THEREVA. 297 



Tahh of Genera. 



First autenual joiut nearly as long as head . . PiiYCUS, Walk., p. 306. 

 First antennal joint muc-li shorter than head. 

 Face and irons with long dense pubes- 

 cence Thebeva, Latr., p. 297. 



Face bare ; frona bare, or with com- [p. 302. 



paratively short pubescence in J • • • • Psilocephala, Zett., 



Genus THEREVA, Latr. 



Thereva, Latreille, Precis Car. Gen. Ins. p. 167 (1796); id., Hist. 

 Nat. Crust. Ins. iii, p. 441 (1802). 



Genotype, Mmca i^lebeja, L. (Europe). 



Head semicircular, placed closely on thorax ; frons slightly 

 produced towards antennae, densely pubescent in J , shortly so 

 ia $ , a transverse shining black callus present in $ ; face sloping, 

 covered thickly (as is all the lower part of the head) in S with 

 dense pubescence, in $ pubescence much shorter: three ocelli. 

 Proboscis of moderate length, rather upturned, labella large ; 

 palpi cylindrical, thin, pubescent. Eyes bare, contiguous in <S 

 for some distance, wide apart in 5 . Antennae porrect, approxi- 

 mate at base, rather long ; 1st two joints cylindrical, bristly and 

 pubescent; the 2nd short; 3rd narrowed at base, elongate- 

 conical, sometimes indistinctly annulated near base, bare, bearing 

 a short style ending in a minute filament. Thorax oval, densely 

 pubescent in rj , less so in 5 . Three to six presutural, two supra- 

 alar, one postalar. and one or two pairs of prescutellar bristles, 

 all strong and black, but the latter ones liable to variation. 

 Scutfdliiin semicircular, with four marginal bristles; metanotum 

 small, bare. Abdomen conical, longer than thorax, with seven or 

 eight segments in S , the Sth always distinct in 5 , forming basal 

 portion of ovipositor ; pubescence dense and furry in (^ , shorter 

 in $ , and usually adpressed on basal segments. Genitalia not 

 prominent, but ofteu visible ; ovipositor with a circlet of strong 

 black spines. Zgf/.s moderately long, slender ; some black bristles 

 on coxae and anterior femora ; tibiae with row's of small bristles and 

 a circlet of spines at tip. Wlnrjs with normal Therevid venation ; 

 4th posterior cell generally closed or narrowly open. 



liange. AVorld-\\ide, but apparently better represented iu 

 .Europe and North America. 



Life-lustory. Partly known ; larvae very active, occurring in 

 damp eaz'th, under stones, and in similar places ; possibly they 

 feed, at least occasionally, on Lepidopterous larvae. 



Only four species are known for certain from India ; these may 

 be separated as follows ; — 



AnteuMic mainly bright brownish yellow. . keinpi, sp. n., p. 298. 

 Autenna> whoUv black. 



Legy all blackish jiu/fUa, Wied., p. 299. 



