March 25. J. H. Emerton. On the Spiders, their structure, habits and relations to Insects.
The lectures were fully illustrated by lantern slides and by the new motion-pictures of insects of the Society for Visual Education. Audiences of about one hundred persons attended and paid half the expense of the course, the rest being met by subscription among members of the Club.
May 9, 1922 Prof. W. M. Wheeler read a paper on the distribution of the genus Formica in the tropics. See Psyche Vol. 29 Nos. 4.
Mr. C. W. Johnson described two new dipterous flies from Mt. Desert, Maine and other New England localities.
Mr. R. H. Howe, Jr., remarked on recent collections of Dragon-flies, especially the formerly rare Williamsonia lintneri, several of which have lately been taken near Boston.
38
Pyyche
[February
Miss Butler exhibited an unidentified larva found in Michigan in considerable numbers among eggs of Tabannus flies on leaves of Typho. latifolia.
June 13, 1922 Mr. Denton showed May-fiies found in great numbers near ponds and collected by handfuls beneath the hood of his automobile.
Mr. C. A. Frost showed recently collected Coleoptera.
Prof. Brues gave some notes on food plants of the Colorado potato-beetle, especially Solatium rostratum.
Prof. W. M. Wheeler showed some wingless Hymenoptera of the genus Scleroderma from Texas which feed on soft larvae of any kind, raise a brood in a month’s time and can be kept in confinement. It has winged and wingless forms of both sexes and appears to be an attractive subject for genetic studies
September 12, 1922 Mr. O. E. Plath gave an account of his observations on Bumblebees begun in 1921 and continued through the summer of 1922, during which time thirty-seven colonies were kept in boxes and watched through the season. In most of the nests Atherophagus beetles were found, some- times attached to the feet or antennae of bees. Chelifers were found in considerable numbers in one nest. The parasitic bees, Psithyrus, were found in several nests and new observations made on their habits and relations to their hosts. See vol. 29, Nos. 4-6.
October 10, 1922 the list of members was read and corrected. The death was announced of Laurence R. Reynolds, Vice- president of the Club, and a well known student of the Coleoptera. He had been on a collecting trip to the West Indies and Vene- zuela from which he returned in poor health and died in Boston, October 9. Mr. C. W. Johnson gave an account of his summer collecting at Mt. Desert in June and again in September and at the Rangeley Lakes, Maine. Mr. Johnson also discussed a collection of insects made by Owen Bryant in Vermont near Mt. Mansfield. Mr. J. H. Emerton spoke of his collecting in July in
1923] Proceedings of the Cambridge Entomological Club
39
eastern Maine where successful photographs were made of the webs of Theridion zelotypu7n, a spruce-forest spider, and where Leinyphia nearctica had been found in a bog at South Gouldsboro fifty miles fether south than any previous record.
November 14. 1922 Dr. J. W. Chapman, who had returned from six years residence in the Phillippines, read a paper by himself and Prof. Wheeler on the mating of ants of the genus Diacamma of which no winged females are known. See vol. 29, Nos. 4-6. Dr. Chapman afterwards showed some lantern slides and gave an account of the country near Dumaguete where he had been living.
Mr. C. W. Johnson gave an account of the recent occur- rence in large numbers of the European fly Muscina pascuorum which had been reported at various places in the eastern United States. See vol. 30, No. 1.
Prof. C. R. Crosby of Cornell University told about the Extension Entomological work in New York State by which entomologists of the State College of Agriculture are kept in touch with farmers, information in regard to injurious insects collected and remedies recommended.
December 12, 1922 Dr. Alice M. Boring of Wellesley College read a paper on the chromosomes in the germ cells of the two varieties of the frog-hopper, Monecphora bicincta. No differences were found.
HAVE THE FOLLOWING ENTOMOLOGICAL LITERATURE FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE.
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Journal Economic Entomology, I to VII .
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Proceedings Entomological Society Washington, XVII to XIX and XX except index.
Journal Economic Biology (London) VI.
Entomologists, Monthly Magazine XXH.
Zeitschrift far'wissenschaftliche Insektenbiologie VIII and IX.
Review Applied Entomology Ser. A and B, IV and V, VI except index.
Insect Life III.
Need American Entomologist HI (N. S. I) No. 12; Bulletin Brooklyn Entomological Society VI, VIII, IX and X No. 2 and index; Ann, Repts. Entomological Society Ontario, II, III, IV, IX; Entomologica Americana, VI; U. S. D. A. Bureau of Entomology bulletins old series 2, 3, 9, 20, 23. Address DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY,
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CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB
A regular meeting of the Club is held on the second Tuesday of each month (July, August and September excepted) at 7.45 p. m. at the Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston. The Bussey Institution is one block from the Forest Hills station of both the elevated street cars and the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Entomolo- gists visiting Boston are cordially invited to attend.
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PSYCHE
A JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY
Established in 1874
VOL. XXX APRIL, 1923 NO. 2
CONTENTS
Observations on the Feeding Habits of Robber Flies. Part I. Procta-
canthus rufus Will, and P. hrevipennis Wied. S. M. Bromley^ 41
Notes on the EHpterous Family Cyrtidae. F. R. Cole 46
New Species of North American Cyrtidae. C. W. Johnson 49
The Zoological Record 51
North American Dixidae. 0. A. Johannsen 52
Two New Species of Phoridae from Baltic Amber. C. T. Brues. 59
New Species of North American Dolichopodidae. M. C. Van Duzee.^ 63
Notes on Sinea diadema (Fabr.); Hemiptera. G. W. Barber, 74
New Saw-flies, Hymenoptera, from Oregon. A. D. MacGillivray. 77
Two New Mississippi Ants of the Subgenus Colobopsis. M. R. Smith. 82
The Varieties of Monecphora bicincta from the Point of View of a Cytologist.
A. M. Boring 89
Proceedings of the Cambridge Entomological Club 93
CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB
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OFFICERS FOR 1923
A. P. Morse R. H. Howe, Jr. J. H. Emerton . F. H. Walker . C. W. Johnson, Miss E. P. Butler O. E. Plate
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Boston, Mass. Cornell University.
W. M. Wheeler,
Harvard University.
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PSYCHE
VOL. XXX. APRIL 1923 No. 2
OBSERVATIONS ON THE FEEDING HABITS OF ROBBER FLIES. PART I.
PROCTACANTHUS RUFUS WILL. AND P. BREVI- PENNIS WIED.
By S. W. Bromley.
Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amherst, Mass.
One of the characteristic insects of the sandy plains along the Quinnipiac river in southern Connecticut during the hot sunny days of July is the large and handsomely-colored robber- fly, Proctacanthus rufus Will. Its rusty-orange abdomen and swift, undulating flight as it starts up in advance of the collector make it very conspicuous. The frequency with which one is seen bearing away some large insect that it has captured in- vites attention to what particular species are being taken.
The flies are very active and hard to approach, taking wing at the slightest movement and flying long distances before a- gain alighting. In fact, the only times that they are at all easily captured is when they are encumbered with prey, and even then they are very wary and when disturbed carry such large prey as Polistes several rods before they again settle down. Because of these habits, it was very exasperating to stalk an individual over the hot sands only to have the specimen take flight just as the net was poised for the stroke.
Of the prey taken, all were of the order Hymenoptera. I did not see them attack species of any other order, although it is probable that they would capture Hymenoptera-resembling Diptera if opportunity offered. No attention was paid by them to the Lepidoptera and Odonata that occasionally drifted over the sands.
42
Psyche
[April
For aid in determining the species recorded, both from P. rufus and P. hrevipennis, I wish especially to thank Dr. W. E. Britton of the Conn. Exp. Station who allowed me access to the Station collection, and to Dr. H. T. Fernald for the use of the Massachusetts Experiment Station collection.
The insects taken from P. rufus are as follows:
|
Sex of Fly |
Date |
Locality |
Prey |
|
|
1. |
9 |
July 2, ’22 |
Hampden, Conn. |
Vespa vidua Sauss. (queen) |
|
2. |
9 |
u |
Pohstes variatus Cresson. (worker) |
|
|
3. |
9 |
U |
Apis mellifera L. (worker) |
|
|
4. |
9 |
July 8, ’22 |
Polistes pallipes LePel. (worker) |
|
|
5. |
9 |
a |
u u |
|
|
6. |
cy |
Apis mellifera L. (worker) |
||
|
7. |
9 |
a |
‘ U |
|
|
8. |
9 |
“ |
||
|
9. |
u |
ii |
||
|
10. |
9 |
u |
a |
|
|
11. |
9 |
a |
u |
|
|
12. |
c7 |
u |
u |
u |
|
13. |
9 |
u |
u |
|
|
14. |
9 |
u |
(( |
u |
|
15. |
9 |
u |
||
|
16. |
9 |
iC |
Pompiloides tropicus L. 9 |
|
|
17. |
9 |
July 16, ’22 |
Wallingford, Conn. U |
Apis mellifera L. (worker) |
|
18. |
9 |
U |
U |
|
|
19. |
9 |
u |
||
|
20. |
c7 |
u |
Polistes pallipes LePel. (worker) |
|
|
21. |
9 |
u |
u |
Microhembex monodonta Say. 9 |
|
22. |
Tiphia inornata Say. 9 |
|||
|
23. |
9 |
u |
u |
a |
|
24. |
c7 |
u |
Elis interrupta Say. c7 |
|
|
25. |
u |
u |
Amhlyteles rufiventris Brulle. |
|
|
26. |
c7 |
u |
Hemipogonius sp? 9 |
Summarized Table of Prey
Hymenoptera.
14 Apis mellifera L.
3 Polistes pallipes Le Pel.
2 Tiphia inornata Say.
1 Vespa vidua Sauss.
1 Polistes variatus Cresson.
1 Elis interrupta Say.
1 Pompiloides tropicus L.
1 Hemipogonius sp?
1 Microhembex monodonta Say. 1 Amhlyteles rufiventris Brulle.
1923] Observations on the Feeding Habits of Robber Flies 43
From this may be seen that over 50% of the prey taken from the flies consisted of honey-bee workers. The explanation of the presence of so many bees in such an uninviting environment as these sand areas is this: beyond the western edges of the fields where I made these observations were banks of sumac to and from which the bees were continually streaming, many taking their course over the sand plains not more than ten or fifteen feet from the ground. It was from these that the robber-flies took heavy toll. Where the flies were most abundant I often saw one sweep upward and grasp a bee, only to fly so far with its prey as I approached that I was unable to locate it and obtain the record.
Several honey-bees that were taken from the flies were after- wards dissected and examined by Mr. R. E. Snodgrass of the Bureau of Entomology, with whom I was staying at the time, and myself. A specimen that the fly had dropped because it had consumed all parts possible was found to be nothing but an empty shell. Nearly all of the digestive, nervous, and mus- cular systems had been dissolved, probably by the introduction of an enzyme, and sucked out. The poison sac was intact, as was the tracheal system and all chitinized portions. A bit of the small intestine and unrecognizable pieces of other organs remained in the body cavity, but most of the internal struc- tures were gone. Examination of others in different stages of consumption showed the muscle tissue of the thorax reduced to a shredded mass and the muscles and brain in the head-capsule disintegrated. Whether or not this was accomplished by an enzyme secreted by the salivary glands, I do not know. Further work might determine this point.
An interesting point noted in watching the flies was the fact that although P sammocharids were the predominating and most conspicuous hymenopterous insects flying over the plains, the flies seemed to have trouble in capturing these. I watched them dart at these wasps on several occasions but the wasps eluded them by dropping to the ground and running through clumps of bunch-grass. They are occasionally captured, how- ever, and I was able to take the flies preying upon Psammo-
44
Psyche
[April
charids in two instances, as shown by the list, but I never had the good fortune of seeing any in the act of capturing the wasps.
Females of P. rufus were watched for oviposition habits. No attempts were seen to be made, but empty pupa cases were seen protruding from the sand. These, because of their size, were evidently of this species, indicating the underground life of the immature stages.
Recently, through the kindness of Mr. Nathan Banks, I was allowed to examine the collection at the M. C. Z. where two records of this species with prey were obtained.
9P. rufus: prey, PoUstes sp? Woods Hole, Mass., VII, 19, 1893. A. P. Morse, Coll.
9 P. rufus: prey, Bremus sp?cf West Springfield, Mass.,
VII, 26, 1915. H. E. Smith, Coll.
Proctacaiithus rufus seems to be restricted to sandy areas such as those above mentioned and I have never taken it in the fields and pastures frequented by P. philadelphicus except those in the immediate vicinity of the sand areas. That the insect is not more widely spread is a fortunate thing for bee-keepers.
Another Asilid found in the same sandy areas as the above but less conspicuous and active is Proctacanthus hrevipennis Wied. This belongs to the same genus but is smaller and more of the color of the sand on which it alights. I found it to be far less abundant than its larger relative in the area studied.
It will be seen from the list of prey that the type of insects captured by this species is quite different from that taken by by the last. Flere half the species recorded were specimens of the beetle Anomalalucicola Fob. which is common on the sand fields and captured during flight, as is the case of all prey taken.
The list of insects taken from P. hrevipennis is as follows:
|
Sex of Fly |
Date |
Locality |
Prey |
|
|
1. |
9 |
July 8, ’22 |
Hampden, Conn. |
Anomala lucicola Fab. |
|
2. |
9 |
a |
U |
|
|
3. |
9 |
luly 16, ’22 |
Wallingford, Conn. |
Formica fusca varPcf |
|
4. |
9 |
U |
Anomala lucicola Fab. |
|
|
5. |
9 |
u |
u |
Zelus exsanguis Stab 9 |
|
6. |
cf |
Tilly 23. ’22 |
Sarcophaga sp? |
1923] Observations on the Feeding Habits of Robber Flies. 45
McAtee and Banks in their paper on the Asilidae of the District of Columbia (Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 22. p, 26) record P. brevipennis as feeding upon Anomala sp. This fly evidently has a predilection for this genus of beetles.
Most of the prey from both species were taken from fe- males, as one would naturally expect to be the case in preda- cious insects, for they are larger and more powerful than the males and require more stored-up energy for the discharge of of their sexual functions.
Summarized Table of Prey.
Coleoptera
3 Anomala lucicola Fab.
Hymenoptera 1 Formica fusca var?
Diptera
1 Sarcophaga sp? Hemiptera
1 Zelus exsanguis Stal.
Psyche
46
[April
NOTES ON THE DIPTEROUS FAMILY CYRTIDiE.
By F. R. Cole.
Stanford University, California.
In 1919 the writer published a revision of the Cyrtidae of North America (Trans. American Ent. Soc., XLV, 1-79). There are some mistakes and omissions in this paper which should be corrected and some notes have accumulated on various species of the group.
