i82 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol.1, 



between the parallels of about 52° north latitude and that of 

 about 25° south latitude. The North American species are con- 

 fined to the Lower Austral faunal region. 



HISTORY OF THE GENUS. 



The genus Alaptus was designated by a MS. note of A. H. 

 Haliday's, published in Westwood's (1840) Synopsis of the Genera 

 of British Insects, p. 79, and Walker's species, minimus, was 

 named as type. The original description of the genus is as fol- 

 lows: "Tarsi pentamerous; antennae d^ lo-jointed, filiform, 

 8- jointed 9 , last joint enlarged." The genus has subsequently 

 been wrongly referred to Walker (1846) who gives a brief synoptic 

 description of it. At this time, I do not believe that any further 

 characteristics of the genus can be given, excepting the following, 

 which may or may not be characteristic of this genus alone: 

 Ocelli three in number, in a triangle on the vertex; antennae in- 

 serted below the middle of the face, unlike in the sexes ; fore wings 

 with very few discal cilia; the posterior margin near base, lobed, 

 excised or dilated; hind wings maculate with dusky, usually 

 smaller than the fore wings and more regular in shape ; vertexal 

 carina present : head about equal in width (dorsal aspect, natural 

 position) to the greatest width of the thorax, the latter subequal 

 to or slightly shorter than the abdomen; hypopygium plow^share- 

 shaped, extending slightly beyond the abdomen; ovipositor not 

 exserted; mandibles acute, scythe-shaped, minute (eriococci). 



Family Mymaridae. 



Subfamily Gonatocerinae. 



Tribe Gonatocerini. 



Genus Alaptus Haliday (Westwood, 1840.) 



(Type — Alaptus minimus Walker.) 



DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 



1. Alaptus minimus Walker. 



Westwood, 1840, p. 79. 



Walker, 1846, p. 51. 



Dalla Torre, 1898, p. 428. 



"1. mimmus. Ferruginosus antennis et pedibus pallidus." 



It is impossible to recognize the species from this descrip- 

 tion, so that from specimens received from Washington, D. C, 

 as hereinafter stated, I have drawn up the following des- 

 cription. The species was designated as the type of the genus in 

 1840, but was not described until six years later. 



