TAXONOMY OF MUSCOIDFAN FLIES — TOWNSEND IO9

slightly before the middle of discal cell.

Fourth

vein bent at

an

obtuse angle. Posterior crossvein gentlybisinuate.

Type.—

Cat.

No.

10.912,

U. S.N. M.

Subfamily Echixomyiin.e Genus Varichaeta Speiser

The name

^Variclurta has been proposed

by

Speiser for

Brigone Robineau-Desvoidy

(1830),

which

is preoccupied

by Savigny

in

Arachnida

(1827).

The

type species is V.

radicum

Fallen.

Varichaeta aidrichi Townsend.-

—

^This species, described

under

Hystricia, belongs in the

genus Brigone (Robineau-Desvoidy) Brauer and von Bergenstamm. and must

thus be

known

as J ari- chcuta aldrichi. It is quite distinct

from

V. radicum.

The

latter has only three postsutural macrochsetge, while aldrichi has four or five.

There

are also differences in the

abdominal

macrochsetse.

Genus Elachipalpus Rondani

This

genus

is characterized

by Rondani

as possessing palpi,

though

small;

and

having apical cell appendiculate

by

reason of the continuation of fourth vein

beyond

apical crossvein.

The

type cited for it by

Rondani

is

Micropalpus

longirostris Macquart.

from

the

Cape

of

Good Hope. The

species is figured

by Macquart

as having a proboscis like Spanipqlpus, but with distinct filiform palpi,

and

venation like Spanipalpus

and

Deopalpus, except that, instead of a wrinkle, there is a distinct

stump

representing fourth vein be-

yond

apical crossvein.

Brauer and von Bergenstamm

indicate B.

longirostris

Rondani

as type of Blachipalpus, but

throw

doubt

on

Rondani's longirostris being the

same

as

Micropalpus

longirostris Macquart.

However

^this

may

^{be, it is certain that the}

^American

species ruiicauda

van

der

Wulp and macrocera Wiedemann do

not belong toBlachipalpus, since they

have

absolutely

no

palpi, the pro- boscis is

much

shorter,

and

the venation

markedly

different.

The new genus

Copccrypta is therefore proposed for Schincria ruiicauda (van der

Wulp)

Williston.

The

species

was

referred to

Cuphocera by

Williston.

COPECRYPTA,

gen. nov.

Distinguished by a characteristic

narrowing

of the apical cell at the end, the ultimate section of fourth vein being crookedly

bowed

in

and

for the lastone-third or one-fourth of its extent parallel with the third vein

and

very closely

approximated

to it, thus

forming

a

narrow

handle-like tip to the apical cell.

The

proboscis

beyond

110

SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS

VOL. 51 geniculation is shorter than

head

height. Palpi absent.

Two

^orbi-

tal bristles in female,

none

in male.

Some

extra bristles outside the frontal row, but these

do

not

form

a definite second

row

except anteriorly in

some

males.

No

ocellar bristles.

Claws

of female short, those of

male

as long as last tarsal joint.

The genus

differs

from

Trichophora by

having

the

abdomen

elon- gate, subcorneal or subcylindrical, reaching nearly to

end

of wings.

Trichophora has

abdomen much

shorter than

wings and

rounded.

SPANIPALPUS,

^{gen. nov.}

This

genus

is proposed for Trichophora miscelli Coquillett. It differs

from

Copecrypta in possessing a strong pair of ocellar bristles; proboscis long

and

slender,

much

longer than

head

height

;

abdomen

considerably

widened

(female).

Male

not

known.

Fe-

male

with

two

strong orbital bristles; only

one row

of frontal bristles; inner pair of vertical bristles very long

and

strongly curved, decussate, reclinate. Apical crossvein normal, not crooked, evenly

bowed

in near origin; apical cell widely attenuate

on

terminal portion, widely open.

A

distinct wrinkle at origin of apical cross- vein.

DEOPALPUS,

gen. nov.

Differs

from

Spanipalpus only as follows:

No

ocellar bristles.