Eulonchus marginatus 0. S. There are two specimens of this apparently rare species in the collection of the California Academy of Sciences, taken at Sobre Vista, Sonoma Co., Cal., May 8 (Kusche).
Ocncea helluo O. S. A specimen taken at College Station, Texas, was sent to the writer by Mr. H. J. Reinhard. It is 12.5 mm. in length and answers the original description in most res- pects; it differs in that all the longitudinal veins reach the wing margin. In each wing there is an adventitous cross-vein in cell M-3, one in cell 1st R-5 in one wing and one in cell R-1 in both wings (see fig. 1).
Acrocera liturata Will. The writer has one specimen taken at Los Gatos, Cal., June 20, 1917. This is a female with very little black at the base of the scutellum. There is more yellow on the abdomen than in the typical description. The species is evidently quite variable in coloration. Length 3 mm.
1923] Notes on the Dipterous Family Cyrtidce 47
Acrocera hubhardi Cole. There are several specimens of this species in the collection of the Calif. Acad, of Sciences and most of them are typical. Specimens taken at Crystal Lakes, San Mateo Co., Cal., June 25, 1916 (E. P. Van Duzee) have the scutellum entirely black and less yellow on the abdomen than in the typical specimens; vein R-1 is brown, the rest of the wing veins yellow, including the costa, the membrane hyaline. Other specimens were taken at Sisson, July 25 (E. P. Van Duzee), Santa Cruz, June 8 (Giffard) and Oakland, August, 1905 (E. P. Van Duzee), all in California.
0 geodes alhicinctus Cole new name for 0. marginatus Cole which is preoccupied by 0. marginatus Meigen, a synonym of 0. pallipes Latreille. The length, omitted in the original des- cription, is 4-4.5 mm. A series of specimens received from Mr. B. C. Cain, taken at Brentwood Lodge, Bear Lake Co., Idaho, Jul}^ 17, 1920, probably belong here but are not quite typical, the pile of the thorax not being unusually long; the femora are yellow on less than the apical third. The genitalia are distinct from 0. costatus, but no males of melampus were available for comparison.
Ogcodes alhiventris Johnson. There is a male specimen in the collection of the Cal. Acad, of Sciences, taken at Livermore, Cal., August 1904 (F. X. Williams). The abdomen is largely white; the first segment of the abdomen has a large basal black spot, separated from the posterior margin by the white border; the second, third and fourth tergites have a narrow, transverse black band at the base and one of about equal size near the posterior margin, a black mark connects the bands on the second and third segments; the fifth segment has a narrow anterior and posterior black margin, the latter interrupted in the middle and not quite reaching the posterior margin. The venter differs from the typical description in having a basal black band on sternites 1, 4 and 5, a small round spot on each side on the second and third sternites. The length is 5.25 mm. The sex of the type is not given and the differences in color may be due to a difference in sex.
48
Psyche
[April
Ogcodes rufoahdominalis Cole. The length was omitted in the original description and should be 4.25-5.5 mm. Specimens of this species were kindly loaned by Mr. McAtee from the col- lection of the U. S. Biological Survey. The black on the abdomen of one male was reduced to a basal triangle on the second, third and fourth tergites, the incisures yellowish; there was a basal blackish brown band on the second sternite. Two males were taken at Bear River, Utah, June 17, 1915 (A. K. Fisher) and one at the same place July 11, 1915 by A. W. Wetmore. One female I make a neotype and describe below.
Female. The black color more suffused, the general color amber, with markings indistinct. Like the male in most res- pects, the wings larger and more infuscated. The squamae faintly infuscated. The tarsi blackish brown. Length 5 mm.
Neotype, female, in the collection of the U. S. Biological Survey, taken at the mouth of the Bear River, Utah, July 11, 1915 (A. W. Wetmore).
This species is related to Ogcodes varius Latreille, judging from a specimen of 0. varius in the writer’s collection from the sandy steppes of Hungary.
Ogcodes pallidipennis Loew. One small specimen, 3 mm. in length, taken by the writer in Mill Creek Canyon, San Bernar- dino Co. Cal. The specimen was sitting on a rock in the bright sunlight.
The length of Ogcodes borealis Cole and 0. niger Cole was omitted in the original description; it is about 5 mm. in both species.
1923] New Species of North American Cyrtidce. 49
NEW SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN CYRTIDAE By Charles W. Johnson.
Boston Society of Natural History.
Acrocera stansburyi sp. nov.
cf 9 Head black, occiput with whitish tomentum, antennae yellow. Thorax yellow with three broad narrowly separated black stripes (in two specimens, male and female, the stripes are fused, forming a large trilobed mark), the dorsal stripe is truncate behind at a line corresponding with the base of the wings, the lateral stripes are truncate in front at about the middle of the dorsal stripe, becoming gradually narrower behind and reaching the post-alar callosities, tomentum whitish, pleura on the upper half yellow, with large, irregular, black spots, which are connected with the black of the lower half, humeri and post- alar callosities whitish, scutellum yellow, metanotum black. Abdomen yellow, the second segment is margined anteriorly with black expanding centrally and forming a dorsal triangle, a small dorsal triangle is also present at the base of the third and the fourth, with a small spot usually present on the side of the third, in one specimen there is a narrow margin similar to that on the second segment, ventral segments blackish margined with yellow. Legs white, coxae yellow, tips of the tarsi and claws black. Wings hyaline, venation as in 0. liturata Will., squamae white, halteres yellow. Length, 3mm.
Eight specimens, Stansbury Island, Great Salt Lake, Utah, July 13, 1913 (Hagan and Titus). Holotype and three par- atypes in the author’s collection. Two paratypes in the col- lection of Mr. H. R. Hagan, one in the Museum of Compara- tive Zoology, and one in the U. S. National Museum.
I had referred this to A. liturata, but it is evidently quite different, as indicated by the thoracic and abdominal mark- ings and the color of the scutellum. At the request of Mr. Hagon I am dedicating it to Howard Stansbury, who made and elabo- rate survey of Great Salt Lake and vicinity in 1849 and 1850.
50
Psyche
Ocnaea auripllosa sp. nov.
[April
9 Head black, eyes hairy, antennae brown, second joint about one half the length of the first (third joint wanting). Thorax, including the pleura and scutellum honey-yellow, shin- ing and covered with quite thick yellow pile, humeri promi- nent and lighter than the disc of the thorax, behind the shoulder is a whitish stigma, narrowly margined with black, sternum black. Abdomen bright orange-yellow, with short golden pile; the segments have the following blue-black markings, — a spot in the middle of the first, a triangle at the base of the second and third, a square occupying the middle half of the fifth and all of the sixth segment except a narrow margin, venter yellow. Legs yellow with yellow pile, tips of the tarsi dark brown, claws black. Wings hyaline, veins yellow, squamae white margined with black and fringed with yellow hairs; the first posterior cell is closed and petiolate. Length 11mm., the abdomen is about double the width of the thorax.
One specimen, Tucson, Arizona, March 16, 1916 (J. F. Tuck- er). Type in the author’s collection. It agrees somewhat with O.micans Erichson, but its yellow not ‘‘fuscous” color, the blue- black abdominal markings and larger size separate it from that species.
Ogocodes vittatus sp. nov.
9 Head black, antennae dark brown. Thorax reddish brown, with three broad black stripes, the lateral stripes ab- breviated anteriorly and the dorsal stripe obsolete posteriorly, humeri, post-alar callosities, metanotum, and upper parts of the pleura yellow, a blackish spot in front of the base of the wing, and the lower part of the pleura shining black, scutellum black, the base brownish on the sides. Abdomen black, shining, with the posterior margins of the segments narrowly edged with yellow, venter yellow. Legs brownish, the knees yellow, the posterior tibiae and tarsi black. Wings and squamae light brown, veins dark brown, knobs of the halteres blackish, stems yellow. Length 4.5mm.
1923]
New Species of North American Cyrtidce
51
One specimen, Middlesex County, New Jersey, May 19, (Harry B. Weiss)'. Type in the author’s collection. This is readily separated from all the described species by its striped thorax.
The Zoological Recokd.
The attention of Entomologists thoughout the world is called to the fact that, beginning with the Volume for 1922, the preparation of the ‘Tnsecta” part of the ‘‘Zoological Record,” is being undertaken by the Imperial Bureau of Entomology. In order that the Record may be as complete as it is possible to make it, all authors of entomological papers, especially of sys- tematic ones, are requested to send separata of their papers to the Bureau. These are particularly desired in cases where the original journal is one that is not primarily devoted to entomology All separata should be addressed to: —
The Assistant Director,
Imperial Bureau of Entomology,
41, Queen’s Gate,
London, S. W. 7,
England,
52
Psyche
[April
NORTH AMERICAN DIXIDJE.
By 0. A. JOHANNSEN.
Cornell Universty, Ithaca, N. Y.
Some years ago I published a key to the species of Dixa (Bull. New York State Museum, 68:431, 1903) based largely on the color characters given in the descriptions. Through the kindness of Mr. Nathan Banks I have recently had the oppor- tunity to compare my specimens with the Loew types in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, and now offer a new table which includes three new species.
A study of a series of specimens collected at the same time and place, having similar color characters, and an identical type of hypopyguim, therefore presumably one species, shows that the venation of the wings in this genus is subject to some variation, for which allowance must be made in identification. The length of the fork of the media is particularly variable. In one wing of one of the type specimens of D. fusca Lw. the petiole and the fork are nearly subequal in length while in the other wing of this specimen and in both wings of the second specimen the petiole is noticeably longer than the anterior branch of the fork. In D. cornuta described below, a species having a very characteristically formed clasper, the variation in the proportions is even greater.
Key to species of Dixa.
a. Costal half of the wing distinctly smoky; a dark spot at the apex of Cu 2; proboscis and scutellum yellow; knob
of halteres black. D. C marginata Lw.
aa. Costal part of the wing not distinctly differentiated in color, b. Tips of the hind tibise noticeably enlarged, deep black, sharply contrasting with the remainder of the member; wing veins with clouded margins; proboscis black; hal- teres yellowish; scutellum fuscous testaceous; terminal clasper segment tapering, mesal process of the basal seg- ment simple, elongate. (fig. 2)Me., Mass., N.Y, clavata Lw.
1923]
North American Dixidce
53
bb. Tips of hind tibiae not so sharply differentiated.
c. Petiole of R2+3 (measured on a straight line from its base to base of fork), less th'an ^ as long as R3; pro- boscis, scutellum, and knob of the halteres yellow; crossvein of wing very feebly clouded; r-m crossvein slightly distad of the base of R4+5. N. Y., terna Lw. cc. With other characters.
d. Wing with one or more spots,
e. The space between the bases of the cubitus and anal vein, between the branches of the cubitus, and the basal part of the anal lobe inf uscated; terminal clasper segment triangular, mesal process of basal segment forked (fig. 1), calif ornica n. sp.
ee. With but a single, rather distinct spot on the wing,
f. Petiole of R 2-|-3 and R3 subequal in length, wing spot very distinct, veins strongly marked; pro- boscis and scutellum blackish; halteres sordidly yellow; terminal clasper segment not tapering, truncate apically, mesal process of basal segment forked (fig 6). Me., N. Y. centralis Lw.
ff. Petiole shorter; proboscis, scutellum, and halteres yellow, N. J.; Md. . . . notata Lw.
dd. Wing spot very indistinct or wanting, e. The r-m crossvein is situated slightly proximad of the base of R4-1-5 thus intersecting the petiole of the radial sector; Sc endsopposite the base of Rs. St. Vincent Is. calvula Will,
ee. The r-m cross vein is situated at or slightly distad of the base of R4+5 thus connecting this vein with the media.
f . Dorsum of the thorax yellowish with thoracic darker stripes which may be more or less confluent; palpi dark.
g. Proboscis yellow; scutellum and halteres black- ish; wing veins strongly marked, subcosta ends opposite to base of Rs; thoracic stripes black and more or less confluent, large part of the pleura yellow. Texas . venosa Lw.
54
Psyche
[April
gg. Proboscis dark; scutellum yellowish ; wing veins not unusually pronounced ; intervals between the thoracic stripes yellow, h. Fore basitarsus about 2/ 3 as long as the tibia; Sc ends proximad of the base of Rs ; knob of the halteres dark; basal segment of the clas- per of the male with a black, ventrad pro- jecting, and much curved mesal process (fig. 4). N. Y. . . cornuta n. sp.
hh. F ore basitarsus about 3/ 4 as long as the tibia.
i. Apical segment of the clasper of the male fully
as broad beyond the middle as at the base (fig. 3) ; Sc ends about opposite the base of Rs; distance between the crossveins meas- ured on the media usually not exceeding 1/2 the length of the m-cu crossvein. N.Y., N. C., Cal. . . modesta Joh.
ii. Apical segment of the clasper tapering (fig. 7) ;
Sc ends distinctly proximad of the base of Rs; distance between the crossveins about equal to the length of the m-cu crossvein. N. Y. . . . similis n. sp.
ff. Dorsum of the thorax as well as the upper part of the pleura, black; proboscis, halteres and scutel- lum dark; Sc ends opposite the base of the radial sector. N. Y. . . . fusca Lw.
Dixa californica sp. nov.
Male. Head black, proboscis, palpi, and flagellum of antennae brown, basal antennal segments light brownish. Dorsum of the thorax and upper part of the pleura, yellow; dorsal stripes rich dark brown, nearly confluent, laterals anteriorly, median one posteriorly abbreviated; scutellum, metanotum, and larger part of pleura brown. Abodmen black; the mesal process of the basal clasper segment forked; the apical segment in ventro-lateral aspect more or less triangular, apically with acute angle, mesally with a number of stout black setae (fig. 1).
1923]
North American Dixidce
55
Legs yellowish brown, becoming darker towards their extremi- ties; tips of femora and of tibiae darker; coxae yellow; fore barsitarsus nearly 7/8 as long as the tibia. Wings grayish hyaline, a distinct cloud covering the r-m crossvein extending up on the petiole of R2+3; space between the petiole of the cubitus and the anal vein, between the branches of the cubitus, and basal part of the anal angle more or less infuscated; veins yellowish brown; Sc ends opposite the base of Rs, petiole of R2+3 (measur- ed on a straight line from its base to base of fork) .64 as long as R3, petiole of the media measured from the crossvein 1.3 as long as Ml -1-2, the distance between the cross veins 2/3 as long as the m-cu crossvein. Halteres brownish with yellow peduncle. Length 2.5 mm. Type in my collection. Stanford University, Cal., March.
