4 Orthorrhapha brachycera. 



if SO we get twelve segments, The mouth parts consist of a labrum, 

 small mandibles and larger maxillæ with a small palpus; there are 

 two-jointed antennæ. On pro- and mesothorax and on the last seg- 

 ment are some long thread-like filaments, in all four pairs, three 

 anterior and one posterior. The larva is amphipneustic with pro- 

 thoracal spiracles, and distant posterior spiracles on last segment. — 

 The pupa lies in the larval skin ; it has small anterior spiracular 

 tubes. At the emerging of the imago the puparium splits with a 

 T-shaped split. 



The place of the Lonchopteridae in the system has been much 

 debated; the earlier authors, Meigen, Macquart and Schiner placed 

 them near Platypeza, Pipunculus and Doliehopus; Fallen and Zetter- 

 stedt thereagainst placed them to the Phytomyzidae. As the develop- 

 mental stages became known they were, on account of the puparium 

 with its T-sliaped split, placed near the Stratiomyids by Lubbock and 

 Brauer. The author who has the best fundament for judging here, 

 is de Meijere; in his monograph over the larva he says, that it 

 forms an interesting intermediate form between the orthorrhaphous and 

 the cyclorrhaphous Diptera; he thinks that it is nearest the latter, and 

 piaces the family as the first of the Cydorrhapha. I take them here, 

 as in the Kat. palåarkt. Dipt., as the last family of the Orthorrhapha. 

 The question cannot at present be solved with certainty, and perhaps 

 they form in reality an intermediate .group. It seems to me that they 

 are rather related to the Dolichopodids and partly to the Empids; the 

 mouth parts of the larva are somewhat similar to those in the Ortho- 

 genya^ the pupa is no real cyclorrhaphous pupa, and the opening of 

 it takes place as in the Orthorrhapha; as to the imagines it was 

 remarked above, that the wings have a venation probably similar to 

 some Empids, and also it is not unlike the venation of the Dolichopodids 

 with its small basal cells, short subcostal vein^ medial cross-vein near 

 the base, short anal cell and convex anal, or in reality probably 

 axillary vein. The agreeing of the hypopygium with that of the 

 Dolichopodids was mentioned above. Also the four posterior cells I 

 find of some importance as pointing towards the Orthorrhapha. Finally 

 the Lonchopterids have (as far as known) no frontal bladder, and 

 judging from the way of opening the puparium such a one is no doubt 

 not present, and likewise no bladder-seam nor lunula. On the other 

 hånd the head is in Lonchoptera more similar to that in the Cydor- 

 rhapha by the bristles, and also the mouth parts are somewhat similar, 

 but there is however a distinct maxillar lacinia. Among the Cydorrhapha 

 the family then would probably come near to the Platypezidae and 

 perhaps especially to the Phoridae (if these belong to the Cydorrhapha); 



