692 



ASILID^ 



LAPHRINiE. 



FiQ. 363. — Laphria marginata i. X 6, 



Marginal cell clos3d but not blunt at its end (fig. 363). 

 joint without a terminal arista (fig. 368). 



Third antennal 



Face usually bearing pubescence or bristles all over even to the eyemargins and 

 the base of the antennae. Eyes flattened on the front part in both sexes and with 

 the facets on that part very much enlarged. Antennae normally with no style or 

 arista, but sometimes with a rudimentary or short and blunt style. 



Thorax usually densely or moderately pubescent and often without distinct 

 bristles. 



Abdomen often without bristles or even bristly hairs. 



Legs often without strong bristles or Avith small and indistinct bristles hidden 

 in dense pubescence ; the usual apical circlets of bristles on the tibiae and on the 

 four basal joints of the tarsi often small and inconspicuous. 



Wings with the marginal cell pointed and distinctly closed through the radial 

 vein joining the long subcostal at an almost equal angle, i.e., tlie radial does not 

 turn up rather abruptly and join the end of the comparatively short subcostal 

 vein as in fig. 343 ; first posterior cell often very long and narrow, and not 

 unfrequently narrowed or even closed before the wingmargin ^ fourth posterior and 

 anal cells closed in all known Palaearctic species. Squamae with only slight fringes. 



It will be observed that almost all the characters are indefinite and that 

 in fact only the diagnostic characters are definite, while even these are not 

 very precise. Originally the characters of 



" Marginal cell closed. Antennae without a style or arista " 



were supposed to differentiate all Laphrince, but it now usually admitted 

 that certain genera such as Laphystia and its allies may have the 

 marginal cell closed close to the foremargin of the wing, i.e., the point 

 of junction so close to the end of the subcostal vein that it is difficult in 

 some cases to determine whether there is a junction or not, and yet 