Fig. 1. Claspers of males. Figs. 1, 3, 7 are in ventro-lateral aspect; 2, 4, 6 in ventral aspect .
1. D. californica. 2. D. clavata. 3. D. modesta. 4. D. cornuta. 6. D. centralis. 7. D. Similis. 5. Wing of male D. modesta.
Dixa cornuta sp. nov.
Male. Head, including proboscis, palpi and antennae, brown, front shining. Thorax, including scutellum, brownish yellow, with three dull, dark brown lines, the middle one divided by a
56
Psyche
[April
hair line, the laterals abbreviated anteriorly; metanotum and sternopleura pale brown. Abdomen blackish; the basal segment of the clasper yellow, moderately swollen, with a black, elongate, ventrad projecting and much curved mesal horn-like process; terminal segment of clasper viewed from the ventral side elon- gate as shown in fig. 4 with rows of ventro-mesal black spines; when viewed from the side, quadrangular, shaped somewhat like that of D. calif ornica (fig. 1) but with the mesal angle much truncated and more spinous. Legs brownish yellow, extreme tips of tibiae and of tarsi darker, the hind tibiae distinctly swollen at tip; fore basitarsus about 2/3 as long as the corresponding tibia. Wings hyaline, very faintly cinereous, veins yellowish, crossveins not clouded; Sc ends slightly before base of Rs; petiole of R2-1-3 (measured on a straight line from its base to base of fork) about 0.4 as long as R3; petiole of the media measured from the crossvein, about 1.12 as long as Ml +2. Halteres dark with yellow peduncle. Length 2.5 mm. Holo- type in my collbction. McLean, N. Y. October.
Female. In coloring like the male. Allotype in my collec- tion. Ithaca, N. Y. August.
Paratypes from Ithaca, N. Y., October, and from Orono, Me., June. In the Cornell University Collection and in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass.
The coloring is rather constant, except in teneral speci- mens. In the paratypes the venation is rather variable. The ratio measurement, as defined above for the radius, ranges from .36 to .50 in male specimens while the ratio measurements of the media ranges between 1.12 and 2.1. The distance between the bases of the crossveins measured along the media, is in most cases nearly equal to the length of the m-cu crossvein. The fore tibia-tarsus ratio ranges between .61 and .71, with an average of .65.
Dixa modesta Joh.
Too hastily, in the Entomological News (14:302), I de- clared this species to be the same as D. clavula Will. A careful examination of a co-type specimen of Williston’s species shows
1923]
North American Dixidoe
57
modesta to be quite distinct, as indicated sufficiently in the key. To my original description may be added that Sc ends about opposite or slightly beyond, or at most but slightly proximad of the base of the radial sector (fig. 5) ; the petiole of R2 +3 (measur- ed in a straight line) is about .55 as long as R3; the petiole of the media, measured from the crossvein, about equal to Ml +2; the distance between crossveins along the media less than 1/2 as long as the m-cu crossvein. In the western specimen there is a very faint suggestion of a cloud on the r-m crossvein. The fore basitarsus is about 3/ 4 as long as the tibia. The basal clasper segment is somewhat enlarged, mesal process short with some stout apical setae; apical segment broadest beyond the middle when viewed from the side, thence tapering to the tip; viewed more ventrally the sides are more or less parallel (fig. 3) .
Specimens from Ithaca N. Y., April, May; Black Mts., N. C. May; and S. Jacinto Pk., Cal., August. Type in my col- lection.
Dixa similis sp. nov.
Closely resembling D. modesta, differing chiefly in the characters given in the key.
Male. Head including proboscis, palpi, and antennae, brown; front shining. Thorax including scutellum, yellow, with three dull dark brown stripes, the middle one divided by a hair line, the laterals abbreviated anteriorly; metanotum and lower part of the pleura brown. Abdomen brown, including the glo- bose basal segment of the clasper whose mesal process is simple and provided with a few stout apical setae (fig. 7); terminal segment rather tapering when viewed more or less from the side. Legs yellow, tarsi and tips of hind tibiae a little darker; fore basitarsus about 3/ 4 as long as the corresponding tibia. Wings hyaline, very faintly cinereous, veins yellowish, crossvein not clouded; Sc ends in the costa at least the length of the r-m cross- vein proximad of the base of the radial sector, the distance be- tween the crossveins measured along the media about equal to the length of the m-cu cross vein; petiole of R2-f3 (measured in
58
Psyche
[April
a straight line from its base to the base of the fork) about .55 as long as R3; petiole of the media measured from the cross- vein about 1.25 as long as Ml +2. Halteres yellow. Tenght, 2.5 mm. Holotype in my collection. Ithaca, N. Y., August.
Female. In coloring like the male. Allotype in my collec- tion. Ithaca, N. Y., August.
Paratypes collected at the same time and place in the Cornell University collection and in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass. The radius ratio in the paratype specimens varies from .44 to .66, the media ratio from 0.8 to 1.3.
1923] Two New Species of Fhoridoe from Baltic Amber 59
TWO NEW SPECIES OF PHORID^ FROM BALTIC
AMBER.^
By Charles T. Brues.
Some years ago, while examining a small series of amber- insects, now in the collections of the museum of the University of Konigsberg, I chanced upon a beautifully preserved specimen of the family Phoridse. This species, which is described below as Dohrinphora transita is in a small piece of amber together with an hymenopterous insect representing an undescribed genus of Bethylidse. A second species included in the same lot proves also to be new.
The occurence of Phoridse in Baltic amber was noted many years ago by BehrendF and soon afterwards Loew® mentioned the existence of eleven species of this family in amber that had passed through his hands. Much more recently the present writeF has described two species from the Miocene shales of Florissant Colorado. In 1909 MeunieF described and figured a number of species from amber. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to recognize his species as the descriptions are based to a great extent upon characters not generally used, and many important diagnostic characters are not included. In spite of these difficulties I am quite certain that the two species des- cribed below are different from any of those dealt with by Meunier.
The first one differs from all previously known species by the presence of a broad, flattened enlargement before the tip of the third longitudinal wing vein, a character which seems to form a transition between the recent species of Hypocera and those of the more generalized genera with forked third vein, since a number of species of Hypocera show a very similar swelling at the tip of the third vein. They lack the second vein, however, which is present in the fossil species.
iContribution from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Harvard University, No. 219.
20rganische Reste im Bernstein, vol. 1, p. 57 (1845).
3Ueber den Bernstein und die Bernsteinfauna, Progr. Konigl. Realsch. Meseritz, 1850 . pp. 1-44.
4Bull. American Mus. Nat. Hist. vol. 24 pp. 273-275.
^Monographic der Leptiden und Phoriden des Bernsteins, Jahrb. Konigl. Preuss. Geolo, Landesanst., vol. 30, pp. 64-90, 5 pis.
60
Pcyche
[April
Dohrniphora transita sp. nov.
Sex? Length 3 mm. A stout species with well developed bristles on the hind legs. Two median supra-antennal bristles reclinate, strong, but rather short and divergent. Lower row of four frontal bristles forming a straight transverse line, the bases of the lateral bristles close to the lower angles of the front. Next row forming a curved line, all four bristles equidistant. Upper transverse row normal. Post-ocular cilia strong, not enlarged below. Antennae rather small, round; arista short and very slender. Mesonotum with a single pair of dorso-central macro- chaetse; scutellum with a pair of small lateral bristles and also two stronger bristles on the hind margin. Abdomen completely clouded, so that its structure cannot be observed. Anterior tibiae each with a single bristle at the middle on the front side; middle tibiae each with a similar one at the basal third, and also perhaps just before the tip which is not visible. Hind femora stout, fringed with short hairs along the lower edge. Hind tibia with a strong bristle at the end of the basal third; a pair at the middle, one of these bristles on the outer and the other one on the hind side; also with two shorter bristles just before the tip, and, so far as can be seen, with at least one stout spur. Costal vein not extending beyond the middle of the wing, its cilia delicate and very long, although most of the cilia have been broken off in the single specimen before me. First vein very long, its tip twice as far removed from the mediastinal vein as from the apex of the third vein; on its basal two-thirds it runs almost parallel to the costa, bending sharply forwards apically to meet the costa. Second vein short, the angle of furcation very close to the tip of the third vein. Third vein with a large, oval spot or swelling extending from the fork halfway to the apex of the vein; although this spot scarcely extends over the anterior edge of the vein, it is broadened out behind into a strong bow. Fourth vein straight, except at base, where it is weakly curved; originating opposite the fork of the third; fifth vein almost parallel to the fourth, slightly bent forward on its basal third; sixth and seventh veins present, straight.
1923] Two New Species of Phoridoe from Baltic Amber 61
Similar in size to Dohrniphora ahlata Meunier, but the antennae are small and the apical half of the anterior tibia bears no bristles, while the apical swelling on the third wing-vein des- cribed above will serve to distinguish it immediately.
Dohrniphora loewi sp. nov.
d'. Length 2 mm. Apparently brown in color, with the legs light brown; head and abdomen above more or less blackened. All frontal bristles reclinate, strong, but not greatly lengthened. Post-ocular cilia small and densely placed. Antennse rather small, the third joint globular, almost bare, and only a little shorter than the width of the head. Palpi clouded, their apical bristles which are clearly to be seen, however, are strongly de- veloped and densely placed. Front apparently at least as high as broad, perhaps higher, slightly convex. Cheeks each with a single downwardly directed bristle. Mesonotum bearing only a few fine hairs, as long as wide and strongly convex, on each side with four marginal bristles, of which two lie before and two behind the insertion of the wing; only one pair of dorsocentral macrochsetse present. Scutellum with four marginal bristles of which the anterior pair are slightly weaker. Abdomen one- third longer than the head and thorax together, uniformly nar- rowed toward the tip; second and sixth segments elongated, the second without tufts of hairs at the sides. Seventh segment, seen from above, furnished with a row of short bristles along the posterior margin. Hypopygium small. Legs not thickened; the hind femora broadened, but without distinct hairs on the lower margin. Front tarsi distinctly thickened, the second and third joints each quadrate; front tibiae with a single large bristle on the outer side just before the middle. Middle tibiae with a pair of strong bristles at the basal third; hind tibiae each with only a single bristle at the basal third and with two apical spurs of which the inner one is much more strongly developed. Wings apparently entirely hyaline; costal vein only one third as long as the wing, thickened toward the apex, with very fine cilia that are visible only under considerable magnification; first vein very long, its tip three times as far from the mediastinal
62
Psyche
[April
vein as from the tip of the third vein; second vein entering the costa at a point equidistant from the tips of the first and third veins; fourth vein almost straight, reaching the margin far before the wing-tip : fifth vein almost stright, entering the margin far beyond the wing tip; sixth vein with a sigmoid flexure; seventh vein obsolete.
Type, No. B243, imbedded in a piece of amber with a spe- cimen of an ant.
The present species resembles two amber forms described by Meunier (op. cit.) but appears to be quite distinct; from ‘‘Phora”^ inclusa Meun. it differs in having two basal bristles on the middle tibise and by being much larger, 2 mm. instead of 1 mm. From D. concinna Meun. It differs by the presence of a large bristle near the base of the front tibia and by having only one preapical bristle on the hind tibia.
iWhether this species is a Dohrniphora or Paraspiniphora cannot be determined, as the apical portion of the middle tibiae are not visible in the type, according to Meunier’s descrip- tion.
1923] New Species of North American Dolichoopdidce
63
NEW SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN DOLICHOPODIDiE.
By M. C. Van Duzee.
Buffalo, N. y.
Nothosympycnus luteipes sp. nov.
Male: length 2 mm. Face very narrow, white. Front dark blue, shining. Antennae black or brown; third joint rather large, oval; arista twice as long as the antennae, pointed at tip. Lateral and inferior orbital cilia whitish.
Dorsum of thorax brown, shining, still a little dulled with brown pollen; scutellum blue. Abdomen with the first, second, sides of third segment and the venter yellow; dorsum of third segment, the apical segments and the hypopygium blackish with green reflections; appendages of the hypopygium wholly black, except the yellow penis.
All coxae and the posterior edge of the pleurae yellow; coxae without black hair or bristles, except the erect bristle on outer surface of hind ones. All femora and fore and middle tibiae yellowish, tips of hind femora and the hind tibiae more brown or black, still the base and lower edge of the tibiae are yellowish. Fore tarsi (fig. 4) yellow, blackened from the tip of the third joint; first joint about as long as wide, second as long as the two following joints taken together, fourth distinctly shorter than third and slightly longer than fifth. Middle tarsi (fig. 5) black from the tip of the first joint, which is about as long as the re- maining four taken together; tip of first joint with two and basal half of second joint with three long, slender, crooked hairs; second joint a little widened on basal half; third joint as long as second, fourth slightly shorter, fifth still shorter. Hind tarsi wholly blackish, shorter than their tibiae, first joint shorter than second. Calypters and halteres yellow, the former with black cilia.
64
Psyche
[April
Wings brownish gray, narrowed to the root; last section of fifth vein nearly four times the length of the cross- vein.
Described from two males taken at Bar Harbor, Me., July 22, 1914, by C. W. Johnson.
This is almost like frontalis Loew, except in the formation of the tarsi, frontalis having the fourth joint of fore tarsi much longer than the third. The middle tarsi of frontalis also have the first joint longer than the remaining four taken together, and the second about twice as long as the third.
Campsicnemus wheeleri sp. nov.
Male: Length 2 mm. Face brown, narrow, the eyes nearly touching on upper part, wider below. Palpi and proboscis black. Front black with slight blue reflections. Antennse black; third joint somewhat conical in outline, about as long as wide; arista basal, twice as long as the antenna. Orbital cilia black above, brownish below.
Dorsum of thorax shining black, slightly dulled with brown pollen; humeri and pleurae green, the latter with brown pollen; scutellum blue. Abdomen green with purple reflections on the center of the dorsum. Hypopygium small, mostly concealed.
Coxae blackish, anterior pair more yellowish apically, with black hair on the front surface. Femora and tibiae brownish yellow; fore and middle femora slightly thickened. Fore tibiae blackish at base and tip, with two very small bristles above and one below; middle and hind tibiae darkened apically ;mid- dle ones widened and bent as in figure 1; the tip, when viewed from above, is enlarged, blackish, with two yellow spots on the edge (fig. 2). Middle tarsi black, formed as in figures 1 & 2, the first joint is narrowed in the middle when viewed from the side and is enlarged near the apex, terminating in a thumb-like tip; when viewed from above it is slightly tapering, not nar- rowed in the middle. Last four joints of middle tarsi of nearly equal length and about as long as the first, still the fifth is slight- ly shorter and has three long hairs at tip. Fore tarsi brown.
