No. 64] DIFTERA OF CONNECTICUT : TAXONOMY 445 



chiefly yellow, conspicuously hairy; femora with brown subterminal 

 rmg. Wings (Fig. 50, A) subhyaline, the veins more or less seamed 

 with darker. Abdomen dark brown, tlie hiteral and caudal margins 

 of the tergites obscure yellow; hypopygiuiu large, yellow. $ . L.'^G-S 

 mm.; w. 8-11 mm. 9. L. 6-7 mm.; w. 6-8 nnn. 



(June-Sept.) Mass., R. I., N. Y., N. J., Md, westw. to Cal., southw. to Fla., 

 Tex. and Mex. (Cosmopolitan). 



Erioptera Meigen 



1803. Erioptera Meigen; Illiger's Mag., 2:262. 



A very extensive genus of small crane-flies, including many of our 

 commonest and best-known species. Chiefly for the sake of conven- 

 ience, the genus is divided into a number of subgenera, of which seven 

 occur within our limits. These groups are based on u.'^ually slight 

 venational features which are sometimes difficult to maintain. The 

 adult flies occur on vegetation near water, the early stages living in 

 moist earth in this same habitat. Besides the subgenera discussed be- 

 low, Edwards has now placed the two preceding genera, Symplecta 

 Meigen and Tnmicrn Osten Sacken, as subgenera in this major genus. 



Key to Subgenera 



1. Wings with cell Rz short, vein Rt shorter than the petiole of cell Rz; vein R^ 



some distance before origin of vein Rz (Fig. 50, B, C) ; antennae {$) 



with very long verticils 2 



Wings with cell Rz deep, vein Rz longer than the petiole of cell R-,: vein 

 7^2 lying distad of origin of vein Rz (Fig. 50, D-H): antenna! verticils 

 not conspicuously lengthened .1 



2. Wings with cell 1st M-z open by atrophy of m with m-cu at fork of M ; 



veins Rz and Ri generally parallel, cell Rz having a normal Erioptera shape 

 but shorter ; at margin, cells R2 and Rz subequal in extent or with Rx 



approximately twice R2. (Fig. 50, B) Erioptera: Empeda 



Wings with cell 1st M2 closed, with m-cti some distance beyond fork of .1/ : 

 veins Rz and Ri strongly diverging, cell Rz having a Goiioniyia-hkc. shape: 

 at margin, cell Rs nearly three times as extensive as cell R2 (Imr. 50. C) 



Erioptera: Gonempeda 



3. Wings with vein 2iid A arcuated, the distal portion being deflected strongly 



cephalad so cell 1st A at midlength is usually as broad as, or broader than, 

 it is at margin ; cell 1st A'h opening into cell Znd Ah by atrophy of vi 



(Fig. 50, D) Erioptera: Erioptera 



Wings with Anal veins diverge;it, cell 1st A being widest at margin; vein 

 2nd A straight or essentially so ; cell 1st Mi closed or open 4 



4. Wings with cell 1st M2 open (Fig. 50, E) 5 



Wings with cell 1st Mo closed, the basal section of Ms greatly exceednig m 



in length (Fig. 50, F-H) ;■■••: « 



5. Wings with cell 1st Ma opening into cell Ms by atrophy of basal section ot 



Mz (Fig. 50, E) Erioptera: Mesocyphona 



Wings witii cell 1st Ah opening into cell 2nd M-, by atrophy of m 



Erioptera: Psiloconopa (part) 



6. Wings with a more or less complete spur from the angulated basal section 



of vein Mz jutting basad, into cell 1st M,, sometimes completely dividing 



the cell (Fig. 50. G) Erioptera: Hoplolab.s 



Wings without such a spur (Fig. 50, F, H) ;•,•■•; • ,' ^ 



7 Wings with cell 1st M2 small (Fig. 50, F) ; coloration of local species pol- 



ished black and yellow Erioptera: Ps.loconopa (part) 



Wings with cell 1st M2 very elongate. ;;/ lymg far distad. the J'st^jl ^^S;'.^" . .. 



of vein Ml., shorter than the cell (Fig. 50, H) Erioptera. Ilisia 



