677 



DESCRIPTION OF A LUMINOUS DIPTEROUS INSECT 

 (Fam. MYCETOPHILID^), from new ZEALAND. 



By Frederick A. A. Skuse, 

 Entomologist to the Australian Museum. 



In this contribution the imago form of the luminous larva originally 

 discovered by Mr. Meyrick (Entom. Mon. Mag., 1886) in Welling- 

 ton, New Zealand, and since investigated and reared by Mr. G. Y. 

 Hudson of that town, is described. The insect, as asserted by 

 Baron Osten-Sacken from an examination of specimens of the 

 larva (Entom. Mon. Mag. XXIII., p. 133), belongs to the Myce- 

 tophilidje, and is now described as Bolitophila luminosa. The 

 Baron, however, was of opinion (in litt, June 30th, 1889), that 

 the larvse he had for inspection bore unmistakably the characters 

 of Sciophila, and were very unlike those of Bolitojyhila. Accord- 

 ing to Mr. Hudson's observations on the life-history of this 

 insect, which together with the appended description, are to be 

 published elsewhere, " the imago itself is highly luminous, brighter 

 than the pupa, but not nearly so bright as the full-grown and 

 vigorous larva" (in litt., Sept. 17th, 1890). 



Fam. MYCETOPHILID^. 



Sect. BOLITOPHILIN^. 



Genus Bolitophila, Hoffm. 



Bolitophila, HofFm., Meigen, Syst. Beschr. I. p. 220, pi. 8, figs. 

 1-4, 1818; Macquart, S. a B. Dipt. L p. 126, 1834; Messala, 

 Curtis, Brit. Entom. XIII. p. 581, figs. 1-3, 1836 ; Bolitophila, 

 Walker, Ins. Brit. Dipt. III. p. 71, pi. xxiii. fig. 7, 1856; Winnertz, 

 V. z-b. G. Wien, XIII. p. 672, pi. xix., fig. 5, 1863. 



Head small, roundish, fore part flattened. Eyes broadly oval, 

 a little emarginate on the inner side above. Ocelli three, arranged 