1923] New Species of North American Dolichopodidce
65
first joint as long as the three following taken together, third and fifth of nearly equal length second slightly longer and fourth shorter than third. Hind tarsi brown, first and second joints of equal length, the following joints of slightly decreasing length. Calypters, their cilia and the halteres brown.
Wings tinged with brownish; third and fourth veins par- allel beyond the cross-vein, widely separated; last section of fourth vein with a faint brown spot at its basal fourth; last section of fifth being twice as long as the cross-vein; anal angle prominent.
A female which probably belongs with this species differs in the thorax having purple reflections; legs plain and a little more yellow; middle and hind basitarsi yellow with a black tip; calypters and knobs of halteres more yellowish, the former with black cilia; middle tibise with two bristles below and several on upper surface, wings with the spot at basal fourth of the last section of fourth vein very conspicuous.
Described from one pair taken in Maine; the holotype, male, was taken at Machias, July 20, 1909, and the allotype a female at Bar Harbor, August 4, 1918; both were taken by C. W. Johnson. He sent them to me with the name wheeleri attached but had never described them.
This is very much like oedipus Wheeler, but this form has the legs more yellowish; the middle tibise of the male of a little different shape; the middle basitarsus contracted in the middle, more enlarged apically, and not ending in a point; their third and fourth joints are also nearly twice as long as in oedipus ] the brown spot on the fourth vein of the wing is very indistinct in this form. The females of the two species are probably difficult to separate.
Hercostmus costalis sp. nov.
Male; Length 3 mm.; of wing the same. Face of mod- erate width, silvery white. Front thickly covered with white pollen, so as to conceal the ground color when viewed obliquely.
66
Psyche
[April
Antennae wholly black; third joint not as long as wide, some- what pointed at tip, arista nearly basal. Lateral and inferior orbital cilia whitish, about five to six of the upper cilia on each side black.
Thorax and abdomen green with bronze reflections; meso- notum dulled with gray or brownish gray, pleurae with white pollen; abdomen with white pollen on the sides. Hypopygium (fig. 3) black; its lamellae somewhat angulated and deeply notched at tip, yellow with the edge narrowly black, fringed with bristles which are deep black in color, some of them flattened, and a little enlarged at tip; there appear to be two pairs of inner ap- pendages, one blackish and the other yellow.
Coxae and femora black; tips of coxae and narrow tips and the base of all femora yellow, the yellow at base of hind femora sometimes nearly reaches their middle. Middle and hind femora each with one preapical bristle. Tibiae yellow, posterior pair with their tips blackened for nearly one third their length; fore tibiae with only two or three slender bristles on upper surface. Fore and middle tarsi black from the tip of the first joints; anterior pair about as long as their tibiae, their joints in the proportion of 24-8-6-4-6; hind tarsi wholly black, first joint scarcely as long as second. Calypters and halteres yellow, the former with black cilia.
Wings slightly grayish; costa considerably enlarged at tip of first vein, this enlargement tapers quite rapidly at first, more gradually afterwards and extends nearly to the tip; third and fourth veins converge from the cross-vein to their tips, where they are about half as far apart as at the cross-vein; last section of the fifth vein about one and a third times as long as the cross- vein; anal angle rather prominent, its margin nearly parallel with the sixth vein.
Described from four males; I took one at Toronto, Ont., July 4, 1911, one at Port Credit, Ont., July 14, 1918 and one at Ridgeway, Ont., June 22, 1919; the other was taken by J. S. Rogers, at Floodwood, Schoolcroft Co., Mich., July 11, 1915, this is in the collectiom of Dr. J. M. Aldrich.
1923] New Species of North American Dolichopodidce 67
Holotype in the author’s collection and taken at Toronto,
Ont.
Diaphorus spinitalus sp. nov.
Male: Length 3 mm. Face wide, shining green, only slightly dulled with brownish pollen. Palpi rather small, dark yellow; proboscis black. Antennae black, third joint small, rounded, arista apical. Lower orbits nearly bare, below the head there are a few white bristles.
Thorax and abdomen green with coppery reflections; scu- tellum with one pair of large bristles and a pair of hairs on the margin. Hypopygium and its appendages small, black, the bristles at tip short.
Fig. 1, Campsicnemus wheeleri sp. nov., middle tibia and tarsus; fig. 2, tip of middle tibia and basitarsus of the same, viewed from the side; fig. 3, Hercostomus coslalis sp. nov., hypo- pygium; fig. 4, Nothosympycnus luteipes sp. nov., fore tarsus- fig. 5, middle tarsus of the same.
68
Psyche
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Coxae, legs and feet black, fore and middle knees yellowish. Fore coxae with white hairs on their anterior surface. Joints of fore tarsi as 21-12-9-3-7; those of hind tarsi as 19-13-8-6-6; first joint of hind tarsi with an erect bristle below near the base, which is about as long as the diameter of the joint. Pul villi of fore tarsi slightly enlarged.
Wings grayish; first vein reaches two-fifths of the distance to the tip of the second; third and fourth veins nearly parallel, fourth ending just before the apex of the wing; last section of fifth vein nearly twice as long as the cross-vein, which is near the middle of the wing.
Described from one male taken by E. P. Van Duzee, at Strawberry Valley, Eldorado Co., California, August 15, 1912. Type in the California Academy of Sciences.
Diaphorus spinifer Malloch.
Chrysotuss pinifer, Bull. 111. State Lab. of Nat. Hist., Vol. X, p. 238.
The pulvilli of the fore tarsi are somewhat enlarged in this species and it has very small bristles at the tip of the abdomen, these points together with its slender form are enough to place this in the genus Diaphorus, especially as that will bring it near the species described above, which differs from it in having the bristles at the tip of the abdomen larger, the bristle on the hind tarsi smaller, and the palpi much smaller, those of spinifer being each as large as the face, or nearly so. Simplex Aid. also has a large bristle below at base of hind tarsi, but in that species the third and fourth veins are much bent.
I have taken spinifer in Erie Co., N. Y., in August; Ft. Erie, Ont., July; Alpine, San Diego Co., Calif., April; Sacra- mento, Calif., June; Dr. Aldrich took it at Lewiston, Idaho. It was described from Illinois.
1923] New Spvcies of North American Dolickopodidce 69
Dolichopus uliginosus sp. nov.
Male: Length 4.7 mm,; of w'ihg 4 mm. Face rather narrow, yellowish. Front shining green. Antennae wholly black; third joint about as long as wide, scarcely pointed at tip. Orbital cilia black with the four lowest ones on each side yellow.
Thorax shining blue-green with violet reflections; pleurae slightly dulled with gray pollen. Abdomen shining green with black incisures and with white pollen on its sides. Hypo- pygium and its lamellae black, the latter somewhat triangular in outline and about as wide as long.
Coxae, legs and feet black. Fore coxae with black hairs on their anterior surface. Middle and hind femora each with one preapical bristle, the latter ciliated on lower inner edge with long black hairs, which appear nearly white in certain lights, the longest of these hairs scarcely as long as the width of the femora. Hind tibiae with brown pollen on inner surface, which is conspicuous when viewed obliquely, they are distinctly thickened almost from their base. Middle tibiae with one large bristle just beyond the middle on their lower surface. Anterior tarsi scarcely as long as their tibiae, the first joint as long as the remaining four taken together, fifth as long as second, fourth joint the shortest. Middle tarsi as long as their tibiae, the first joint without a bristle above. Calypters yellow with black cilia. Knob of the halteres yellow, their stem brown.
Wings grayish; costa with a slight knot-like enlargement at tip of first vein; fourth vein a little bent just before the middle of its last section; hind margin of wing scarcely indented at tip of fifth vein; anal angle of wings rounded, not prominent, the hind margin being nearly evenly rounded.
Described from one male taken at the Biological Station at Nanaimo, B. C., June 23, 1920, by E. P. Van Duzee. Type in the California Academy of Sciences.
This would run in the table of species in the Bulletin U. S. National Museum No. 116, p. 11, couplet 8, of group C, to
70
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[April
deterus Loew; it very much like that species in the form of the hypopyginal lamellae and structure of the legs and feet, but differs in having only four or five of the lower orbital cilia yellow, in deterus the lower orbital cilia are grayish white, not yellow and the pale cilia reach above the middle of the eye.
Dolichopus inter jectus sp. nov.
Male; Length 4 mm.; of wing 3.5 mm. Face rather nar- row, silvery white. Front shining green. Antennae wholly black; third joint a little longer than wide, obtusely pointed at tip. Lower half of the orbital cilia whitish.
Thorax dark shining green; pleurae with whitish pollen. Abdomen green with slight bronze reflections. Hypopygium black with green reflections; its lamellae of moderate size, some- what oval in outline, whitish with rather wide black border on apical margin, which is jagged and bristly, upper edge fringed with a few short black hairs.
Coxae, legs and feet black; fore and middle trochanters and all knees yellow. Fore coxae covered with black hairs on their anterior surface. Middle and hind femora each with one preapical bristle, the latter nearly bare below. Hind tibiae slightly thickened, more so at tip. Fore tarsi about one and a fourth times as long as their tibiae, first joint fully as long as the following three taken together, fifth nearly as long as the second, fourth the shortest. Middle tibiae with one large bristle below at apical third. Middle tarsi about equal to their tibiae in length, their first joint without a bristle above. Calypters and halteres yellow, the latter with whitish cilia.
Wings grayish, tinged with brown in front of third vein; costa with a small knot-like enlargement at tip of first vein; last section of fourth vein a little bent before its middle; hind mar- gin of wing not indented at tip of fifth vein; anal angle of wing prominent.
Female; Agrees with the male, except that the face is wider and the white is scarcely silvery; third antennal joint not longer
1923] New Species of North American Dolichopodidoe 71
than wide; cilia of the calypters about half black; the costa not enlarged at tip of first vein.
Described from two males and one female, taken in Powell Co., Montana, by A. L. Melander. Holotype and allotype in the collection of A. L. Melander.
This would run to formosus in the table of species in the U. S. National Museum Bulletin 116, page 11, couplet 5, in group C, but differs from that species in having the hypopygial lamel- lae jagged at apex and fringed with short hairs above, formosus has the lamellae fringed above with longer hairs and their apical margin is not at all jagged, the black border is broader in this form than it is in formosus. The wing in interjectus has a dis- tinct enlargement at tip of first vein and the anal angle is more prominent than in formosus.
The female runs in the table of species in the Bulletin, page 28, couplet 23, to nigrimanus, but it differs in having the fore tarsus fully as long as the tibiae, while in nigrimanus they are scarely as long as the tibiae.
Dolichopus perplexus nom. nov.
Dolichopus misellus Melander, Canadian Entomologist, vol. xxxii, p. 130, 1900. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 116, page 229, 1921. Dolichopus melanderi Becker, Zool-Boten. Gell- schaft, Wien, vol. xiii. No. i, page 15, 1921.
Dr, Becker in the American portion of his monograph of the Dolichopodidae gives the name melanderi to Dolichopus misellus Melander, as that name was preoccupied by Dolichopus misellus Bohem., 1851, but as that name is also preoccupied by the publication of the description of a Dolichopus melanderi VanDuzee, Cole & Aldrich, in March, 1921 (U. S. National Museum Bulletin 116, page 70, I would propose the name perplexus for this form.
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[April
Psilopus longi talus sp. nov.
Male; Length 5 mm. Face bare; fore coxae and all femora and tibiae yellow ; all tarsi plain with only short hairs and bristles, except the fore basitarsus which has three long slender bristles; middle tibiae with only minute scattering bristles, which are scarcely as long as the diameter of the tibiae.
Face bare, blue-green with white pollen. Front shining blue with the upper corners green. Antennae black; its second joint with a bristle above which is twice as long as the short third joint; arista as long as the height of the head. Lateral and inferior orbital cilia white.
Thorax, scutellum and basal half of first abdominal seg- ment blue, the remainder of the abdomen green with bronze reflections, its incisions black. Bristles of the thorax and ab- domen rather short. Hypopygium and its appendages black, formed about as in sipho Siud furcatus.
Fore coxae wholly yellow with yellow hair and two black bristles; middle and hind coxae and their trochanters black with white hairs and black bristles; femora and tibiae yellow, posterior tibiae scarcely blackened at extreme tip. All femora with long yellow hairs below and about three small black bristles near the tip. Anterior tibiae with four long black bristles on lower pos- terior edge; middle pair with only very short, scattering bristles; hind tibae without bristles. Fore basitarsi equal to their tibiae in length, and with three long slender bristles on posterior surface, they are yellow with the extreme tip black; last four joints taken together scarcely as long as the first. Middle tarsi with the first joint nearly one and one fourth times as long as their tibiae, black from the extreme tip of first joint; last four joints taken together about half as long as the first. Hind tarsi black, plain, first joint a little more yellowish and longer than the remaining four joints taken together. Calypters and halteres yellow, the former black with tip and cilia.
Wings with two brown cross-bands connected on the costal edge as far back as the third vein, the basal band covers the
1923] New Species of North American Dolichopodidce
73
cross-vein but does not reach back of the fifth vein; anterior branch of the fourth vein at right angles to the fourth vein and with the upper bend also a right angle but still it is a little roun- ed, it ends close to the tip of the third vein.
Female: The bristle on upper edge of second antennal
joint twice as long as the third joint; the first joint of fore and middle tarsi is nearly as long as their tibise and shorter than the remaining four joints taken together; the anterior branch of the fourth vein of the wing bends backward a little, its upper bend is nearly a right angle and only a little rounded.
Described from one male and eleven females taken at Winn- field, La., July 14, 1918, by G. R. Pilate.
Holotype and allotype in the collection of Prof. James Hine.
This differs iiomelegantulus Becker from Brazil (Zool -Botan. Gesellschaft, Wien, Vol. xiii, parti, p. 294) in having three long slender bristles on the first joint of fore tarsi, while elegantulus has only one long bristle on the fore basitarsus; this species is also larger.
This form belongs to the group with sipho Say, scaher Leow, and furcatus VanDuzee, but differs in there being only very small bristles on the middle tibiae, it differs from the first two in not having a row of bristles below on middle tibiae. It also has the first joint of fore and middle tarsi longer than any of the other species. The female differs from that of sipho in having the bristles on upper edge of the first antennal joint long- er; in sipho the anterior branch of fourth vein is much more bent backward and its upper bend is much more broadly rounded, not at all a right angle.
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[April
NOTES ON SINE A DIADEM A (FABR.); HEMIPTERA By Geo. W. Barber.
Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture.
