2^J2 fOXXKCntTT GKUL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVF.Y I Bllll. 



Nephrotoma Meigen 



1800. Pales Meigen: Noiiv. Class. jNIouch., p. 14 (nom. mid.). 



1803. Nevhrotoma Meigen; Illiger's jSIag.. 3 : ji62. 



1834. Pachyn-hlna ]Srac-qnart; Hist. Xat. Ins., Dipt.. 1:88. 



A large genus of often similar flies, espeeialh' cliaracteristic of 

 tlie Holarctif and Ethiopian Regions, much less common in Austral- 

 asia and the Xeotropics. As a rule, members of this genus may be 

 told from Tipiila by the polished body, in our commonest species 

 iferrii(//)i<'(i) of a rusty-red, in other species testaceous or ^-ellow, 

 often variegated with black. A very few species are opaque, while, 

 conversely, a small number of T'lpnla s])ecies {N ohUofipula, Nlt/diti- 

 /nila) have the body polished, riu' innnature stages are chiefly sj^ent 

 in earth or in leaf mold. 



The present account is based chiefly on a treatment by Dietz 

 (IDIS), '^ince I have not been able to study the types of several of 

 the species. Many of these have been based on details of coloration 

 and the validity of certain species is questionable. Much work must 

 be do)ie l)efore we have an accurate idea of synonymy and distribution 

 of these flies in the present fauna. In 1931), while the ])resent j^aper 

 was ready for the press, Professor J. Speed Rogers was able to 

 examine the Dietz types and has furnished me with a statement of 

 his opinion concerning the identity of many of the si^ecies. I have 

 added his notes following the sj^ecies in ({uestion. 



Key to Species 



1. Head and thorax almost uniformly black; abdomen reddish basally. the 



terminal segments black altissima etythrophrys 



General coloration of body yellow or brownish yellow, often with black or 

 rusty markings 2 



2. Thoracic stripes black 3 



Thoracic stripes, when present, not black 10 



3. Anterior ends of lateral praescutal stripes curved laterad into an opaque 



velvetv-black spot 4 



Lateral praescutal stripes straight 6 



4. Occiput opaque, yellow ; wing-tip clear virescens 



Occiput with a polished triangular brand ; wing-tip darkened 5 



5. Sides of pronotal scutum and the abdomen conspicuously spotted wnth black 



or dark brown ; pleura variegated with reddish brown to dark brown ; 



mouth parts darkened incurva 



Pronotal scutum and abdomen cliiefly yellow ; pleural spots ochre-yellow ; 



mouth parts yellow perdita 



''. A black spot between antennal bases 7 



No black spot between antennal bases 8 



7. Wings nearly hyaline, only the stigma, a seam on anterior cord and the 



very narrow apex darkened pedunculata 



Wings with the costal region conspicuously yellow, the other cells before 

 cord strongly suffused with brown ; cells beyond cord more nearly clear 



lugens 

 ^!. Median region of mesonotal scutum with a dark line : a velvety-black spot 

 opposite anterior end of lateral praescutal stripe but entirely disconnected 



therefrom sphagnicola 



Median region of scutum pale; no black velvety spot, as above 9 



