1881.] 35 



THYEEOPHOEA ANTIPODUM, NEW SPECIES OF DIPTEEA. 

 BY BAROX C. R. OSTEN- SACKED. 



In the Ent. Mo. Mag., yoI. xv, p. 43, 1 had occasion to mention the 

 genus Tliyreophora, in connection with the subject of luminous Diptera. 

 The singular and very rare fly, Tliyreophora cynophila, was believed to 

 have a luminous head. But to the quotations which I gave at that 

 time I should have added that of Robineau-Desvoidy, Ann. Soc. Ent. 

 Er., 1849, Bullet., p. v, who says that his experiments did not confirm 

 Count St. Eargeau's statement on that subject. 



Independently of its supposed luminosity, Tliyreophora is a fly 

 remarkable for its structure. It has a largely developed scutellum, 

 prolonged almost like a horn, truncate at the tip, where two bristles 

 are inserted. Schiner forms for this genus a separate group, inter- 

 mediate between the Scatophagincs and Jlelomyzince. The colour of 

 T.cynophila is also striking and unusual among the relationship to which 

 it belongs, being bright metallic-blue with a reddish-yellow head. The 

 colour of the other species, T.furcata, is more dull. Both flies are 

 rare ; the specimens of T. cynophila existing in European collections 

 can almost be counted. I am not aware that the third species, T. an- 

 thropophaga, R.-Desvoidy, has been recorded anywhere since his time. 



Not long ago, in looking over the store-boxes containing dupli- 

 cates and unnamed specimens, in my friend, M. Bigot's, collection, I 

 had the good fortune to discover two specimens of a Tliyreophora, 

 labelled " Tasmania." "With M. Bigot's permission, I described them 

 on the spot, as the first instance of the genus being found outside of 

 Europe. The species is remarkable for a row of spine-like bristles 

 along the costal margin of the wing, a character foreign to its European 

 congeners, and justifying its assumed relationship to Helomyza. 



TlTYREOPHORA ANTIPODUM, 11. sp. 

 S . Brownish-ferruginous ; antennae and abdomen black ; wings sub-hyaline, 

 unicolorous ; costal margin provided with a series of spine-like bristles (like those 

 of Helomyza). Length, 4 — 5 mm. 



In the generic characters this species agrees with T. cynophila ; the eyes are 

 larger, as compared to the size of the head ; the third joint of the antennas is less 

 rounded, more oblong ; the venation is the same, only the section of the costal vein 

 anterior to the end of the first vein is straight (and not arcuated as in $ T. cynopMla). 

 But a more important difference consists in the row of spine-like bristles inserted 

 along the costa, and resembling those which characterize most Helomyzidce. Head 

 and thorax brownish-ferruginous ; third joint of antennae and ocellar spot black. 

 Scutellum of the same truncate-triangular shape as in T. cynopkila, but less hairy. 

 Abdomen black, hairy, shining. Legs brownish-ferruginous, more or le8s dark (in 

 one of the specimens the hind legs are dark brown with a slight metallic reflection). 

 Tarsi brown at the end. Wings uniformly sub-hyaline ; veins brownish-yellow. 



Sab. : Tasmania ; two male specimens (M. Bigot's collection, in 

 Paris) . 



Heidelberg : June, 1881. 



