247 



Family BOLlTOPHIUDAB 



FAMII^Y CHARACTERS 



Larva. — Bolitophila larvae differ from the larvae of Mycetophili- 

 dae in having 2-jointed, well-developed antennae, the head siibqtiad- 

 rate, and the median dorsal sclerite truncated apically, its sides on 

 posterior half being little or not at all convergent posteriorly. From 

 the larvae of Platyiiridae it differs in having well-developed abdom- 

 inal spiracles and the abdomen without conspicuous transverse ele- 

 vated ridges. 



The pupa is unknown to me. 



Imago. — Differs from Mycetophilidae in having the radius with 3 

 branches and in the presence of the medio-cubital cross-vein, from 

 Platyuridae in its distinct medio-cubital vein, and from other families 

 as indicated under the heading "Notes on Family". The species are 

 generally more fragile than Platyuridae and allied families. 



HABITS OF LARVAE 



The larvae are mycetophagous, feeding upon fungi growing upon 

 trees, under logs, or in dense woods or in fields. 



HABITS OF IMAGINES 



The imagines are very rare in North America. They are usually 

 found in woods, and particularly along the sides of ditches or streams 

 in wooded localities, from the grass-grown overhanging banks of 

 which they may often be beaten in spring and fall. They hibernate in 

 these situations in Europe, and very probably in this country also. 



NOTES ON FAMILY 



There are but two genera in North America that belong to this 

 family, Bolitophila and Palaeoplatynra. Hesperinus, which has been 

 placed here, possesses only 12 antennal joints and belongs to the Bibi- 

 onidae. Johannsen expressed an opinion to this effect in his paper 

 on the Mycetophilidae*. The subfamily Mycetobiinae of Johannsen's 

 paper is also, I am certain, composed of genera that are not closely 

 allied. Palaeoplatyura ver)^ probably belongs to Bolitophilidae, where 

 I have placed it. while Ditomyia and Symmcrus should form a fam- 

 ily by themselves. Palaeoplatyura is more closely related to Bolitoph- 



*The Fungus-gnats of North America, Pt. I, p. 222. (1910) 



