SPONGILLA-FLIES — PARFTN AND C.URNEY 459 



ninth and tenth tergites; tenth sternite moved dorsally to a position 

 posterior to tenth tergite and divided into an anterior transverse plate 

 and a posterior pair of more heavily sclerotized claspers furnished with 

 one or more dentate projections; two small heavily sclerotized para- 

 meres arising caudally below basal plate of tenth sternite, diverging 

 and attached posteriorly to claspers. 



Female genitalia (fig. 14, c): Ninth tergite, the largest, divided in 

 two, each part moved lateroventrally to the tenth tergite and of 

 distinctive shape in the species, usuallj^ sloping posteroventrally to 

 just before articulation point with ninth sternite, where there is a 

 sharper slope; tenth tergite entire, transverse, frequently shorter 

 dorsomedially, with group of trichobothria on each side; ninth 

 sternite divided into two elongate movable upturned parts acute 

 apically, tapering and bent posteriorly just before apex, with small 

 narrow ventral projection, each articulated at base with posterior, 

 more heavily sclerotized ridge of each half of ninth tergite; tenth 

 sternite not yet accounted for and a morphological study is necessary. 



Basal abdominal segments: Second tergite usually appearing as a 

 row of setae; third tergite shorter medially so as to appear almost 

 divided {vicaria, fuscata) or appearing as a row of setae (apicalis, 

 minuta) ; fourth rectangular to oval (Juscata, minuta) or almost 

 divided in two (vicaria, apicalis) ; sixth and seventh larger, more oval 

 than second to fifth. Second and third sternites large, close together, 

 with each half of dark streak beginning in posterolateral corners and 

 running anteriorly to meet near anterior margin (a median dark point 

 near concave anterior margin in apicalis, from which two short streaks 

 diverge) ; third to fifth sternites with transverse streaks almost parallel 

 and closer to anterior margin, streak faint in fifth; sixth and seventh 

 sternites shorter and more narrow; eighth narrowest of sternites; pair 

 of pale spots near posterior margin of second to sixth sternites some- 

 times prominent (vicaria, fuscata) . 



The genus Sisyra is cosmopolitan and 23 named species have been 

 taken and recorded from various regions of the world (table 7). 



Key to the species of Sisyra in the Western Hemisphere 



1. Forewing usually with three radial cross-veins, 5 to 7 mm. long and at least 

 2 mm. wide, membrane appearing more or less uniform light brown in 

 color; basal antennal segment broad (fig. 7,d,e; pi. 1, figs. 2, 3) (vicaria 



group, p. 460) 2 



Forewing usually with two radial cross-veins, smaller, 3-5 mm. long and 

 usually less than 2 mm. wide, membrane sometimes appearing more or less 

 distinctly streaked with brown between longitudinal veins (except in 

 minuta) ; basal antennal segment more slender, elongate (fig. 7,p; pi. 1, figs. 

 1, 4, 5) {apicalis group, p. 471) 3 



