163 



Family Mydaidse — The Mydas Flies 



Nemomydas pantherinus. 



Large to very large, thinly haired or nearly bare, elongated flies. 



Venation complieated, the basal cells long, the fourth vein always 

 ending at or before the tip of the wing. Antenna? composed of four 

 segments, the fourth always elongate. Both sexes dichoptic, the front 

 excavated between the eyes; ocelli, except the anterior one, absent. 

 Proboscis with fleshy labellte, or rudimentary; palpi usually absent or 

 extremely small, rarely long and slender. Empodia not developed 

 pulvilliform. 



The Mydas flies are easily recognized by the shape of the head, 

 four-segmented antennae and peculiar venation. The majority of the 

 species are tropical in distribution and it is probable that the larvae 

 of all live in decaying w'ood. 



The generic limits in the family are but poorly understood and 

 only an abundance of material will enable one to properly limit the 

 genera. Johnson* has dealt with the Nearctic forms, while papers by 

 Bezzif and Seguy| must receive attention in any attempt to deal with 

 the family. 



* Johnson. 1926, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xxxviii, pp. 131-145. 

 t Bezzi, 1924, Ann. S. Afr. Mus., xix, pp. 191-234. 

 t Seguy, 1928, Encycl. Ent., Diptera, iv, pp. 129-156. 



