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Family Otitidae— The Pictured-wing Flies 



Paneryma elongata. 



Rather small to moderately large flies, the wings usually marked 

 with brown, black or yellowish. 



Eyes separated in both sexes; frontals usually limited to the ni)])er 

 part; faee variable, the oral vibrissa always absent; elypeus usually 

 well developed; proboscis short and stout; palpi large. Abdomen with 

 five or six segments, the basal two more or less coalescent; male with 

 long, curled penis, the female witli a flattened, three segmented ovi- 

 positor. Legs short and stout or moderately long, the preapical tibial' 

 bristle present or absent. Wing venation usually complete, the anal 

 cell absent in one genus; auxiliary vein separated from the first vein 

 though often approximated to it, second basal and anal cells of moderate 

 size. 



The adults are usually found in moist places and many of the 

 species are very common. This family is cosmopolitan but the species 

 are most numerous in the tropics, particularly in South and Central 

 America. Several of the species have the head strongly produced 

 laterally and one fairly common species of Richardia has the eyes situ- 

 ated on long stalks, Init this is a male character only. 



Little is known about the immature stages although the larvfe of 

 Tritoxa are said to damage onions and others have been reared from 

 decaying plant products. 



