DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW TACHINIDAE. 



By Ciiarlks H. T. Townsend. 



The following are descriptions of new forms of Tachinidae 

 that have been studied during the seasons of igo8 and 1909, 

 embracing some material handled at the Gipsy Moth Laboratory 

 in Massachusetts. 



Phasmophaga gen. nov. 



Front long and very prominent in profile in both sexes. 

 Front in female about as wide as both eyes, wider in male owing 

 to the great antennal development in that sex; front and face 

 nearly equal in width; two to three proclinate orbital bristles 

 on each side in both sexes, the middle one of the three usually 

 atrophied. Ocellar bristles strong, outwardly proclinate. Fa- 

 cialia ciliate half way up, especially ridge-like and pronounced 

 in male. Frontal bristles descending to insertion of arista in 

 female, but the arista is inserted higher in the male. No trace 

 of median carina on facial plate. 



Antennae and arista concolorous, wholly orange-yellow; arista 

 thickened its w^hole length, a little over half to nearly two-thirds 

 as long as third antennal joint in male, in female more pointed 

 and fully as long as third antennal joint, basal joints stout and 

 as long as wide. Eyes bare. Facial plate very deeply depressed 

 in male to hold the greatly developed third antennal joint, which 

 extends almost from plane of front to vibrissae; third antennal 

 joint in female much more slender and extending less than three- 

 fourths way to vibrissae. Second antennal joint very short in 

 both sexes. Vibrissal angles on level with oral margin. Vibris- 

 sae strong and decussate. Facialia especially bowed in profile 

 in male, the vibrissae inserted on under side of head. Para- 

 facials narrower in male than in female. Palpi well developed, 

 club-shaped. Proboscis short and fleshy. Two sternopleural 

 and three postsutural bristles. Apical scutellar bristles delicate 

 but long and decussate. Discal bristles of abdomen present in 

 both sexes. Hind tibiae with irregular bristles. Apical cell 

 very short-petiolate or moderately so, ending well before wing 

 apex. Fourth vein bent at a wide angle, hind cross- vein irregu- 

 larly bowed or straight, in middle between bend and small cross- 

 vein. 



Reproductive habit, leaf-oviposition. Type, P. antennalis, n. 

 sp. 



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