274 Orthorrhapha brachycera. 



metaepimera have hairs at the margin ^ Abdomen in the male wlth 

 six visible segments above, five below. Hypopygium small and 

 roundish; it is imbedded and its appendages generally not to be seen; 

 ihere are {pumilus) short, stubby ventral lobes, and narrow, some- 

 what lamelliform, hairy outer lamellæ; the penis is long and has a 

 strong double curvature in the middle. In the female the abdomen 

 has five visible segments. Dot-like impressions are present on some 

 of the segments though slightly obvious, most in the females. The 

 abdominal segments have only short hindmarginal bristles, longer on 

 the first segment. Legs not specially long; in the males sometimes 

 some tarsal joints are more or less dilated. The legs have the coxæ 

 and femora only short-haired, the middle coxæ have a bristle on the 

 anterior side and the hind coxæ one on the outside; in the males 

 there are often special bristles or spines belov^ the anterior femora 

 or on the hind tarsi; posterior femora with preapical bristles; hind 

 metatarsus about of the length of the second joint, without bristles above. 

 Wings a little narrower than in Porphyrops, sometimes narrow^ed 

 tovi^ards the base, especially in the male, and then without axillary 

 lobe; the mediastinal vein terminating in the subcostal vein, the discai 

 vein with a very slight or almost imperceptible bend; the cross-vein 

 placed about in or somewhat behind the middle. The discai vein 

 has a convexity near the cross-vein. Squamulæ with a small but 

 distinct angulary lobe with a long fringe, the inner part of the squamulæ 

 with longish hairs. 



The chief character of the genus is the shape of the second an- 

 tennal joint; for the rest it is distinguished from Porphyrops by the 

 more globular head, the longer antennæ in the male the third joint 

 of which is much more hairy, the short arista, the lower part of 

 occiput being without dense hairs; further by the short-haired femora 

 and coxæ, the hind coxæ with a bristle, and the small and hidden 

 hypopygium ; the wings are a little narrower and the bend of the 

 discai vein very slight or almost wanting. In the female the protruding 

 lower part of epistoma is characteristic. 



The developmental stages are not known. 



The species of Syntormon occur in grass and low herbage in 

 fens and on humid meadows, especially at the horders of pools and 



* As mentioned under Eutarsus this genus has also hairs on pteropleura and 

 metaepimera, which is otherwise not the case in the Dolichopodids; it is possible 

 that Eutars7if< has its natural place near Syntormon, it seems in several respects 

 nearly aUied to this genus, perhaps especially to pallij)es; also the struclure 

 of the second antennal joint in Eutarsus is rather like the appearance in 

 Syntormon. 