Two

very definite

rows

of frontal bristles

on

each side of frontalia.

No

orbital bristles (male), claws of

male

not elongate. Parafacials, parafrontals,

and

cheeks evenly

and

thinly pilose with rather long fine black hairs. Parafrontals not metallic or blackish, silvery white.

Venation and

proboscis like Spanipalpus.

Abdomen

about like Copecrypta.

The head

bristles, like those of ^all the rest of the body, are strong.

The

inner frontal

rows

are decussate, extending only half

way

back

between

base of antennas

and

vertex.

The

outer

row on

each side is

composed

of lightly reclinate bristles of nearly equal strength, nearly as strong as the vertical bristles.

Both rows

descend well

below

base of antennae, the outer

row

slightly lower than the inner

and

to base of third antennal joint.

Two

facio- orbital bristles as strongas the frontal bristles. Facial plate strongly

produced

below.

Second

antennal joint elongate, about as long as third.

Second

aristal joint strongly elongate, slightly geniculate.

Cheeks

nearly equal to eye height. Type, the following species

:

Deopalpus hirsutus, sp. nov.

One

male.

Meadow

Valley,

head

of

Rio

Piedras Verdes, about 7,300 ^feet. Sierra

Madre

of western

Chihuahua,

_{July 29}

(Town-

send).

TAXONOMY

OF

MUSCOIDFAN

FLIES

TOWNSFND

III Length, _9.5

mm.

Bears considerable superficial resemblance to Copecrypta ruiicauda, but

may

be distinguished therefrom by ^the generic characters above given.

Head

entirely silvery white, fron- talia

showing

very faintly pale brownish, first

two

antennal joints light

brownish

yellow, third joint hardly darker, but with anterior terminal border

and

arista blackish. Proboscis black, shining.

Thorax

cinereous pollinose, with

two

interrupted

heavy

outer dark

vittae,

and two narrow

inner vittae stopping a little behind suture.

Scutellum

tawny

yellowish, darker at base, silvery, with

two

very strong pairs of ^lateral macrochaetae reaching

beyond

base of third

abdominal

segment, amoderately strong but shorter apical decussate pair,

and two

^lateral

weak

pairs besides discal bristles.

Abdomen

faintly blackish

on dorsum,

pale reddish or

brownish

yellow

on

sides, anal

segment

wholly reddish. All of

abdomen more

or less thickly silver}- pollinose.

showing most

on basal half or

more

of last three segments. Macrochaetae as follows:

One

lateral marginal

on

first

segment

^; one lateral marginal,

and

one

median

marginal pair

on

second

segment

^; eight strong marginal in a

row

on third seg-

ment

; anal

segment

with about twenty in marginal, submarginal,

and

discal rows.

Legs

black, tibiae reddish, especially hind ones, pulvilli only faintly smoky.

Wings

clear, tegulae white, third vein bristly to small crossvein.

Type.—

Cat.

No.

10,914,

U.

S. N.

M.

EUPELETERIA,

gen. nov.

Erected for

Bchinomyia

fera Linne, magnicornis Zetterstedt, prcEceps

Meigen,

etc. Differs

from

Peleteria

Robineau-Desvoidy

in lacking the

two

or three facio-orbital bristles (macrochaetae on para- facials next orbit

and

separated

from

descending frontal bristles).

Differs

from Bchinomyia

Dumeril, as restricted, by having

abdom-

inal macrochaetae not closely set

and

thorn-like.

Body

Peleteria- like, not Jurinia-like.

EUFABRICIA,

gen. nov.

Second

antennal joint strongly elongate, fully four times as long as first,

much

longer than third; third joint strongly

convex

on front border in profile.

Second

aristal joint elongate, fully four times as long as wide. Palpi

widened and

flattened

on

^distal one- third or so,

somewhat

spatulate.

No

ocellar bristles. Parafacials wide, front not specially

prominent

in profile.

Cheeks

about two- thirds eye height in width. Anterior tarsi of female not

more widened

than those ofother legs.

S