NO. 1206. ICHNEUMON FLIES— ASHMEAD. 9 



Family LXXV. AGRIOTYPID.E. 



1832. Agrioiiipm Walker, Curtis Brit. Ent., IX, pi. 389. 



1838. Agriotypidie, Family III, Haliday, Ent. Mag.,Y, p. 212. 



1868. Agrioti/poidw Forster, Verh. d. naturh. Ver. pr. Rheinl., XXV, p. 143. 



1884. Agriotypidie Bridgman and Fitch, The Entom., XVII, p. 121. 



This is probably one of the most interesting families in the super- 

 family Ichneumoiioldea ^ not only on account of its rarity, its structural 

 peculiarities, and its aquatic habits, l)ut also on account of l)eing- rep- 

 resented, up to the present time, by but a single genus with a single 

 species — the Agriotypxis armatus Walker, 



A doubt as to its proper position in this great complex has been 

 expressed by several eminent entomologists, and quite recently Dr. 

 David Sharp has suggested its close relationship with the Procto- 

 trypldce. I myself have long had doubts as to its true position, Ijut 

 now, after a careful study of specimens of both sexes, am prepared to 

 defend its position here, the only character at variance with any in 

 this major group being in the abdomen, which has the venter hard and 

 chitinous, as in the higher Hjmienoptera, the aculeata or mrmotrocha. 

 All its other characters are, however, as with the genuine Ichneumo- 

 nids and with the Braconids. 



The trochanters are two jointed ; the wings and their venation as in most 

 Ichneumonids, the costal cell Ijeing absent, the subcostal vein lying close 

 to and extending parallel with the costal vein; there are two recurrent 

 nervures, the second received beyond the first transverse cubitus, the first 

 cubital and tirst discoidal cells confluent, the first abscissa of the cubitus 

 being absent; there are two basal cells, two complete discoidal cells, and 

 a short triangular marginal cell, w^hile the stigma is broad and oblong; 

 the hind wings have a distinct venation, the submedian cell ])eing about, 

 half the length of the median, the subdiscoidal nervure being distinct and 

 originating from the transverse median nervure a little below the middle. 



The venter, although hard and chitinous as in the genuine wasps and 

 Proctotrypids, has the ovipositor sul)exserted, issuing from l^efore its 

 tip, and structurally is the same as in the Ichneumonids and the Braconids. 

 In the male the external claspers are unusually long and broad, a char- 

 acter sometimes met with in males belonging to the Tryplioninm and the 

 OphJonince. The spined scutellum in Agriotyjnis is quite unique, al- 

 though a somewhat similar spined scutellum is found in some Ophionines. 



The only species, Agriotypus armatus Walker, is unknown outside of 

 the European fauna. It attacks the larva? of various species of 

 T)'lcho2)ttra belonging to the genera Silo, Goera^ Ti'lcliostoma, Asjx(- 

 therium^ and Odontocerum and has been observed swimming* and diving 

 under water to seek its prey. 



Generic-characters same as family (1) Agriolypus Walker = Craiopus Holmgren. 



(Type, Agriotypus armatus Walker.) 



