384 CHARLES T. BRUES. 



METOPINA. 



Mac-quart, Hist. Nat. des Dipt., ii, 666 (1835). 



Strobl, Funde am Seitenst. (1880) (Drepnnophora). 



Six, Tidschr. voor Entomol., xxi, 126 (1879j (Leptophora). 



Becker, Monograph Phoridse, 83 (1901). 



Wings with the third vein simple, not bifurcate; front with not 

 more than two transverse rows of four bristles above; lower rows 

 with only two in each row; anterior bristles proclinate. Legs 

 without any bristles or stout hairs, tibial spurs obsolete; femora 

 rather slender. Dorsocentral bristles sometimes absent. Antenna? 

 placed in a deep cavity ; spherical, with an apical arista. Eyes 

 more or less hairy. Pulvilli reduced or wanting. Ovipositor of 

 female not heavily chitinized. 



This genus, first described by Macquart, was based upon Phora 

 galeata Halidy. The type species has recently been described care- 

 fully by Mik (Verb. d. kk. Zool-Bot. Ges., 1880). It is represented 

 in North America only by the following species. 



Metopina pachycondylae sp. nov. 



Female. Length 2 mm. Black, antennae and legs yellowish brown. Front 

 black, not shining, almost inipunetured, distinctly wider than long, with two 

 rows of transverse bristles, besides the four proclinate ones, and a series of five 

 on each side next to the anteunal cavity. Antennse yellowish ; second joint 

 spherical ; arista apical, very slightly pubescent. Ocelli very large. Palpi yellow, 

 bristly near the tips only. Cheeks with two forwardly directed bristles. Thorax 

 dull black, finely black pubescent, dorsocentral bristles wanting, scutellum with 

 two marginal bristles. Abdomen blackish or brownish; pleurae fuscous, varied 

 with yellowish. Coxae and legs yellowish brown ; slender, without bristles and 

 almost bare. Wings clear hyaline, heavy veins fuscous, light ones yellow, third 

 vein ending in a sharp curve before the middle of the wing; costa with very fine 

 and delicate bristles; first vein ending nearly twice as far from the humeral vein 

 as from the tip of the third ; fourth vein nearly straight, following veins feebly 

 curved, seventh vein distinct. Halteres yellow. 



Described from one of several specimens, reared by Dr. William 

 M. Wheeler at Austin, Texas, in November, 1901. The larva? live 

 as commensals with the larva? of the ant Pachycondyla harpax Fabr. 



This form agrees with Becker's characterization of the genus Me- 

 topina in most repects and no doubt belongs here. The only great 

 disagreement is in the form of the fifth, sixth and seventh veins in 

 the wing. It agrees in the form of the antenna?, palpi, heavy wing 

 veins, arrangement of frontal seta? and bare legs. 