During the month of September the blossoms of goldenrod are visited by myriads of insects, many of which are attracted there for the food that may be obtained from the flowers. But all is not fortunate, sometimes, for the unwary fly or bee, especially when Phymata erosa (Linn.) and spiders such as Mi- sumena vatia await them. These, by means of the color with which nature has favored them, are all but indistinguishable from the blossoms. Other predators not so fortunately endowed are frequently present on the flowers, that must for them be excellent hunting grounds. Among these is Sinea diadema (Fabr.) one of the most common species of the Reduviidse, which though not of particularly ferocious appearance to our eyes, must seem sufficiently so to the insect that it attacks.
Fig. 1. Sinea diadema (Fabr.) Egg-mass enlarged six diameters.
Eggs of this species may be readily obtained by confining the adults in salve boxes. They are deposited usually in small
1923]
Notes on Sinea Diadema
75
masses, the individual eggs upright and arranged in two rows. As thus seen under magnification they are very beautiful, the structures of the cap and the collar-like extension of the chorion, which extends outwards from the new laid egg, appearing like delicate lace.
The first instar nymph is a most grotesque little insect with a very large head powerful beak and large, strong front femora provided with numerous stout, sharp spines. The arma- ture is admirably designed for a predatory habit, the head and thorax being covered with plates of very stout, smooth, black chitin against which, we are pleased to believe, a much larger insect might struggle without effect, once it is in the grasp of powerful front femora. Young nymphs that I confined wasted no time on covering themselves with litter and soon became all but indistinguishable. Here again the insect is found superbly fitted for its habit, for on the thorax it bears four sharp, stout spines, than which no structure, perhaps, would better serve for retaining the litter with which it covers itself.
The egg of this species has been described by Ashmead (1895 — Insect Life VII p. 321) and Heideman (1911 — Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. XIII p. 135) and the young nymph by Ashmead. Since I intend to display illustrations, I have enlarged these ex- cellent descriptions somewhat.
Fig. 2. Sinea diadema (Fabr.) _ A — egg, lateral view; B — egg, dorsal view of the cap and the extension of the chorion; C — Detail structure of the extension of the chorion; D — first instar nymph, lateral view; E — egg mass.
Egg. Length 1 . 3 mm. ; width .6 mm. ; diameter of extension of chorion .8 mm. Color brown, minutely granulated, somewhat
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[April
shining; central area of cap brown, outer rim brown with min- ute, regular, white reticulations; extension of the chorion white with dark lines, brown towards the inner edge; shape, sub- illiptical, narrowed towards the cap; central area of the cap raised, cone-like, bluntly rounded at the tip, composed of sev- eral scales which fail to meet at the tip; outer rim of the cap flat with minute, regular reticulations; extension of the chorion on the same plane with the outer rim of the cap in new laid eggs, after hatching or drying bending upwards or downwards, squamose, minutely so towards the inner border, gradually coarser outwards, edge sinuate; chorial processes numerous, elongate, club-shaped, within the extension of the chorion.
First Instar Nymph. Length 1.8 mm.; Color dark brown to black, the antennae, except the basal half of the first segment, the apical half of the middle and posterior tibiae and all the tarsi brownish; eyes red; body smooth, shining, plates of the head and thorax strong and heavy, closely united; head oblong, as long as the thorax, wider and elevated behind the eyes, then depressed and narrowing into a neck of moderate length; anten- nae cylindrical, 4-jointed, as long as or slightly longer than the body, first and last joints subequal, second and third united less than the first, minutely and sparsely ciliate, the basal joint less so, hairs light brown; beak very stout at base, gradually nar- rowing, attaining the front coxae; pro and mesothorax each provided with a stout spine each side the median line, as long as one fourth the length of the prothorax and separated by about their own length, directed upwards; anterior legs with very stout femora, enlarged towards the apex, with several stout, sharp spines arranged in rows, those towards the apex larger, each with a hair arising from the apex, sparsely pilose, the hairs long; tibiae slender with three blunt spines beneath, more densely pilose than the femora; middle and posterior legs somewhat shorter and more slender, moderately pilose; abdomen short, somewhat more than half the length of the thorax, rounded, somewhat flattened, the edges moderately undulated and sparse- ly fringed with tufts of hairs.
1923] New Saw-Flies, Hymenoptera, from Oregon 77
NEW SAW-FLIES, HYMENOPTERA, FROM OREGON/
By Alev. D. MacGillivray.
The following new species constitute a part of a collection that has been in hand for several years. The collection was received from Professor A. L. Lovett of the Oregon Agricultural College, Corvallis, Oregon.
Macremphytus lovetti sp. nov.
Female. Body black with the four distal segments of the antennae, the labrum, the tegulae, the protibiae and protarsi, the mesotibiae and mesotarsi, the metatrochanters, and the metatarsi, white; antennae with the three proximal segments and part of the fourth, the head except the clypeal suture and the postocellar area, the thorax except the margins of the lobes of the mesonotum and the mesoscutellum, the proximal two-thirds of the metatibiae, and the abdomen except the saw guides, rufous; antennae flattened, first and second segments of the flagellum subequal; clypeus roundly emarginate; ocellar basin small, irregular; saw-guides with the dorsal margin straight, the ventral convex, obliquely convexly rounded at apex; wings yellowish, costa reddish, proximal half of stigma white, veins black. Length, 14 mm.
Habitat: — Rock Creek, Corvallis, Oregon; A. L. Lovett’ collector. This beautiful large species is similar to varianus Norton, but easily separated by the difference in color. It gives me pleasure to name this species after its collector. Pro- fessor A. L. Lovett.
Hemitaxonus dediticius sp. nov.
Male. Body black with the labrum, tegulse, coxae, and trochanters, white; the legs beyond the trochanters, abdomi- nal segment two for the most part and all of segments three and four, rufous; the clypeus roundly emarginate; antennae
^Contributions from the Entomological Laboratories of the University of Illinois. No. 75.
78
Psyche
[April
with the first segment of the flagellum slightly longer than the second; ocellar basin distinct, concave; the median fovea pit- like; ocellar and interocellar furrows indicated; vertical furrows distinct; head and thorax finely punctate; wings hyaline, spinulse distinct, veins, costa, and stigma brownish. Length, 6.5 mm.
Habitat: — Corvallis, Oregon; G. F. Moznette, collector. This species is entirely different in coloration from the eastern duhitalus Norton.
Taxonus inclinatus sp. nov.
Male. Body black with the labrum, line on collar, tegulae, and a fine line on the caudal margin of the abdominal segments, white; the legs beyond the trochanters except an elongate spot on the proximal part of the upper side of the profemora and meso- femora and the tarsi of all the legs more or less, rufous; the clypeus roundly emarginate; antennae short, the first segment of the flagellum nearly twice as long as the second, the second and third subequal; ocellar basin shallow, divided into two parts, not extending to the median ocellus; ocellar and interocellar furrows deep, the latter extending to and around the median ocellus; the wings hyaline, the veins and stigma uniformly color- ed. Length, 6.5 mm.
Habitat: — Corvallis, Oregon; received from A. L. Lovett, Hardman collector. This species runs to nigrasoma Norton from which its color and structure will readily separate it.
Monophadnoides contortus sp. nov.
Female. Body black with the knees and the tibiae, except the underside and distal portion of the mesotibiae and metatibiae, and more or less of the proximal part of the tarsal segments, white; clypeus truncate; antennae with the first segment of the flagellum longer than the second, the second longer than the third; head polished, the ocellar basin deep, also with a basin around the median ocellus; ocellar furrow deep, interrupted at
1923]
New Saw-Flies, Hymenoptera, from Oregon
79
middle; the collar and tegulse black; the saw-guides finger- shaped, bluntly pointed at middle of apex; wings hyaline, veins including costa brown, caudal half of stigma paler. Length, 6mm.
Habitat: — Corvallis, Oregon; received from A. L. Lovett, Ballard collector. The interrupted interocellar furrow will serve for the indentification of this species.
Monophadnoides corytus sp. nov.
Male. Body black with the prothoracic legs beyond the middle of the femora, the knees of the other legs and beyond to apex, pale; clypeus truncate; antennae with the first segment of the flagellum distinctly longer than either of the subequal sec- ond or third; head and thorax setiferous; ocellar basin almost wanting; median ocellus surrounded by a depressed area con- necting with the distinct interocellar furrow; ocellar furrow almost wanting; vertical furrows deep, not reaching caudal aspect of head; wings dusky, spinulae distinct, veins and costa brown- ish, stigma with cephalic half brown, caudal half paler. Length, 5 mm.
Habitat: — Corvallis, Oregon; A. L. Lovett, collector. This species can be differentiated from the preceeding by the form of the ocellar furrow.
Monophadnus aeratus sp. nov.
Male. Body black and densly covered with white setae, pro- tibiae and mesotibiae, metatibiae except black ring at apex, and proximal half of the metabasitarsis, white; clypeus convex, trun- cate; antennae with segments of the flagellum swollen, the third and fourth subequal, the second longer than the third, and the first much longer than the second; lateral fovea wanting; ocellar basin deep concavity; reaching half way to the median ocellus, area below median ocellus flat and finely punctate; vertical furrows deep, bipunctiform; ocellar furrow prominent, intero- cellar furrow extending to the median ocellus; scutellum flat impunctate; wings smoky, larger veins black, smaller brownish, stigma of two colors. Length, 6 mm.
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Psyche
[April
Habitat: — Corvallis, Oregon; received from A. L. Lovett, collected by Godding. This species is related to planus and hipunctatus.
Monophadnus ruscullus sp. nov.
Male. Body black without any pale marks; clypeus uni- formly convex, truncate; antennae with the first segment of the fiagellum subequal or slightly shorter than the second, the second slightly longer than the third; the lateral foveae wanting; ven- tral ends of the antennal furrows subpunctiform, with a minute median fovea; front flat adjacent to the median ocellus; ocellar, vertical, and interocellar furrows distinct, the latter surrounding the dorsal portion of the median ocellus; head polished; wings smoky, the veins and the stigma black. Length, 5 mm.
Habitat: — Mary’s Peak, Corvallis, Oregon; received from A. L. Lovett, Middlekauff collector. The coloration and struc- ture of the head is very different from that of tilice Norton.
Periclista electa sp. nov.
Male. Body black with the distal half of the femora, the tibiae, and the tarsi, shading between yellow and rufous; the clypeus shallowly circularly emarginate; head closely finely roughened; lateral fovea wanting; median fovea indefinite; ocellar basin scarcely defined, frontal crest thin, shelving; vertical furrows punctiform, ocellar furrow wanting, interocellar furrow linear; head not depressed about the median ocellus; thorax polished, setiferous; abdomen with caudal margins of segments with a fine pale margin; wings hyaline, veins and stigma brown. Length, 6 mm.
Habitat: — Corvallis, Oregon; received from A. L. Lovett. This species is related to media Norton and its allies.
Hylotoma onerosa sp. nov.
Female. Body black with the labrum, clypeus, mandibles, flagellum of antennae, legs beyond the apices of the coxae, and the abdomen beyond the basal plates, rufous; head and thorax
1923]
New Saw-Flies, Hymenoptera, from Oregon
81
setiferous; setae white; clypeus angularly emarginate; supracly- peal area with ventral portion elevated with declivous sides, dorsal portion with an angular depression, median fovea in dorsal part, not distant from median ocellus, depression extending almost to median ocellus; antennal, vertical, ocellar, and interocellar furrows obsolete; head and thorax polished; mesocutellum flat; saw-guides greatly swollen, convex on lateral and ventral portions; distal portion obliquely truncated, joining ventral portion in a rounded ridge; wings yellowish, costa colored like membrane, stigma and veins brownish. Length, 10 mm.
Habitat: — Moscow, Idaho, J. M. Aldrich, collector; Revelstoke, British Columbia; R. C. Osborn, collector; Male collected in Okanogan County, Washington, by C. W. Sutton, is evidently the same.
This species is similar to clavicornis Fabricius.
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TWO NEW MISSISSIPPI ANTS OF THE SUBGENUS
COLOBOPSIS.
By M. R. Smith.
Mississippi State Plant Board, A. & M. College, Mississippi.!
The subgenus Colohopsis is a division of the genus Cam- ponotus. It includes those ants the major workers and females of which have anteriorly truncated heads. The truncated area may be concave or blunt, in either case the sides are always mar- ginate and well defined. The characters mentioned are so dis- tinct that one has no difficulty in assigning ants of this type to the proper genus.
The subgenus Colohopsis in North America seems to have very few species, most of the known forms having been des- cribed by Dr. W. M. Wheeler in a paper published in 1904.i In this paper the following species are recorded as occuring in North America, namely: Colohopsis impressus Roger, Colohop- sis pylartes Wheeler, Colohopsis ahditus var. etiolatus Wheeler. Since that time Dr. Wheeler has described and added another variety to the known North American forms, this species being Colohopsis pylartes var. hunteri.
Because of the fact that these ants nest in galls, twigs of trees and the stems of plants they are seldom taken by collec- tors. This partly accounts for the few known forms. Their habits are also imperfectly known.
In Mississippi three distinct species of Colohopsis have been taken, two of which are being described as new in this paper. The writer would feel somewhat hesitant about describing these as new if Dr. Wheeler had not examined the specimens and reviewed the descriptions. The third species of Colohopsis found in Mississippi is one that can be assigned to C. impressus. All three of these forms are very distinct and it is impossible
iThe American Ants of the Subgenus Colohopsis; Bulletin American Museum Natural History Vol. 20, Article 10, pp. 139-158.
1923] Two New Mississippi Ants of the Subgenus Colohopsis 83
for one to confuse them. C. impressus, which has a head with distinctly parallel sides, can easily be distinguished from the other two species both of which have heads with the sides diverg- ing anteriorly.
In this section of the state C. pylartes fraxinicola and C. mississippiensis nest in the twigs of white ash, Fraxinus ameri- cana Linn, and are rather common species, particularly the latter, which can be found in the twigs of ash with very little effort. Without doubt these species must feed to a large extent if not altogether, on the honey dew excreted by aphids, scale insects, etc. for the writer has on a number of occasions seen the workers lapping up this substance from the leaves of trees and plants. C. mississippiensis seems to breed here thruout the winter. Nests examined at various dates during the season always con- tained eggs and larvae. Since the winters in Mississippi are rather mild and the ants are well protected from exposure, this is to be expected.
The writer is very grateful to Dr. W. M. Wheeler for ex- amining the specimens described here and for reviewing the technical descriptions. To Professor R. W. Harned the writer wishes to express his appreciation for encouragement given in the study of these and other Mississippi ants and for the generous allotment of time for such work.
