THE TWO-WINGED FLIES BELONGING TO SIPHOSTUR- 

 MIA AND ALLIED GENERA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF 

 TWO NEW SPECIES 



By H. J. Reinhard 



Division of Entomology, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station 

 College Station, Tex. 



In the preparation of this paper I have examined all the type 

 species concerned in the United States National Museum. I am 

 greatly indebted to Dr. J. M. Aldrich, associate curator of the 

 Division of Insects, not only for this privilege, but also for his 

 encouragement and liberality in permitting the use of unpublished 

 notes on the type of Masicera normula van der Wulp. 



The muscoid tribe Siphosturmiini includes three known genera 

 and seven species, of which two species are herein described as new. 

 The peculiar or distinguishing characters of the group as a whole 

 are: Face very flat with the front edge of the mouth protuberant; 

 palpi normal in size, bowed upward near the apex ; ocellars present ; 

 proboscis at least moderately slender and closely approximating or 

 exceeding the height of head. The genus Masiphycn exhibits about 

 the same combination of characters, but the palpi are noticeably 

 smaller and the genitalia are of a different type. Very little is 

 known concerning the habits and biology of the siphosturmine flies. 

 According to Coquillett's host list, two species, rostrata and phycio- 

 dis, are parasites of lepidopterous larvae. Throughout the group the 

 ovipositor is apparently subchitinous but blunt-tipped and not 

 adapted for piercing. 



The genera here considered may be separated by the characters 

 mentioned in the following key : 



KEY TO GENERA OF SIPHOSTURMIINI 



1. First vein of win;; bare ; second antennal joint one-half or more 

 the length of third ; vibrissae far above the lower margin of 

 head 2 



First vein setulose near base ; second antennal joint one-fourth 

 the length of third ; vibrissae close to the lower margin of 

 head Microsillus Aldrich 



No. 2877.— Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 79, Art. 11 



55275^31 1 



