ART. 15«. REVISION OF SUBFAMILY PLATYGASTERHSTAE FOUTS. 57 



This species is named after my friend and colleague, Mr. A. B. 

 Gahan. 



24. PLATYGASTER MELANOCERA (Ashmead). 



Synopeas ynelanocerus AsnuEAD, Can. Ent., vol. 19, 1887, p. 130. — Cresson, Syu. 



of Hym., 1887, p. 249.— Ashmead, Bull. 45, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1893, p. 289. 

 Platygaster gracilis Ashmead, Can. Ent., vol. 19, 1887, p. 132. — Cresson, Syn. 



of Hym., 1887, p. 250.— Ashmead, Bull. 45, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1893, 

 p. 326. 



Male. — Length 1.84 mm. Head shaped as in P. rohweri Fonts; 

 occiput and vertex more finely shagreend than in rohweri; interocellar 

 area and region around ocelli shagreened, more finely than on occiput 

 and vertex; frons (except on sides above where it is shagreened) 

 shining, very finely aciculate, with a few transverse aciculae just 

 above bases of antennae; malar space shagreened; antennae stout 

 but rather long, all the joints, except the third, considerably longer 

 than wide; pedicel two and one-half times as long as wide, tapering 

 from the middle proximally, as long as the fifth joint but not so wide 

 and not so thickly pubescent; third joint as long as wide, closely 

 joined to the fourth; fourth as long as fifth and as thick as the scape 

 at the latter's thickest part, slightly eraarginate basally and about one 

 and one-half times as long as wide; joints five and six subequal 

 in length and width to seven, eight, and nine, about twice as long 

 as wide; thorax about as high as wide, in structure and sculpture 

 as in rohweri except that the scutellum is not quite so shining, 

 distinctly shagreened medially; pubescence on thorax and first and 

 second tergite as in rohweri: first tergite a little less than twice as 

 wide as long, not strongly striate anywhere, median area slightly ele- 

 vated entirely and basally elevated along the anterior edge, without 

 a median carina; abdomen about as long as the head and thorax 

 united, slightly narrower at apex of second tergite than the thorax 

 across the tegulae, highly convex above and below, more than half as 

 high as the thorax, seen from above broadly elliptical in outline; 

 second tergite about one and one-half times as long as wide, narrowed 

 basally; basal foveae distinct, not very deep, rather strongly striate, 

 the striae numerous and extending fan-shaped to the middle of the 

 segment; space between foveae with a very short median carina; 

 segments beyond the second short, becoming narrower toward apex; 

 last segment perpendicular; wings hyaline, rather thickly pubescent, 

 extending the length of the terminal four segments past the apex of 

 the abdomen. Shining black; mandibles basally, antennae, tegulae, 

 coxae, middle and hind femora (except at extreme bases), middle 

 hind tibiae on the outside, and last joint of each tarsus, dark brown 

 to piceous; remaining parts of appendages stramineous with slight 

 variations. 



