Mintho. 549 



Geographical distribution: — Eiirope; towards the north to 

 middle Sweden, and in Finland. 



137. Mintho R. D. 



Somewhat large, elongate species, black with red side spots on 

 abdomen and silvery pruinosity. Head a little broader than thorax, 

 somewhat convex behind and puffed out below, considerably higher 

 than long. Frons broad and about equal in both sexes, only slightly 

 protruding. Jowls about one third of the height of the eye. No ocellar 

 bristles, but in both sexes inner and outer vertical and in female 

 two orbital bristles. Postocellar and occipital bristles small. Behind 

 postocular bristles only some few black hairs above. Frontal bristles 

 reaching to middle of second antennal joint, the uppermost directed 

 outwards in both sexes. Cheeks bare. Vibrissæ a little ascending. 

 Eyes bare. Epistoma somewhat retreating, slightly reflected below. 

 Proboscis short. Palpi thread-like. Antennæ inserted at middle of the 

 eye or a little below, third joint fully twice as long as second; arista 

 short-hairy, second joint short. Thorax rectangular; three post- 

 sutural dorsocentrals and only one præsutural pair of acrostichals ; 

 no præsutural intraalar bristle and only two postsutural; one post- 

 humeral bristle. Scutellum with three marginal bristles on each side, 

 the apical crossing. Three sternopleural bristles (in the Danish species). 

 Pteropleura above with a bundle of hairs and a couple of small bristles. 

 Abdomen elongated, tapering behind and somewhat compressed, so 

 that it is higher than broad; excavation on second segment not 

 reaching hind margin; there are discai and marginal bristles, on 

 second segment a pair of marginal. Legs long with specially long tarsi; 

 front tarsi robust and a little compressed, except the two apical 

 joints; claws and pulvilli very small in both sexes. Wings with first 

 posterior cell closed and generally short-petiolate, ending a little 

 before apex of wing; discai angle rectangular, with a veinlet; cubital 

 vem with bristles to near medial cross-vein; a costal spine (in the 

 Danish species). 



Only for one species, the non Danish praeceps, Polia polymita 

 is recorded as host. 



Of the genus about 5 palæarctic species are recorded, all, except 

 the one occurring in Denmark, of southern occurrence; a couple of 

 them are probably synonyms. 



