PSYCHE 



VOL. XXIX. JUNE 1922 No. 3 



THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF CRYPTOLUCILIA 

 BRAUER AND BERGENSTAMM {PSEUDOPYRELLIA 

 GIRSCHNER) (DIPTERA, ANTHOMYID.E). 



By J. Bequaert. 



Some time ago I sent to the eminent French dipterist, Dr. 

 J. Villeneuve, a series of specimens of the common bhie-green 

 anthomyid fly which is passing in this country under the name 

 '' PseudopyreUia cornicina." Dr. Villeneuve called my attention 

 to the fact that these specimens were not true cornicina but 

 belonged to a related species, ccesarion (Meigen). On taking the 

 matter up with Dr. J. M. Aldrich and Mr. C. W. Johnson, and on 

 examining a number of public and private collections, it becomes 

 apparent that these two species are generally confused here. 

 Aldrich (Cat. North American Dipt., 1905, p. 524), for instance, 

 treats cornicina and ca;sarion as synonyms. It seems useful 

 therefore to point out the main differences between them, so as 

 to facilitate their identification by local entomologists. 



As indicated by Stein (Arch. f. Naturg., 83, Abt. A, Heft 1, 

 1919, p. 105), the name Cryptolucilia Brauer and Bergenstamm 

 (Denkschr. Ak. Wiss. Wien, 60, 1893, pp. 179 and 206; type: 

 C. asiatica Brauer and Bergenstamm = Musca ccesarion Meigen 

 according to Stein) has priority over Pseudopyrellia Girschner 

 (Berlin. Entom. Zeitschr., 38, (1893) 1894, p. 306), since Girsch- 

 ner's paper was not issued until January 1894. 



The species of Cryptolucilia have long been placed among 

 Lucilia, which they resemble in color and general appearance. 

 They are, however, easily separated from the latter genus by the 

 absence of hypopleural bristles and the arrangement 1:2 of the 

 sternopleural bristles. Cryptolucilia therefore belongs to the 

 Anthomydiae as defined by Girschner. 



Of the Nearctic anthomyid genera, Pyrellia and MoreUia 

 alone have a similar metallic blue-green color. Cryptolucilia can 



