378 NORTH AMERICAN DIPTERA 



Family Helomyzidae 



Pseudoleria pectinata Loew. 



Flies of moderate size, with oral vibrissa?. 



Face vertical or retreating; front bristly on a little more than the 

 posterior half; antennae short, the third segment more or less rounded. 

 Abdomen composed of six segments, the male genitalia conspicuous. 

 Wings moderately large, the costa usually with short bristles; second 

 basal and anal cells small; first vein bare. Tibiae with preapical bristle. 



The so-called frontal plates, characteristic of this family and 

 poorly developed in most other families are actually a differentiated, 

 broad, pollinose strip on either side of the front. They are slightly 

 oblique, diverging from the eyes anteriorly and the frontal bristles are 

 situated on them. The presence of these "plates", in conjunction with 

 the shape of the antennse serve as a ready means of identifying a 

 Helomyzid. 



The flies are found in various habitats, generally in shady or damp 

 places. Adults have been collected by burying a tin can with its open 

 end flush with the ground and examining it early in the morning. 



The larvtE are scavengers and live upon decaying animal and vege- 

 table substances, in fungi, excrement, etc. They are cylindrical, rather 

 pointed anteriorly, obtuse behind; antennge situated upon long conical 

 processes; mouth hooks large; abdominal segments widened in front 

 laterally, with bristly pseudopods ventrally. 



Czerny* has monographed the family while Garrett and others have 

 published papers dealing with the North American species since that 

 time. 



* 1924, Abh. zool.-bot. Gesellsch.. Wien.. xv. pp. 1-166; also, 1926, Konowia, v. pp. 53-56; 

 1927, Konowia, vi, pp. 35-49; 1928, Konowia, vii, pp. 52-55. 



