CHARLES W. HOOKER. 93 



Metathorax globular, produced behind into a neck which receives 

 the first abdominal segment; nervellus straight, claws pectinate;* 

 abdomen compressed, slender; base of radius not enlarged, discocu- 

 bital vein arcuate, not appendiculate. 



Brulle gives the following generic description : 



" Wings wholly resembling those of Ophion and Thyreodon. Tha 

 peculiar form of the metathorax will not allow it to be placed with 

 either the one or the other of the two preceding. Ophiopterus has the 

 metathorax globular and terminated by a sort of neck which receives 

 the base of the first segment of the abdomen. The antennae are long, 

 slender, filiform and similar, according to the form and pattern of 

 coloration, to the antennae of most species of Cryptus. Their joints 

 are longer than wide, and the first is quite truncate on the outer side. 

 The legs are very long and slender. The claws of the tarsi are short, 

 the pulvillus is quite small. As in Ophiott the clypeus is without a 

 projection or tooth in the middle. The mandibles are very narrow. 



" The abdomen is long and compressed or sharp edged (tranchant) 

 beginning at the third segment ; segments one and two are narrow. 



" The ovipositor of the female is of medium length." 



Generic type. — O. coarctatus ^x . , 9 (monotypical). Loca- 

 tion unknown. 



This genus was erected by Brulle for a single species from 

 South America. Since that time four others have been de- 

 scribed, one by Cresson and three by Cameron. In 1900 

 Ashmead tried to improve the generic name by adding an on, 

 Ophionopterus, but this emendation can not be accepted. — 

 International Code, Art. 19. 



A distinct genus, easily recognized by its globular meta- 

 thorax produced into a neck behind, and its straight nervel- 

 lus. The venation of the anterior wing closely resembles 

 that of Thyreodon and Athyreodon, but the straight nervellus 



* Dr. Ashmead states (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 1206, pp. 86, 87, 

 Vol. XXIII, 1901), that the claws are not pectinate, but none of the de- 

 scriptions of the genus or tribe mention this character, and I can not 

 learn of the source upon which he drew for such a statement. I have 

 seen only one species — O. ferrugineus — but the cotype and four speci- 

 mens have pectinate claws. As pectinate claws are present in all 

 genera but one in the tribe — Retanisia — and this may prove to be- 

 long elsewhere, I do not see how Dr. Ashmead's statement can be 

 accepted without further evidence. Szepligeti evidently accepts this, 

 however. 



TRANS. AM. KNT. SOC, XXXVIII. 



