A SYNOPSIS OF PART OF THF NEOTKOPRWi: CE AXE-FLIES 

 OF THE SITBFAMH.Y LIMNOBIN^. 



By Charles P. Alexander, 



0/ the Entomological Lahoratory of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. 



INTROniCTIOX. 



The present paper is the partial result of the study of some exten- 

 sive collections of tropical American Tipulidse or crane-flies. In this 

 paper the tribes Eriopterini and Limnophilini are included. A 

 second part will include the tribes Limiiobini, Antocliini, and Hexa- 

 tomini, completing tlie Limnobinae, and a third will treat of the 

 Tipulina\ 



In this paper the terra Neotropical is used as synoii^nnous with the 

 Keogsea (in part), of Sclater (IS.'jS) and tlic Dendrogsea of Sclater 

 (1874). It mcludes South America and the adjacent Falkland, 

 South Georgia, Juan Fernandez, and Galapagoes Islands; the West 

 Indies, or Antilles; Central America, Mexico, and the extreme southern 

 portions of Florida and Texas. 



Besides describing all new forms and redescribmg such species as 

 are inadequately handled in previous descriptions, I have thought it 

 might be of some value to future students to include keys to the 

 genera and species of the regional forms. It should be understood, 

 however, that the difficulties in the way of such an attempt are such 

 as to almost discourage one from undertaking it. One must remem- 

 ber that a very considerable number of the species have never been 

 rediscovered smce their original description; many of these descrip- 

 tions are brief, vague, and altogether unsatisfactorj-. Those of 

 Fabricius would be as bad as those of Walker if it were not for the 

 work of Wiedemann, who had access to the Fabrician types. Phii- 

 ippi, who described a large number of Chilean species, was almost 

 unacquainted with the work of European writers on the subject, and 

 as a result committed some grievous errors, such as erecting the 

 genus Plettusa for the well-known Geranomyia (and referring it to the 

 Culicidfe), the genus Idioneura for the well-known and cosmopolitan 

 Helohia; the genus Polymoiia, based on the misconception that the 

 insect possessed sL\ posterior cells, etc. In addition to insufficient 

 descriptions, a serious difficulty exists in the fact that several score of 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vou 44— No. 1966. 

 69077°— Proe.N.M.vol.44— 13 31 481 



