I DIPTERA OF THE FAMILY EPHYDRIDAE 



same time recording a male (not female) labelled "Hdiyka, Indus Phal., 1866." These latter 

 data I am unable to interpret, but assume that the specimen was collected somewhere along 

 the Indus River. The present series agrees very satisfactorily with my Roumania specimens, 

 so I have no doubt of their conspecific status. The species is probably well distributed in the 

 arid regions of Central Asia. As material I have seen of this species agrees so well with 

 Becker's description of ohscuripes, I have no doubt of this synonymy. Becker's sjiecies was 

 originally described from Sarepta, Astrakhan, South Russia, and since recorded from Oren- 

 burg.^ Popova* also recorded obsciirif^cs from Elton Sea, Astrakhan, Smith Russia. 



Ephydra tibetensis n. sj) 



This species is so similar to several occurring in the liicrmal waters of North America, 

 that I rather hesitated to describe it as new without studying a larger series of the North 

 American forms than I have before me. However, considering their widely separated 

 habitats and the slight differences that are apparent, I venture to descril)e the present one 

 as new. 



Very similar to pectinulata Cresson" of the United States, but of a more greenish glaucous 

 tone, not whitish, becoming brownish above. Bristles of the frons stronger; the setulae 

 assuming bristle-like proportions; the metallic medifrons rough. Mesonotum more uniformly 

 metallic, less pollinose, cupreous rather than aeneous; the abdomen greenish glaucous. Palpi, 

 all tarsi and wing veins, black. Differs from glaiica in its more olivaceous tone, strong setulae, 

 as well as in the flatter, more metallic colored, interfoveal area of the face. 



Entirely black except the tawny halteres and squamae. 



Head height, length and widths as 15: 18: 22; in profile, facial iinijection l)eyon(l facial 

 orbits, to distance from occiput to facial orbits, as 8: 7. Eyes oblique witli vertical diameter 

 slightly in excess of one-half height of head. Frons distinctly broader than long, in profile, 

 slightly oblicjue; mesofrons sulxjuadrate, broad anteriorly, shining metallic blue, surface hnely 

 sculptured, bearing two to three pairs of converging, proclinate bristles on anterior portion; 

 the broad .somewhat metallic parafrons, the narrow frontalia and miular tubercle, opaque 

 dark brown, with very strong orbital setae in addition to the fimr usual l)ristles. l-'ace 

 opaque, whitish cinerei ins on the prominent setulose niedifacies; the tlattened horizontal inter- 

 foveal area, shining metallic blue to green; fovcae, jiarafacials and cheeks olivaceous. Facial 

 bristles well developed, the lateral ones longest; oral margin slightly retracted, with very long 

 cilia which are almost as long as the ocellars. Cheeks two-fifths height of head; buccal 

 bristle slender; lower three to four setae of the postorbital cilia bristle-like. 



Thorax olivaceous laterally ; mesonotum shining, metallic, slightly overcast with brown, 

 s])aringly setulose, humerus and notopleura more grayish, two narrow inter-dorsocentral stripes 

 and a broad extra-dorsocentral stripe more opaijue and brownish to bluish. Acrostichal setae 

 much stronger than surrounding setulae, the series closer together than their distance from the 

 dorsocentral series; presutural acrostichals weak; some inter-acrostichal setulae present and 

 a few other scattered inter-dorsocentral setulae posteriorly near the dorsocentral bristles. 

 Scutellum broad as long, pilose apically, flattened, transversely rugulose. Mesopleura very 

 sparingly setulose. 



'Lindner's Flieg. Pal Reg., Fam. 56, p. 75 (1926). 

 'Russ. Hydrob. Zeit.. VIII, pp. 140-141 (1929). 

 'Em. News, XXVII, p. 151 (1916). 



