XXIV. DESCRIPTION OF A MINUTE 



HYMENOPTEROUS INSECT FROM 



CALCUTTA. 



By N. AnnandaIvE, D.Sc, Superintendent, Indian Museum. 



On August 25th while I was examining some microscopic 

 specimens in oil of cloves, a minute insect appeared in the field of 

 vision, having fallen into the oil as minute insects often do. An 

 examination showed that this little animal, which is perhaps the 

 smallest insect yet known, belonged to the famil}' M^^rmaridse 

 and was related to the species described and figured by West- 

 wood * as Alaptus excisus.' I have therefore ventured to describe 

 it as the type of a new species of the same genus, for it is unlikely 

 that it will be discovered by any professed student of the 

 Hymenoptera, or, indeed, by anyone not engaged in microscopi- 

 cal work in India. 



Alaptus magnanimus , sp. no v. (Plate xxiii.) 



Size very minute (length 0'2i mm. ; expanse, including wing 

 fringe, 0*85 m.vn..). 



Head viewed from above short and broad, the anterior margin 

 appearing truncate owing to the fact that the anterior face is ver- 

 tical; viewed from in front deep. Antennae minutely hairy, with 

 nine joints (in the &)■, the basal joint subcyHndrical, tapering 

 slightly at the tip, bending upwards and outwards from its point 

 of origin, which is situated far forward on the head ; second joint 

 much shorter, pear-shaped, with the narrow end proximal ; third 

 and fourth. joints subcyHndrical, the latter much the shortest in the 

 antenna ; the other joints (fifth to ninth) pear-shaped, narrower at the 

 base than at the tip, gradually increasing in size. Eyes large, elon- 

 gately oval, separated by more than their own transverse diameter, 

 curved when viewed from the side. Three ocelli, one close to the 

 inner margin of each eye and one in the middle of the vertex ; a 

 minute bristle in front of each of the lateral ocelli. (The mouth 

 parts are not visible in the t5q3e.) 



Thorax. — Pronotum transverse, angulate, almost linear, pro- 

 duced at either side and bearing at the tip of the projection a 

 bunch of minute hairs Mesothorax much longer, transversely 

 lozenge-shaped but with the posterior angle replaced by a broad 

 concavity. Scutellum narrow, especially in front ; the anterior 

 margin depressedly convex forwards ; a single bristle on either 



I Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond., Zool. (2), vol. i, p. 586, pi. Ixxiii. figs. 10, li (1879)- 



