FLIES OF THE GENUS PSEUDOTEPHRITIS JOHNSON 

 (DIPTERA : ORTALIDAE) 



By John R. Malloch 

 Biologist, Bureau of Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture 



The present paper is the result of a survey of the ortalid flies of 

 the genus Pseudotephritis in the collections of the United States 

 Biological Survey and the United States National Museum. The 

 opportunity is taken to present a key to the species and the varieties 

 and to give the description of one new species, the type specimen of 

 the latter being deposited by the Biological Survey in the National 

 Museum collection. 



There is considerable doubt as to the definite species in this genus, 

 as there is apparently some variation in the wing markings upon 

 which the species distinctions are based. It is possible that P. ap- 

 proxiniata Banks, P. conjuncta Johnson, and P. metzi Johnson may 

 be merely varieties of one species, but only actual rearing of speci- 

 mens from known parents will definitely decide this. 



Genus PSEUDOTEPHRITIS Johnson 



Pseudotephritis Johnson, Ent. News, vol. 13, p. 144, 1902. (ChanL^e of name.) 

 Stictoccphala Loew, Monographs of the Diptera of North America, pt. 3, 

 Smithsonian Misc. Coll. 256, p. 134, 1872. (Preoccupied.) 



This genus is quite similar in most respects to Gallopistromyia 

 Hendel, but may be readily separated from it by the wedge-shaped, 

 instead of almost parallel-sided, prolongation of the posterior apical 

 angle of the anal cell, and the possession of an elongate oval area on 

 the basal third or more of the anterodorsal surface of the hind tibia, 

 which is furnished with microscopic hairs that are erect and much 

 finer than the decumbent hairs on the remainder of that tibia. 



The larvae live under slightly loose bark of trees and occur fre- 

 quently along with those of CaUopistromyia. 



No. 2900.— Proceedings U. S. National Museum. Vol. 79. Art. 34. 

 68109—31 1 



