86 Annals of the South African Museum. 



only a little narrower than that of the female. Halteres and wing 

 veins black. 



Notwithstanding Schiuer's contrary opinion, Phthiria capenxis, 

 Wied., belongs to this genus, and may be considered the type of the 

 gen. Megapalpus, as stated by Macquart himself in the "Suites a 

 Buffon" ; the new gen. Dasypalpus founded by the same author in 1840 

 is based on the difference in the hairiness of the palpi a difference 

 which does reallv not exist. 



MEGAPALPUS NITIDUS, Mac-quart (1840). 



A small black species, distinct from all the species of Corsomyza 

 aforementioned on account of the sparse hairiness of the body, and 

 of the black balteres and black veins of the wings. 



This species strongly recalls the female of the Mediterranean Unia 

 versicolor, Fabr ; but has a very different head, antennae and wings. 



A couple of specimens from Namaqualund, Port Nolloth (Cape), 

 August, 1890 (R. M. Lightfoot). 



Length of the body 3 - 5^1 mm. ; of a wing 3-3'5 mm. Head 

 broader than the thorax, entirely shining black ; occiput flat, with 

 very short and scarce black hairs ; frous almost equally broad in both 

 sexes, flattened, with parallel sides, and having a less distinct median 

 longitudinal furrow, equally clothed with rather long erect black hairs. 

 Ocellar tubercle less prominent ; ocelli well developed. Face shoi't, 

 with a pi'omineut hem at the mouth border, clothed like the narrow 

 genae with black hairs ; beard white. Antennae entirely black, rather 

 separated at the base ; they are as described by Macquart, and seem 

 to be carried in a peculiar way, the third joint being erect and 

 produced almost at right angles to the first joint ; this last joint is 

 clothed with black hairs, which are longer below and in the female are 

 partly of pale colour. Proboscis entirely black, almost as long as the 

 body, measuring 34 mm. in length ; palpi black, very long, with 

 short but distinct black hairs (Macquart says that the palpi are yellow 

 and bare). Thorax, scutellum and abdomen entirely black, rather 

 shining, with distinct bluish glance in the male ; they are clothed 

 with scattered, erect, black hairs, rather long in the male and shorter 

 in the female ; only on the iiotopleural line and on the hind border of 

 mesopleura are tufts of short, yellowish hairs ; on the sides of the 

 thorax and on the hind border of the scutellum are rather distinct and 

 longer bristly hairs. First joint of abdomen with white pubescence 

 in both sexes, the sides of the other segments with pale short pubescence 

 in the female. Halteres with yellowish stalk and black knob. Squamae 



