A REVISION OF THE GENUS LEPTOCONOPS, SKUSE. 3 



Comparisons of the genotype species of Leptoconops {L. stygiiis), Tersest hes {T. 

 torrens) and Mycterotypus {M. hezzii) have shown definitely that all are congeneric, 

 and therefore the last two generic names must sink under Leptoconops. The value 

 and nature of the various characters upon which the separation of these genera was 

 based will be discussed later in connection with the external morphology. 



In a supplement to his 1918 paper Kieffer divided Leptoconops into three genera 

 as follows : — 



"1. Antennes de la $ composees de 12 articles ; crochets tarsaux simple, egaux, 

 petits ; type : kerteszi, Kieff. (Region palearctique). 



Genre Holoconops, n.g. 

 Antennes de la 9 composees de 13 articles 2, 



" 2. Crochets tarsaux de la $ bifides, les 2 rameaux inegaux (Indes orientales). 



Genre Schizoconops, n.g. 



Crochets tarsaux de la $ simple, inegaux au tarse anterieur, egaux au 

 tarse posterieur (Australie). Genre Leptoconops, Skuse." 



This classification cannot be maintained for two reasons : first, the two types of 

 differential characters used are not of the same value and are neither of them sufficient 

 for purposes of generic separation, and, secondly, the description of the claws of 

 Leptoconops (with type L. sty gins) is erroneous. Holoconops may be retained with 

 advantage as a subgenus by reason of the antennal structure of the females, Lepto- 

 conops, in the restricted sense, being reserved for those species with the full comple- 

 ment of segments. Leptoconops {sens, str.) can, if necessary, be further separated 

 into two groups on the structure of the claws ; but even if such groups be worthy of 

 subgeneric rank, the name Schizoconops cannot be employed, since the genotype of 

 Mycterotypus {M. bezzii was the first species described by Noe) possesses toothed 

 claws, thus giving the latter name priority. 



In 1915 de ^Meijere described a species {L. albiventris) from New Guinea which 

 differed from all other Leptoconops in the structure of the ovipositor. The discovery 

 of an African species possessing a similar ovipositor, and the fact that in both species 

 this character is supported by others not present in Leptoconops, appear to justify 

 the erection of a new genus ; this is described on p. 24 under the name Acanthoconops. 



Distribution. 



The members of the genus Leptoconops {sens, lat.) are widely distributed, but so 

 far as is known are confined to countries lying approximately between the parallels of 

 latitude 40° North and 35° South. Representatives occur in Italy, Sardinia, Asia 

 Minor, Bengal, Siam, Northern, Central and South-West Africa, United States of 

 America, Cuba, Brazil and x\ustralia. The two species of Acanthoconops are found in 

 New Guinea and Zanzibar. 



Biology. 



Nothing is known of the life-histories or early stages of these flies, and compara- 

 tively little concerning the habits of the adults. In fact, the only species which have 

 been studied in any detail are L. hezzii and L. irritans, both of which were investigated 

 by Noe (1905 and 1907) in the Roman Campagna ; and to a less extent L. kerteszi 

 {Mycterotypus lanrae), observations on which have been recorded by Weiss (1912) and 

 Langeron (1913). Certain authors (Noe, Lutz, and, according to Weiss, Bezzi) have 

 suggested, in view of the greatly developed ovipositor, that the eggs are not deposited 

 superficially, and that the larvae are terrestrial, living among the roots of grasses, etc. 

 Noe, indeed, excluded water as the larval habitat, since he failed to rear either of the 

 Italian species from various aquatic larvae collected during his investigations, even 

 although adults of both flies were present in enormous numbers at the time ; and be- 

 cause both species appeared and subsequently increased greatly in numbers at a period 

 (2416) A 2 



