ABT. 14 THE CHALCID-FLY GENUS CALLIMOME HUBEK 3 



find still other species with habits that will tend to connect these two 

 habitus groups which now seem to be more or less widely divergent. 



NOMENCLATURE AND TAXONOMY 



The genus Callimome was erected in 1811 by Spinola. Misocampus 

 Latreille and Torymus Dalman are both isogenotypic with Callimome 

 Spinola.' Syntomaspis Forster has been distinguished from the other 

 genera chiefly by the presence or absence of a transverse cross furrow 

 on the apical portion of the scutellum. In this study the value of 

 the cross furrow has been carefully considered not only as it stands by 

 itself, but also in combination with other characters. My conclu- 

 sion, after having examined over 100 species and several hundred 

 specimens, is that this cross furrow should not be considered as of 

 generic value. 



The cross furrow varies in two different ways: 1. In a series of in- 

 dividuals of the same species it is often found that many specimens 

 have a cross furrow which can be seen very easily, while others of the 

 series seem to have none at all. The character is inconstant even in 

 specimens reared from the same host and quite probably the offspring 

 of the same parents. 2. The character varies in different species. 

 In some it is very marked, while in other it is discernible only at 

 certain angles, due apparently to a difference in the sculpture of the 

 scutellum. 



The genotype of Syntomaspis Forster (Syatoinaspis eurynotus 

 Forster) has a verj^ deep and very distinct cross furrow on the scutel- 

 lum. The genotype of Callimome ( = Torymus) {Ichneumon bedeguaris 

 Linnaeus) also has a very deep and very distinct cross furrow. It is 

 apparent, therefore, that this character can not be used to separate 

 these genera. 



Primarily there are two types of stigmal veins — sessile and peti- 

 oled. (See figs. 1-100.) Attention is called here to the fact that 

 both of the genotypes mentioned above have a petioled stigmal vein. 

 Examination of many individuals of a species indicates that the types 

 of stigmal veins are practically constant. However, if the type of 

 stigmal vein were used as a generic character it would necessitate the 

 erection of a new genus to include those species which have the stig- 

 mal vein sessile. A study of the drawings alone might lead to the 

 conclusion that differences in the stigmal vein are sufficiently distinct 

 to be of generic value. However, in some cases it is not easy to dis- 

 tinguish between a petioled and a subsessile vein, for it is not a long 

 step from a subsessile to a petiolate condition. Furthermore it is not 

 illogical to expect that with the discovery of new species some will be 

 found to bridge this gap. 



' Gahan aud Fagan. Bui'. 124, U. S. Nat. AIus., 1923. pp. 20 and 91. 



