NEMATOCERA. 



39 



The Cecidomyid.is 



Cecidomyzidaj, Hal. 

 Tipularins GallicolK, Meig. 

 Cecidomynse, Rond. 

 Cecidomiites, Newm. 

 ICecidomyzides, Zett. 



Fig. 6. — Cataclia latipcs. A, Ungues and pulvillus of C. latipes. 



This is one of the most important families of the Nematocera,''' 

 and contains a very large number of extremely minute insects, 

 characterized by the following points : " Eyes lunate, ocelli very often 

 absent. Antennce moniliform, composed of thirteen joints in ? , 24 

 in (^, at least, and ornamented with short verticillate hairs. Very 

 few veins are present in the wings, which are often hairy. Thorax 

 devoid of transverse sutures. Legs long, coxk short, femora elon- 

 gated and thin, tibiae destitute of spurs." 



Taschenberg \ describes the Cecids generally as follows : 

 Extraordinarily small. Colours change in death. Head com- 

 paratively large, proboscis short, palpi generally four-jointed ; rather 

 large eyes, generally bare, ocelli absent in most species. Antennae 

 long, often very long, globular or cylindrical, depressed or stalked, 

 articulations varying in number according to the sex. Thorax arched, 

 scutellum small. Abdomen cylindrical, eight-ringed. Legs very slender, 

 tibiae without spurs, tarsi small, with one pulvillus (Fig. 6, A). 

 Wings large, broad, rounded in front, decreasing at the root, edged 

 with hairs, often hairy at the surface. The radial, discoidal, and anal 

 veins are wanting, so that there are only three to five veins. Sub- 



* This family is included by Osten-Sacken in his True Nematocera. 

 f Taschenberg's " Praktische Insekten-Kunde," 1880. 