Colobopsis mississippiensis sp. nov.
Soldier. Length, 4.5 — 5mm.
Head subcylindrical, from above rectangular, longer than broad, sides divergent anteriorly, occipital border convex, anterior truncated surface deeply concave, its edges sharply marginate along the sides but less so in the clypeal region. Mandibles small, with flattened ventral surfaces, 4-toothed with a short toothless proximal portion to the blade. Clypeus on the truncated surface about one and a half times longer than broad, upper portion on the truncated area more divergent than the lower portion. There is a distinct median keel running the full
84
Psyche
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length of the clypeus. On the front, carinse far apart, with sides converging anteriorly. Eyes moderate, oblong, convex. An- tennal scapes curved, slender at the base, gradually enlarging toward their tips. All the funicular joints except the first sub- equal, first joint almost equal to the next two in length. Thorax robust, pronotum about as broad as long, convex. Meso-epinotal constriction distinct but not deep. Epinotal base and declivity meeting in such a way as to form a decided angle. Petiole low, convex and rounded in front and above, flattened behind, the posterior dorsal edge of the node faintly impressed in the middle but not excised or emarginate. Gaster oblong. Legs short, femora compressed, anterior pair distinctly dilated.
Mandibles and anterior two thirds of head subopaque, the former obscurely longitudinally rugose, the latter coarsely and irregularly reticulate — rugose, with punctate interrugal spaces. On the cheeks and front the sculpture gradually passes over into umbilicately punctate, shallow and scattered foveolse.
Cheeks and anterior dorsal surface of the head with short, erect, blunt yellowish hairs. There are a few short hairs on the tips of the scapes and femora. Vertex of the head and dorsl and sternal sides of the gaster with longer, erect, whitish hairs'
Anterior two thirds of head including antennae reddish brown, posterior portion of head blackish brown; thorax and appendages brown; abdomen black.
Worker. Length 3.5-4 mm.
Head longer than broad, a little broader behind than in front, occipital borders and cheeks convex. Mandibles small, 4-toothed. Clypeus nearly square, medianly keeled. Frontal carinae converging anteriorly. Antennae proportionately longer than in the soldier; scapes flattened, gradually enlarging toward their tips. Thorax similar to that of the soldier with the ex- ception of the epinotum whose basal surface meets the declivity in such a manner as to form a sharp angle. Petiole low, robust.
1923] Two New Mississippi Ants of the Subgenus Colohopsis 85
with convex anterior and superior surfaces, the posterior dorsal edge of node centrally impressed as in the soldier; posterior surface flat, Gaster oblong. Legs as in the soldier.
Body and appendages shining, distinctly shagreened, the head and thorax more coarsely than the gaster; the cheeks and upper surface of the head with scattered punctures.
Head, legs and gaster covered with delicate white appressed hairs. Clypeus, front, vertex, tips of scapes and femora with a few long, scattered, hairs.
Dark brown; head almost black, gaster black, thorax and appendages lighter than either.
The specimens on which these descriptions are based were taken at Starkville, Mississippi, on January 7th, 1922, in the twigs of white ash, Fraxinus americana Linn.
This seems to be a very common species of Colohopsis in Mississippi. In every instance observed it has been found nesting in the twigs of white ash. The ants mine out all of the soft portion of the twigs forming longitudinal galleries within the axes of the stems. The galleries may be from a few inches to over a foot in length. The young are reared within these galleries. Small entrance holes in diameter about the size of the soldiers’ heads lead from the outside of the twigs to the gal- leries within. There may be from one to several entrance holes to a nest. No soldiers have been observed using their heads to block these holes as has been noticed in other species of the genus. The female must undoubtedly construct her nest alone and rear the first brood to maturity unaided, as the writer has on a number of occasions found dead or live queens alone in small galleries.
Colohopsis mississippiensis was so named because it is the most common species of the genus in Mississippi. It is very easily recognized by the deeply concave, truncated surface of the head. The sides of the truncated area are very sharp and well defined, except in the dorsal clypeal region. The head of this species when viewed from above has sides that are distinctly
86
Psyche
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divergent anteriorly with the anterior area of the head very concave or hollowed out. This species seems to be somewhat variable in color. In some specimens the soldiers have abdomens with the basal segment yellowish, in others there is a faint yel- lowish band on the anterior portion of the second segment, in still others there is a combination of the two. There is variation in the color of the head and thorax, some specimens being much lighter than others. The writer hesitates to assign these speic- mens to varieties based on color, especially in view of the fact that he has not seen material from many localities.
Colobopsis pylartes fraxinicola subsp. nov.
Soldier. Length, 4.5-5 mm.
Head subcylindrical, viewed from above only slightly longer than broad, noticeably wider in front than behind, with inflated cheeks; occipital border straight or faintly convex. Anterior truncated surface oblique, border blunt on sides of face and mandibles, on the clypeal and adjacent region the truncated passes into the dorsal surface thru a rounded angle. Mandibles with blunter ventral margins than those of mississippiensis, blade with 4 distinct teeth and a toothless proximal basal por- tion. Clypeus projecting above surface of truncated area, broader or more divergent above than below. Eyes, frontal carinse and antennae as in mississippiensis. Thorax short, robust. Meso-epinotal constriction distinct and pronounced. The angle formed by the junction of the basal surface of the epinotum and the declivity distinct. Petiole low, robust, with convex anterior and superior surfaces and flat posterior surface; the posterior margin of the superior surface deeply excised or emarginate. G aster and legs as in mississippiensis.
Mandibles and anterior half of head subopaque, the former obscurely longitudinally rugose-punctate, the latter regularly and coarsely reticulate-rugose with punctate interrugal spaces. On the cheeks and front the sculpture gradually passes over into umbilicately punctate, shallow, scattered foveolse. Pos- terior half of the head and the remainder of body shining, finely shagreened.
1923] Two New Mississippi Ants of the Subgenus Colohopsis 87
Hairs yellowish short, erect and obtuse on the cheeks, longer and more tapering on front and vertex. Gaster above and below with scattered tapering hairs. There are a few short hairs at the tips of the scapes and femora.
Anterior half of head light yellowish, posterior half of head including antennae dark brown, thorax and appendages brown, abdomen black, with base of first and second segment tinged with yellow.
Worker. Length, 3-3.5 mm.
Head longer than broad, broader behind thaii in front, with convex occipital border and somewhat less convex sides. Mandibles small, 4 toothed. Clypeus convex, almost square and not noticeably keeled. Antennal scapes flattened, gradually tapering from base to tip. Thorax very deeply constricted at the junction of meso-epinotum. The base of the epinotum in profile appears flattened and forms with the declivity a distinct angle. Petiole low, robust, with convex anterior and superior surfaces, the posterior margin of the latter deeply excised to form two distinct lateral teeth, the posterior surface of the petiole flattened. Gaster oblong. Legs similar to those of the soldier.
Body and appendages shining, distinctly shagreened, the head and thorax more coarsely than the gaster, the cheeks and upper surfaces of the head with scattered punctures.
Head, legs and gaster sparsely covered with delicate, white, appressed hairs. Clypeus, front, vertex, tips of antennae and femora and the gastric segments with a few scattered and longer hairs.
Dark brown; head darker, mandibles, cheeks and appen- dages light brown, gaster black.
The ants on which these descriptions are based were col- lected at Starkville, Mississippi, on January 11, 1922. Like mississippiensis this subspecies has a fondness for nesting in white ash but has also been taken by Mr. Andrew Fleming at
88
Psyche
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Sibley, Mississippi from the twigs of elder. The nesting habits of the two seem to be about the same. Besides the localities mentioned the writer has specimens from Columbus and A. & M. College.
The soldier of this subspecies can be recognized by its pe- culiarly blunt head, the truncated area of which is oblique in profile. The clypeus on the truncated area projects above the surface very noticeably and it much broader above than below. The punctation and sculpturing on the anterior portion of the head is regular and distinct. When the head of the soldier is viewed from above it appears rectangular, very little broader than long, with divergent sides and inflated cheeks.
The workers can be distinguished by the very deep cons- triction at the meso-epinotum and by the prominent 2-toothed petiole, both of which are very different from those of mississip- piensis.
The color in fraxinicola is variable as in the preceeding species, some specimens being very dark while others are lighter and have more yellow on the base of the gaster and the second segment.
1923] The Varieties of Monecphora hicincta 89
THE VARIETIES OF MONECPHORA BICINCTA FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A CYTOLOGIST.
Alice M. Boeing.
Wellesley College.
A curious case of distribution in Monecphora hicincta and its variety ignipecta was called to my attention by Mr. A. P. Morse in the summer of 1921. Since then I have been studying the chromosomes of these forms to see whether a study of the internal cell phenomena would throw any light on their rela- tionship.
In Psyche for February 1921 (vol. 28), Mr. Morse describes the case. The normal range of Monecphora hicincta var. hicincta, the form with red bands on its wings, is from southern New Jersey south, while the normal range of Monecphora hicincta var. ignipecta, the common black form, is from southern New Jersey north. Mr. Morse found a number of the variety hicincta near Norridgewock, Maine, while the variety ignipecta was taken in all other localities around. It is possible that that particular spot is subject to some peculiar environmental conditions which may have caused the banded form to appear there, but it does not seem likely that this aberrant colony could be due to en- vironmental causes, when its environment, at least as far as general climatic conditions are involved, was apparently more like that of the nearby black colonies than of the other banded colonies in the south. What is the genetic status of these two forms? They apparently breed true within their range of dis- tribution, since such aberrant groups as described by Mr. Morse are not frequent. They must then be genetically stable and according to present-day genetical theories there should be some physical basis for their phenotypic differences. Is the change from one to the other great enough to involve a visible cytolo- gical differentiation or is it a mutation in one gene of one chro- mosome as in the races of Drosophila and therefore not visible by present cytological methods?
90
Psyche
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The Monecphora hicincta var. hicincta material was very kindly sent to me at Woods Hole, Mass., in July, 1921, by Mr. Z. P. Metcalf and Mr. C. O. Eddy of the North Carolina Agri- cultural Experiment Station. The M. hicincta var. ignipecta material was collected at Wellesley, Mass., partly by Mr.' Morse and partly by myself. I could not find Monecphora at Woods Hole, so trusted to obtaining it in September at Welles- ley, as it was reported to be a late summer form. But the only specimens found as late as September 15 were females and they had laid their eggs and were much shrivelled in appearance. The material finally studied was collected in July, 1922 at Wellesley. A careful watch was kept from July 1 on for the first forms to appear. The first individual was taken on July 14. By July 21 the species was abundant. They appeared just as their food plant, the bunch-grass, was attaining its full growth. In looking over a field of the grass, one could pick out the Monec- phora as conspicuous black specks clinging to the grass at various distances from the ground. I did not find any nymphs in their frothy masses of spittle on these plants although I care- fully examined the young tufts of grass for some time before the adults appeared. In the Monecphora hicincta var. hicincta material sent me from North Carolina, the nymphs were on the roots of the food plants. These nymphs were not reared to as- sure their identity, but they were surrounded by a typical mass of white exudate and those old enough to contain mature sperm cells showed the same cytological conditions as the adults. Probably an examination of the roots of the young bunch-grass around Wellesley in early July, would show the habits of Monecphora hicincta var. ignipecta to be similar.
The cytological study of the chromosomes of these two varieties reveals them to be identical. This was tested by camera lucida drawings placed side by side. The spermato- gonial number is 19, the primary spermatocyte 10, and the secondary spermatocyte 9 and 10. They are like other species of Cercopidse studied (Boring H3 and Boring & Fogler T5) in having an X chromosome which divides in the second spermato- cyte division. The chromosomes have the same absolute size in
1923] The Varieties of Monecphora hicincta 91
the two varieties and show the same relative size differences within the group, 2 largest, 5 medium and 3 smaller (including X). These size differences are not clean-cut enough to be always certain but they are usually discernible in the primary sperma- tocytes.
Applying these facts to taxonomy, we can say that the cytology of Monecphora hicincta var. hicincta and var. ignipecta corroborates their close relationship. In some insects, as shown by the researches of McClung, Robertson and others on the grasshoppers the chromosome number is not a function of the species or genus but of the family. All species of the Acrididse have 23 chromosomes and all species of the Tettigidse have 27. A few apparent exceptions have proved to be due to fusion or breaking of certain chromosomes. The generic and specific differences are expressed in differences in chromosome size and arrangement within the given number. The degree of chromo- some similarity has been found to correspond directly to the nearness of taxonomic relationship. But so far among the Cercopidse studied each species has its own specific chromosome number so that the identity of number in the two varieties of Monecphora hicincta would substantiate their classification as varieties of the same species instead of as separate species. Philcenus lineatus has 15 as reduced number of chromosomes, while Philcenus leucophthahnus {spumarius) has 12; Aphrophora parallela has 15 while Aphrophora quadrinotata has 14 and Aphrophora spumaria (European form) has 12; Lepyronia quadrangular is has 11; Clastoptera ohtusa has 8, while Clastoptera proteus has 7; but Monecphora hicincta has 10 and Monecphora ignipecta also has 10. The change from one to the other is not great enough to involve a visible change in chromosomes.
In two other species of Cercopidse the cytological study of varietal forms has been recorded; Philcenus leucophthahnus {spumarius) collected from goldenrod and wild sunflower at Woods Hole and the European form, Aphrophora spumaria, collected from grass sweepings in a meadow at Eisenach (Boring, Biol. Bull. vol. 24.). In neither case were the varieties accurately identified and named, but a wide range of color and distinctness
92
Psyche
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of marking was observed and the testes preserved from individuals representing these differences. These specimens of Philaenus were sent to Mr. Van Duzee at the time, 1912, and identified by him as all belonging to the species Philcenus leucophthahnus (spumarius) . From a study of Mr. Van Duzee’s Catalogue of the Hemiptera, 1917, I find many varieties of P. leucophthalmus recorded. The names of some of these are clearly descriptive of the somatic characters which were conspicuous in the Woods Hole material which I studied cytologically. The chromosome group in all these varietal forms was identical, the same situation as in the two varieties of Monecphora hicincta. There is there- fore cytological evidence for the present systematic classifica- tion of the varieties of Philcenus leucophthalmus and of Monec- phora hicincta as varieties instead of as separate species. In the Cercopidse specific differences seem to be correlated with dif- ference in number of chromosomes while varietal differences do not seem to be expressed in visible differences of any sort in the chrosomomes.
