SPONGILLA-FLIES — PARFIN AND GURNEY 523 



Genus Rophalis Hagen 



Sisyra {Rophalis) Hagen, 1856, p. 87. 

 Rhopalis Hagen, 1866, p. 459. 

 Rhophalis Kruger, 1923, pp. 52, 83. 

 Sisyra Handlirsch, 1907, p. 908. 



Fossil spongilla-flies. 



Genotype: Sisyra (Rophalis) relicta Hagen in Baltic amber, from 

 the Lower Oligocene, designated by Hagen (1866, p. 459) by elimina- 

 tion (see Hagen, 1854, p. 228; 1856, p. 87, pi. 8, fig. 19; and Hand- 

 lirsch, 1907, p. 908). 



Numerous costal cross-veins before pterostigma; Sc not appearing 

 coalesced with Rl, but running free to margin in both wings; Rs of 

 forewing and hind wing with two main forks far proximal to the ptero- 

 stigma; inner and outer gradate series of cross-veins present in both 

 forewing and hindwing (pi. 3, fig. 5). Maxillary and labial palpi with 

 terminal segment long, narrow, and acute. 



Although Hagen (1856, p. 87) gave no formal diagnosis of Eophalis, 

 he recognized Erichson's unpublished manuscript designation of a 

 new genus and species (relicta) on the labels of specimens from the 

 collection of Berendt and Menge (about 1842, according to Hagen, 

 1866, p. 459). He was apparently the first to publish Erichson's name 

 and drawings, at the same time noting a generic difference from 

 Sisyra, with a description of Erichson's relicta (as Sisyra (Ko2)h^lis) 

 relicta) and a new species amissa (Sisyra (Rophalis) amissa). 



Both Hagen (1856, p. 87) and Ivriiger (1923, pp. 52, 57, 83) con- 

 sidered Erichson's figure of Rophalis relicta (Hagen, 1856, pi. 7, 

 fig. 25) as erroneous. The designation as "Sisyra relicta" is used by 

 Hagen (1856), for plate 8, figure 19. Hagen later (1866, p. 459) 

 emended the spelling of "Rophalis" to "Rhopalis," one of the two 

 spellings for the genus ("Rhopalis," "Rhophalis") which appeared on 

 Erichson's labels, according to Kriiger (1923, pp. 52, 83). Kriiger 

 gave the subgenus generic rank (as "Rhophalis"). 



The placing of a second fossil species, Sisyra (Rophalis) amissa 

 Hagen (1856, p. 87, pi. 8, fig. 20) in this genus by Ki-iiger (1923, p. 57) 

 is questioned by Kruger himself (ibid., p. 84), who was of the opinion 

 that the drawing is of a hindwing. Hagen, in 1856 and 1866, placed 

 this species in Sisyra. 



Because of the destruction of several European collections dm'ing 

 World War II, the specimens seen by Hagen, Kriiger, and Handlirsch 

 are probably no longer available for study, and further recognition of 

 the genus is dependent upon the acquisition of additional specimens. 



