4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 74 



113. ZELIA ATRIFRONS Wiedemann 



Musca atrifrwis Wiedemann, Auss. Zweifl., vol. 2, 1830, p. 403. 

 Leptoda atrifrons Braueb and Bergenstamm, Zweifl. Kais. Mus., pt. 5, 1891. 

 p. 406.— Aldrich, Cat. N. A. Dipt., 1905, p. 505. 



The species was originally described from a single female specimen 

 without locality. This specimen, labeled Leptoda atrifrons and 

 agreeing with Wiedemann's description, has been received for study. 

 Brauer and Bergenstamm* assert that Bigot's Tromodesia Jiaemor- 

 rhoidalis from Mexico^ is a synonym of atrifrons^ from the type. 

 Bigot's description is very brief and superficial, but the same type 

 was redescribed by Van der Wulp ; ® the specimen was evidently a 

 male, though taken for a female by Van der "VVulp. Whatever this 

 species may be, I am satisfied it can not be atHfrons Wiedemann. 

 It was placed in Leptoda by Brauer and Bergenstamm.^ 



Female. — Head at vertex 0.27 of head width, widening a little, 

 then more slowly, toward the antennae, which are attached at about 

 the level of the lowest fourth of the eye; the face flat and strongly 

 receding, about half as long as the front. Vibrissae at oral margin; 

 frontal stripe velvety, almost black, narroAver than one parafrontal 

 even at the upper end. Inner verticals large and reclinate; outer 

 but little larger than the cilia behind the eye. Ocellars divaricate, 

 hardly more than hairs. Frontals about 10, the lowest distinctly 

 above the antennae, one upper reclinate and divergent at level of 

 anterior ocellus, much nearer the eye than the remainder; the usual 

 two pairs of orbitals present. The parafrontal and parafacial are 

 broad, densely covered with smooth silvery white pollen, entirely 

 bare except a few minute hairs close to vertex and one or two between 

 the upper and lower orbital. Antennae yellow, as long as the face, 

 the third joint less than twice the second, slightly swollen toward 

 apex; second joint without unusual pile. Arista rather short- 

 plumose almost to tip. Palpi yellow, of ordinary size; proboscis 

 short; cheek one-third the eye height, with dark hairs on posterior 

 part. Back of head flat, the vibrissal axis about three-fourths the 

 antennal. Thorax black with dense whitish pollen, stripes not very 

 prominent. Sternopleural 2, 1; scutellum entirely black, with tw'> 

 lateral bristles, a rather large decussate apical pair and a small slop 

 ing discal pair. Calypters white, no infrasquamal spinules. Post- 

 scutelliim and hypopleural bristles well developed. 



Abdomen mostly shining dark reddish, the first segment black, the 

 following two black along the middle of the dorsum almost to the 

 tip of the third. Second and third segments with narrow sharply 



* 1893, p. 183. 



= Annales Soe. Ent. France, 1889, p. 267. 

 •5 Biologia, Dipt., vol. 2, 1891, p. 238. 

 M893, p. 138. 