Those few specimens of the southern banded form of Monecphora hicincta at Norridgewock, Maine, raise other interest- ing questions, especially as to which was the original form. Evidently the banded form was the firs-t one described. If it is the older, has the black form arisen from it as a result of suf- fusion? If so, what caused the return to the banded condition in those few specimens at Norridgewock? Can this be explained as a genetic reversion due to the chance recombination of genes? On the other hand, the black form may be the original which occasionally throws off banded mutants, those once thrown off in the south having firmly established themselves, those in Norridgewock being recent mutants. These questions are of course not to be answered by cytological methods. Experi- mental breeding would answer some. The cytologist must content himself with establishing these two varieties of Monec- phora hicincta as belonging within one species.
1923] Proceedings of the Cambridge Entomological Club. 93
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB.
The annual meeting was held January 9, 1923. The report of the secretary shows that ten meetings were held in 1922 with an average attendance of seventeen persons. Four members were elected, one resigned and two died. A club seal was a- dopted and is now used on the cover of Psyche. A course of six lectures on insects was given in Febuary and March, a report of which is in the record of the April meeting (Psyche vol.XXX No. I, Feb. 1923).
The treasurer’s report shows that the Club’s income was increased by $124.55 from the sale of back numbers of Psyche so that all expenses of the year were paid.
The following officers for 1923 were nominated and elect- ed.
President A. P. Morse
C. W. Johnson
Executive
Vice President R. Heber Howe \ O. E. Plath
Committee |
Secretary J. H. Emerton (Miss Priscilla Butler
Treasurer Fred H. Walker
Editor of Psyche C. T. Brues.
Dr. C. S. Ludlow of the Army Medical Museum, Washing- ton, D. C. was elected a member.
The retiring president, W. M. Wheeler, addressed the club on the relations of some Hemiptera and Diptera with ants. In most cases this relation is that of scavengers, the dipterous larvae living among the ant larvae and eating their excrement. Certain fly larvae coil around ant larvae near the head and eat food from a pouch in which is it placed by the worker ants. Some adult flies take food directly from the anus of ant larvae. Other flies hover over adult ants and take food as it passes from the mouth of one ant to another. The hemipterous Ptilocerus has unde
94
Psyche
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the abdomen a spot covered with brilliant orange hairs from which comes a secretion attractive to ants. The Ptilocerus stands near moving ants and offers them this secretion which has a narcotic effect. If sufficient is taken the ant soon be- comes helpless and the soft parts are eaten by the Ptilocerus.
Miss Butler exhibited her collecting coat made of canvas, without collar or sleeves, containing 47 pockets of various sizes and shapes.
C. W. Johnson described a honey bee with a single eye in the center of the head in place of the usual pair, which was shown by Mr. Du Porte of MacDonald College, Canada at the recent meeting of the Entomological Society of America.
At the Febuary meeting, C. T. Brues gave an account of a new, minute hymenopterous insect from Sumatra. It has wide and thin mandibles, concave on the inner side like a pair of clam shells and a long abdominal appendage which may be either an ovipositor or a male copulatary organ.
C. W. Johnson told of various new discoveries among the Diptera, especially in the family Syrphidse which he had latley reviewed with Mr. Curran of Ottawa.
J. H. Emerton exhibited on the screen a large number of lantern slides of spiders and cobwebs including examples of all the principal families represented in New England.
C. V. Blackburn exhibited some butterfly jewelry of original designs made in Italy.
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PSYCHE
A JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY
Established in 1874
VOL. XXX JUNE-AUGUST, 1923 NOS. 3-4
CONTENTS
Occurrence, Life-cycle, and Maintenance under Artificial Conditions,
of Miastor. R. C. Harris - 95
The Genus Cyrtopogon (Diptera; Asilidse).
A. L. Melander - — 102
Notes on a New England Aradid.
G. W. Barber - 120
On the Wing-Venation of Insects.
Aug. Lameere, Translated by A. M. Brues 123
Book Review. ., 133
CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB
OFFICERS
President .
Vice-President Secretary .
Treasurer
Executive Committee
1923
A. P. Morse R. H. Howe, Jr. J. H. Emerton . F. H. Walker C. W. Johnson, Miss E. P. Butler ». E. Plath
EDITORIAL BOARD OF PSYCHE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
C. T. Brues, Harvard University
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
C. W. Johnson, Nathan Banks,
Boston Society of Natural History. Harvard University. A. L. Melander, a. P. Morse,
Washington State College. Peabody Museum.
J. H. Emerton, J. G. Needham,
Boston, Mass. Cornell University.
W. M. Wheeler,
Harvard University.
PSYCHE is published bi-monthly, the issues appearing in February, April, June, August, October and December. Subscription price, per year, payable in advance: $2.00 to subscribers in the United States, Canada or Mexico; foreign postage, is cents extra. Single copies, 40 cents.
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PSYCHE
VOL. XXX. JUNE- AUGUST 1923 Nos. 3-4
OCCURRENCE, LIFE-CYCLE, AND MAINTENANCE, UNDER ARTIFICIAL CONDITIONS,
OF MIASTOR.
By Reginald G. Hakris
From the Laboratoire devolution des etres organises, Paris, Prof. Caullery, Director.
The genus Miastor is extremely interesting for several rea- sons. It was in this genus that paedogenesis was discovered by Nicholas Wagner in 1861. Though at first Wagner mis- interpreted the phenomenon which he observed, and though his observations were doubted, subsequent investigation has dem- onstrated the fact of paedogenesis as well as the occurrence of polymorphism in this genus. But investigations upon Miastor have been limited, due to some extent at least, to the lack of a suitable method of maintaining the larvae of this genus in the lab- oratory. Now that a method, which will be discussed later, has been found, it seems to the writer desirable to make a short re- sume of the occurrence of Miastor, its life cycle, and polymor- phism among the larvae of the genus.
Occurrence of Miastor.
Miastor larvae were first observed underneath the bark of decaying trees. I have found them in France under the bark of decaying oak, chestnut, and birch logs, and in edible mush- rooms.
Other observers have found Miastor larvae in many kinds of decomposing wood and in fermenting beet pulp. It may be safely concluded that their occurrence is fairly widespread in decaying logs and that they are sometimes present in other vege-
96
Psyche
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table matter. Their habitat is not limited to Europe. In Amer- ica Felt^ found Miastor larvae in 1910 under the partially decayed inner bark of chestnut rails.
In such environments Miastor larvae usually occur in charac- teristic, compact, white colonial masses, a colony often con- taining a hundred or more individuals in close contact with each other. Among Miastor larvae occurring in mushrooms I have not observed colonial ^arrangement. Here yellow or yellowish white larvae are found singly although a single plant may con- tain many larvae directly beneath the superficial cell-layers of the stalk or between the gills of the umbrella.
The Life-Cycle of Miastor.
Paedogenetic reproduction maintains in this genus during the autumn, winter, and spring, until the early summer, at which time pupae occur, producing, after metamorphosis, male and female imagines. (The occurrence of pupae, however, is not limited to the early summer. I have found them in nature in October, and in the same material pupae continued to arise in the laboratory during the early winter. Though these were kept in conditions as natural as possible, at room-temperature, none of the pupae has as yet given adults, though the usual period required for this metamorphosis in Miastor is about five days. Some of the pupae have been destroyed by mould. It would seem that others, apparently in good condition, are in diapose.) The copulation of the adult flies results in the fer- tilization of the eggs which develop outside the mother into typical paedogenetic larvae, and the cycle is complete.
Paedogenesis in Miastor is realized as follows: The ovaries of a typical paedogenetic larva produce eggs varying in number in different individuals, types and species. The development of larvae from the eggs occurs within the body-cavity of the mother. The embryos continue to develop at the expense of the fat- bodies, muscles and surrounding tissues of the mother larva until
ipelt, E. P. Miastor americana, an account of Pedogenesis. Bull. New York State , 1911 vol. 147, pp. 82ff.
1923] Occurrence, Life-Cycle, and Maintenance of Miastor 97
a suitable growth is attained. The embryos seem to be suitably developed, and are usually active for several days previous to their escape. At the time of escape, the larva, while not full grown, is well formed, active, and capable of continuing its existence. The time required for a typical psedogenetic gen- eration is about two weeks, though the period varies with in- divuals and environmental conditions. White paedogenetic larvae produce four to ten or more embryos.
Polymorphism in Miastor Larvce,
In all species of Miastor larvae, which I have observed, there occur three distinct larval forms. Two are paedogenetic: viz. white and yellow paedogenetic larvae, while the third is incapable of paedogenetic reproduction; it is the pupa-larva.
(1) Typical white pcedogenetic larvae.
The body of the larva contains fourteen segments. In the first or head-segment are the mouth opening and two antennae. The mouth parts are arranged for sucking. The second and third segments contain the optic ganglia, and the third segment two eyes. In typical paedogenetic larvae the eyes usually touch each other at their convex surfaces. The brain is in the fourth and fifth segments. Dorsal and partially posterior to it is the brain fat body. The salivary glands are in the fifth and sixth segments on either side of the oesophagus, their ducts opening in the mouth cavity. The oesophagus extends posteriorly from the mouth and opens into the intestine in the fifth segment. In this region the intestine enlarges and folds, forming two blind appendices, which are in turn divided into two parts each. The digestive tube continues to enlarge slightly until it reaches the region of the tenth segment where it narrows into the rectum which is not functional in later stages. The intestine contains a peritropic membrane for inclosing undigested food. Four tubes of Malpighi extend anteriorly from the region of the twelfth to the tenth segment. The anus is in the fourteenth segment. Here are also two symmetrical anal flaps which are easily visible when protruded. The larva contains well developed fat-bodies,
98
Psyche
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filling much of the body-cavity from the sixth to the fourteenth segments. The two ovaries occur in the region of the tenth segments, and are closely connected anteriorly with fat-bodies.
There are small chitinous points, arranged in four or more rows, extending around the larva between each segment from 2 to 14. Six chitinous hooks terminate the larva in the last seg- ment.
There are two tracheal trunks on each side of the body, one laterally ventral, one dorsal. These have numerous cross branches, viz., one large branch connecting the two dorsal trunks in each segment from 6 to 13. From each of these branches two other minute branches extend posteriorly in each segment. Numerous branches and sub branches proceed from the ventral trunks. The dorsal and ventral trunks are connected in each segment from 6 to 13, another branch opening to the exterior on each side thus forming eight pairs of stigmata. There being no pro- truding spiracles it would seem difficult for the larvae to remain long submerged. However, larvae remain alive for long periods of time, a fortnight or more, when completely submerged in water under a cover-glass.
A series of large ganglia occur ventral to the digestive tube-
Locomotion results from stretching each segment and then contracting it, the process extending anteriorly. The rows of chitinous points prevent the larvae from slipping.
The size of larvae varies with species, individuals, cultures and age. New born paedogenetic larvae of Miastor metraloas, average 1.35 x 0.16 mm, while paedogenetic mother-larvae at- tain a length of from 3 to 4 mm.
2) Yellow pcedogenetic larvce.
Yellow forms (wanderers) are similar in general structure to white paedogenetic forms. They are extremely active. The body is usually slimmer, and the fat bodies less heavily developed than in white paedogenetic larvae. The yellow pigment seems to occur for the most part in the fat-bodies. The eyes are notice- ably larger than in other Miastor larval forms, and approach closely along their surfaces.
1923] Occurrence, Life-Cycle, and Maintenance of Miastor 99
Yellow larvae usually produce but a single embryo in the species {Miastor metraloas?) which I found in decaying wood. Yellow larvae (undescribed) occuring in mushrooms, however, produce a large number of embryos. I have frequently observed twenty embryos in a mother-larva.
Neither the role of, nor the incentive factor producing, yellow forms is clear.
In active yellow larvae I have observed a jumping locomotion. This seems to occur as a result of the larva bending its body until the anal chitinous hooks catch against the chitinous points of the second or third segment. Extension of the segments then tightens the tension which finally breaks with a snap re- sulting in a jump. The yellow forms are extremely active, and may often be seen lifting their heads and much of their bodies straight into the air.
3) Pupa-larvoB.
Larvae which will metamorphose into pupae are immedi- ately distinguishable from other forms by means of three char- acteristic differences, though in general their structure is similar to that of white and yellow paedogenetic forms.
a) In newly born living pupa-larvae the imaginal discs are visible. These occur laterally in the third, fourth and fifth seg- ments. They are not present in paedogenetic forms.
b) The spathula sternalis, a structure typical of Cecidomyid larvae, occurs ventrally in the third segment of the pupa-larvae of Miastor. It is not visible in newly born living pupa-larvae, but after four or five days becomes clearly visible, due to a yellow- ish coloration which later changes to orange and dark brown. The shape of this structure differs with various species. Its function is not understood.
c) The eyes of pupa-larvae do not touch as in paedogenetic forms but are usually clearly separated.
The fat-bodies of pupa-larvae are extremely well developed. The larvae are active up to the time of pupation, unlike paedogene- tic larvae which of necessity become inactive with the progressive destruction of their muscles, due to the development of the embryos.
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In Miastor as in all cyclorrhaphous diptera, the pupa is formed within the last larval skin. After the pupa-larva comes to rest the color of its skin changes from white to yellow, later to orange red and dark brown.
Under optimum conditions a period of about five days is required for the metamorphosis of pupae into imagines.
The causes which lead to the occurrence of the various types of larvae within a single species of Miastor are not known. I have observed all the various types occurring side by side in nature and in the laboratory. Springer’s^ belief that the yellow forms and pupa-larvae are produced by the action of light upon typical paedogenetic mothers does not seem tenable, since I have observed all types occurring in the laboratory in cultures reared in the dark as well as in those reared in the light.
Method of Culture in the Laboratory.
In order to carry on investigations concerning the factors regulating the life-cycle of Miastor and those causing polymor- phism among the larvae of a single species, it seemed immediately desirable to find a suitable artificial medium in which cultures might be reared in the laboratory under controlled conditions. With this in view I attempted to rear Miastor larvae on various media, finally meeting with success on a mushroom bouillon- agar innoculated with yeast.
The mushroom bouillon is made by taking equal parts by weight of mushrooms and water. The mushrooms are boiled in the water for 20-30 minutes. At the end of this time the mush- rooms are withdrawn from the bouillon to which is added suffi- cient agar to make 4 per cent of the bouillon weight. The whole is heated until the agar is dissolved, when it is poured into small mouthed stock bottles stoppered with cotton, and sterilized; in this way the culture medium may be kept indefinitely. When it is needed for use, the medium is liquified in a hot water-bath and while still hot poured into culture dishes, and allowed to
2Springer, Fritz. Polymorphismus bei den Larven von Miastor metraloas. Zool. Jahrb Abth. f. Anst, vol. 40 p. 57 (1917).
