32 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 93 



Blepharidea Rondani, Dipterologiae Ltalicae prodromus, vol. 1, p. 67, 1S36. 



(Genotype, Tachina vulgaris Fallen. Monotypic.) 

 Exorista of Coquh.li.tt (nee Meigen), partim, U. S. Dent. Agr., Div. Ent., Tech. 



Bull. 7, p. 93, 1S97. 

 Zenillia of Aldkich and Webber (nee. Robineau-Desvoidy) , partim. Proc. U. S. 



Nat. Mus., vol. 03, art. 17, pp. 20-28, 1924. 

 Phif/ioplmjxe Townsend, Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus, vol. 14, p. 33, 1926. 



(Genotype, P. pecosensis Townsend. By original designation.) 



This genus is small and compact with only two species known to occur 

 in the Nearctic realm. One species is Palearctic and the other 

 Nearctic. The various Palearctic concepts of the Phryxe complex have 

 yet to be reconciled. Although the generic characters usually cited 

 by previous revisers are weak, the genus Phryxe (s. s.) is fairly well 

 agreed upon. Aldrich and Webber's concept of Phryxe is not tenable. 

 Phryxe is closely related to the genera Madremyia and Thelymyia. 

 The main difference between Phryxe and Madremyia is that in the 

 latter the facial ridges are bristly above the middle and the second 

 segment of the arista is more elongated. Townsend places Phryxe in 

 the tribe Lydellini and Madremyia in the tribe Frontinini. 



The front at the vertex or narrowest part is more than one-third the 

 head width, often being two-fifths. This character, coupled with the 

 sexual characters that the front of the male is equal to the front of 

 the female and that the claws and pulvilli are small in both sexes, 

 serves to separate the genera Phryxe and Thelymyia from the other 

 genera. Phryxe is separated from Thelymyia. by apical scutellars 

 erect or proclinate, decussate; palpus black; four dorsocentral 

 niacrochaetae ; male without frontal orbital bristle. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PHRYXE 13 



1. Species definitely pollinose ; thorax grayish pruinose with decided bluish 

 tinge (especially noticeable if viewed without use of artificial light), five 

 definite niesonotal vittae discernible behind suture, median one obsolete 

 before suture : abdomen gray-pruinose with bluish tinge, narrow and 

 fairly well defined hind margins on segments 2, 3, and 4 and median 

 dorsal vitta shining black, the heavy pollen (silverly in artificial light) 

 broadly present and pronounced on median dorsal region of segments 2, 

 3, and 4 in the various lights. Palpus varying from usual pale or yellowish 

 brown to brownish black; midtibia with usually two long easily noted 

 median anterolateral bristles, usually only one above longest middle bristle; 

 one long and one very short inner ventral bristle on midtibia ; hind tibia 

 exhibiting some tendency to be subciliate; sides of male and female 



abdomens distinctly red 1. vulgaris (Fallen) (p. 33) 



Species less definitely or more thinly pollinose, subshining black; thorax so 

 thinly grayish pruinose with a bluish tinge that niesonotal vittae are not 



13 One must experiment with holding the specimens in various positions in the light so 

 that the pollen or pruinosity pattern is symmetrical ; otherwise this characteristic will not 

 be of much value. Pollen patterns have a sound value, but they are deceptive and difficult 

 to use. 