1923] Occurrence, Life-Cycle, and Maintenance of Miastor 101
harden. For mass cultures of psedogenetic larvae I have found petri dishes very suitable for culture containers. Since they allow but little loss by evaporation, the water of condensation falling back upon the culture medium, the medium remains moist, suitable for the reproduction of the yeast and the growth of the larvae for some time. Larvae may be more easily removed for examination from cultures reared in petri dishes than from those maintained in deep containers. Very small petri dishes may be used for individual cultures.
After the agar has hardened, a little powdered yeast is sprinkled over its surface, to which the larvae are transferred. Cultures are then placed in the incubator at 20-22 degrees Centrigrade.
I have employed this culture medium for Miastor larvae of various species, and have observed in colonies reared in this way all the larval forms occurring under natural conditions.
It seems then that a method has been found for rearing cultures of Miastor larvae in the laboratory under conditions which may be easily regulated. This method should be suit- able for maintaining cultures of a paedogenetic insect in the lab- oratory for class work as well as for carrying on investigations concerning the factors influencing the life-cycle and the poly- morphism of the larvae of Miastor.
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THE genus CYRTOPOGON (DIPTERA; ASILIDtE)^ By a. L. Melander.
In the elaboration of Osten Sacken’s table of Cyrtopogon given in Back’s 1909 study of Robber-flies thirty species are included. This genus is particularly well represented in the Pacific States and several new forms have been discovered by western collectors since the publication of Back’s review. Ac- cordingly the following indentification table is appropriate to bring to date our knowledge of this group of especially in- teresting flies. References are given in the table to those species described since Back’s paper was published.
Many of the species of Cyrtopogon exhibit sex dimorphism. This is particularly the case with those species having red an- tennae. At times the males and females look quite unlike. The males present easy recognition characters in their elaborate and brilliant sex attire, but sometimes the more modest appearing females of several species resemble each other so closely as to be differentiated with difficulty.
The characters used in the table are for the most part reason- ably constant. There is some individual variation in the color of the legs and of the hairs of face, hypopleurse, scutellum, ab- domen and legs, and in the extent of interruption of the ab- dominal fasciae. Where such variations have been sufficient to cause doubt in interpreting the table, cross-references have been introduced for more accurate guidance. Types of the new species are in the writer’s collection.
Key to the Species of Cyrtopogon.
1. Scutellum convex, generally long-pilose, usually shining or with touch of pollen at base, rarely pollinose among the species with long arista 2.
Scutellum flattened and uniformly and quite densely pol- linose ; antennae black 32.
iContribution from the Zoology Laboratory of the State College of Washington.
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The Genus Cyrtopogon
103
2. Third antennal joint red; mystax largely white or yellow;, (if halteres are blackish and face has white hairs, see longimanus; if large species with base of abdomen densely
pilose, see dasyllis) 3 .
Third antennal joint black 11.
3. Tibiae and tarsi more or less reddish. . 4.
Legs black; claws white with black tip 10 .
4. Pile of scutellum and hypopleurae white; apex of femora
reddish; mystax mostly white; pile of tibiae and pleurae very long. (Can., N. H., Ct., N. Y., Mass., Va., N. C.
marginalis Lw .
Pile of scutellum black; of hypopleurae more or less black; femora black ; western species 5 .
5. Front tibiae and tarsi of male silvery pilose on posterior
side; wings hyaline 6 .
Legs not silvery, but sometimes with yellowish white hairs fringing tarsi; pile of male abdomen more or less tufted; wings with light clouding about veins, anterior crossvein near base of discal cell 7 .
6. Male: front tibiae with fine white silky pile on outer side,
becoming longer and denser apically; front tarsi with silvery hairs on anterior side of joints 2-5 in addition to the silvery hairs on posterior side; abdominal segments 1, 2 with pale yellow pile, longer on sides, remaining segments with very short hair, yellowish on 3, black on rest, segments 2-5 white-fasciate, interrupted on 4, 5.
(Col.) pulcher Back
Male: front tibiae with moderately long silvery pile pos- teriorly, short yellow pile anteriorly; front tarsi with yellow hairs on anterior side of first two joints; abdomen with reddish yellow pile forming dense apical bands on segments 1-4, segments 2-4 silvery fasciate. (Alta.) (Can. Ent. liv. 278, 1922) albitarsis Curran.
7. Pile of abdomen yellow or fulvous at least on first segment,
tip of male abdomen blue-black, segments 2-4 with com- plete fasciae, sometimes hidden by dense pile in male; basal half of claws reddish 8 .
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[j une-August
Male abdomen with lateral tufts of black not fulvous hair, female with less tufted black and white pile, ab- domen with interrupted white pollinose fascise; claws black, front tarsi of male very long. (Or.) (Proc.Cal. Acad. Sc., 1919, 233) perspicax Cole
8. Male abdomen with black tuft on sides of second segment,
a dorsal pollinose vitta on segments 2-5, female abdomen with lateral pile pale yellow and almost entirely confined to basal two segments; male front tibiae with white pubescence toward tip, tarsi yellow with ' brush of yellow- ish-white hairs along entire outer face and with black bristles inside, tarsi of female reddish; central hairs of face mixed black and white. (Wash.) . . glarealis, n. sp. Male abdomen with dense fulvous pile arranged in tufted bands across segments 2-4, no dorsal vitta, yellow pile of female abdomen continuing on third segment. . . . 9 .
9. Segments 5-7 of male abdomen with dense tufts of short
black velvet pile; front tibiae and tarsi without brush on posterior side, bristles black, some white pile on extensor face of male tarsus; female with tarsal joints tipped with black and with center hairs of face white. (Cal.,
Wash.) aurifex O. S.
Segments 5-7 of male abdomen not tufted; posterior edge of front tibiae and tarsi of male with uniform brush of white hairs containing white bristles; female with yellowish tarsi and with central hairs of face yellow. (Or., Id.) (Proc. Cal. Acad. Sc. 1919, 230.) auratus Cole
10. Thorax white-gray pollinose, markings nearly obsolete;
wings hyaline; face and front heavily coated with cinere- ous pollen. Male unknown. (Cal.) cretaceus 0. S.
Thorax of male black, of female brown and gray; wings of male black, of female subfuscous; male front tarsi very long, silvery on extensor side, hind tibiae and tarsi silvery pilose. (Cal., Or., Wash.) princeps O. S.
11. Style nearly as long as third joint of antennae; wings with
distinct dark spots on furcations and crossveins; scutel- lum often dusted. 12.
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The Genus Cyrtopogon
105
Style evidently shorter than third joint of antennse. . . 15.
12. Thorax compressed gibbous, the undivided median stripe
bearing a strong mane of long black pile and setiform hairs; scutellum margined with long black setae; costal and marginal cells hyaline; halteres black. (Wash.)
maculosis Coq.
Thorax convex as usual, with erect black pile but no mane; scutellar bristles less developed ; middle dorsal stripe geminate 13.
13. Costa fringed with uniform close hairs; pile of face tipped
with white; halteres black. (Cal., Or., Wash., B. C.)
nebulo 0. S.
Costa with only microscopic hair; white tips of facial hairs less evident ; costal and marginal cells brown apically . 14 .
14. Halteres black; a single spot in first basal cell at origin of
third vein. (Id., Wash.) punctipennis,n.^p,
Halteres yellowish; first basal cell with two blackish spots near middle. (Wash., Or.) varipennis Coq.
15. Abdomen with dense erect pile forming a bright yellow band
across middle part, and black at tip 16 .
Abdomen not densely clothed but sometimes with lateral or parted tufts of pile in male 18 .
16. Style short and thick, almost square; wings hyaline; an-
terior crossvein near base of discal cell; anterior tibiae and front tarsi with dense white pile on extensor face; yellow pile of abdomen confined to basal three segments.
(Wash.) semitarius. n. sp.
Style longer than wide; anterior crossvein near middle of discal cell; hairs of legs black aside from the fulvous re- cumbent pubescence on inside of front tibiae 17 .
17. Wings of male with large black sharply limited spot; all
hairs of head black; yellow hairs of abdomen confined to
segments 2-4 (Col., Id.) dasyllis Will.
Wings with dark spot more suffused; hairs of face and beard yellow; yellow hairs of abdomen extending on fifth seg- ment. (Wash., Or., Id., Cal., N. Y.) ... dasylloides Will.
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Piyche
[June-August
18. At least hind tibiae in part reddish, usually anterior pairs
also more or less reddish 19 .
Legs entirely black, sometimes hind tibiae with dark cas- taneous tinge . . . . . . . . . . 27 .
19. Wings of male with two large black marks; vertex little
excavated and heavily deep golden pollinose; mesonotum deep golden pollinose, the four corners shining; mystax golden; abdomen with yellow lateral tufts; segments 2-5 with broadly interrupted posterior fasciae. Wings of female infuscated over apical part and over end of anal cell; color of pile and pollen less deep. Anterior crossvein near middle of discal cell. (N. H., Minn., N. M., Col.,
Wyo., Id., Or., Wash.) himacula Walk.
Wings not bimaculate; vertex more evidently excavated; 20 .
20. Abodmen of male with a large tergal patch of dense fulvous
tomentum; hypopleural hairs white. (Ont.) vulneratus,n. sp. Abdomen without such mark of fulvous tomentum. . 21 .
21. Male front tarsi with recumbent silvery pile, last two joints
of middle tarsi of male with disk of black hairs; 'gray pruinose marks of abdomen very small and located at hind angles of the segments. (If male front tarsi silvery
but middle tarsi without disk, see tacomce.) 22 .
Front tarsi without silvery recumbent hairs and middle tarsi without black disk 25 .
22. Silvery hairs of male front tarsi parted; black disk of middle
tarsi confined to last two j oints 23 .
Silvery hairs of front tarsi not parted, beginning on second joint; short black hairs on third joint of middle tarsi be- ginning the disk; pul villi dark brown 24 .
23. First two segments of abdomen with white pile on sides,
in male contrasting with black pile on remainder; front metatarsi of male not silvery above, but densely beset on both sides below with black bristles; pulvilli whitish.
(Cal., N. M., Wyo., Col.) callipedilus Lw.
Abdomen with black pile over all; front metatarsi of male silvery above and not spinose beneath; pulvilli brown. (Cal.) . , cymballista O. S.
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The Genus Cyrtopogon
107
24. Scutellum and most of thorax shining; pile of abdomen
yellow and black. (B. C. ,Alta., Wash.) (Can. Ent. 1922,
277) willistoni Curran.
Base of scutellum and much of thorax brown pollinose; pile of abdomen yellow. (N. M., Utah, Id., Col., Neb.)
plausor O. S.
25. Gray pruinose marks of abdomen confined to hind
angles of segments; pile of face deep golden; pile of hypo- pleurse yellow, of abdomen yellow except at end; tibiae abruptly black on apical half. (N. S., Queb., Ont., N. H., Mass., N. Y., Ct., N. J., N. C., Fla., 111.) (If legs are entirely dark chestnut, see alleni) .... falto Walk, Gray pruinose marks following hind margins of abdominal segments; pile of face whitish, black on sides; hind tibiae not black apically 26 .
26. Hairs of hypopleurae black; abdominal fasciae narrowly
interrupted, sometimes entire in female; pile of abdomen mainly black. (Col., N. M., Cal., Id., Wash., B. C.)
montanus Lw.
Hairs of hypopleurae white; abdominal fasciae entire; pile of abdomen white Male unknown. (Cal., N. M., Or.) leucozona Lw.
27. Middle segments of abdomen with complete fasciae; male
front tarsi elongate, tarsal hairs chiefly white, long on upper side of basal three joints of hind pair, tarsal hairs of female chiefly black; hypopleural hairs black; halteres blackish brown; extensor hairs of hind tibiae white. (Cal., Wash., B. C.) (If hind tibiae are dark chestnut color,
see montanus) longimanus Lw..
Fasciae of abdomen interrupted, sometimes reduced tO)
lateral spots; crossveins, etc., usually clouded 28.
28. Fasciae broader than long, following the hind margins;
front tarsi of male slender. 29 .
Fasciae confined to hind angles of segments 30 .
29. Front tibiae and tarsi of male with not dense white pilef which does not conceal the ground-color: hind tarsi o.
108
Psyche
[June-August
male darker than others; claws broadly yellowish; humeri
subshining, (Mont.) rufotarsus Back.
Front tibiae and tarsi of male with appressed silvery pile concealing the ground-color at least of tarsus; middle tarsi darkest; claws black the base reddish; humeri and adjacent region of thorax heavily silvery- white pruinose. (Wash.) tacomce n. sp.
30. Front tarsi of male with single row of silvery pile from very
base; last two joints of middle tarsi with the flat disk of black pile longer than broad; pile of abdomen yellowish white at base, black apically. (Wash., Or.) (If front metatarsi of male are not silvery, see Willistoni)
pr cepes Will.
Front and middle tarsi of male not ornamented. . . .31.
31. Scutellum with long black pile; mystax and hypopleurse
pile black; pleurae shining above; notal pattern including mark like a tuning-fork. (N. H., N. Y., N. C.) lyratus O .S. Scutellum with short white pile; mystax partly white, hypopleural pile white; pleurae densely white pruinose. (N. H., N. C.) alleni Back.
32. Abdomen with pollinose markings at least of segments 2-
4 extending from side to side 33 .
Abdominal fasciae interrupted, sometimes subinterrupted, that of first segment sometimes entire 39.
33. Greater part of middle segments of abdomen covered with
gray pollen and the front angles polished; hypopleural
pile white 34 .
Greater part of abdominal segments shining, or if largely pollinose the pollen extending along the sides so that the front angles are not polished 36 .
34. Pollen denuded in circular spot in middle of each tergite;
tibiae with many white bristles, male with brushes of white hair on front side of middle tibiae below knee and on front side of middle metatarsi. (Wash.) . . . ahlautoides, n. sp. Middle of tergites pollinose, or if shining not forming a central round spot; white hairs of legs evenly distri- buted 35 .
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The Genus Cyrtopogon
109
35. Hypopleural pile black; hairs of hypopygium yellowish
white; mystax white; abdomen of both sexes gray except front angles of segments; tibial bristles white except those at tips and on front side of first pair. (Cal.) . . rattus 0. S. Hypopleural pile white; hypopygial hairs black above; mystax white and black; anterior half of male abdominal segments shining; tibial bristles black, a few pale ones on extensor side of hind tibiae of female. (Wash.) coBsius. n, sp.
36. Face convex below but not gibbous, facial pile dense and
white; tibiae reddish at base; male abdomen broad, with sides and posterior margins pollinose, female abdomen narrow, anterior margins of segments 2-4