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XVIII. On a new African Fig bisect (Blastophaga dyscritiis, 

 sp. n.). By James Waterston, B.D., B.Sc. 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British 

 Museum.) 



[Read December 1st, 1920.] 



In some recent notes on Fig Insects (Trans. Ent. Soc. 

 Lond., 1920, p. 128) I recorded under the name Blasfojjkaga 

 allotriozoonoides Grnd., a single $ from Kabete, B.E. Africa 

 (T. J. Anderson), which, as I remarked at the time, did 

 not quite agree with the description and figures of that 

 species. When the notes referred to were being drawn up it 

 did not seem to me safe to send the shde by post to Portici, 

 but this difficulty has now been removed, and Dr. Grandi 

 after comparing my specimen with B. allotriozoonoides 

 Grnd., and the closely related B. enriquesi Grnd., is definitely 

 of the opinion that the Entebbe example is referable to 

 neither species and should be considered new. Dr. Grandi's 

 two species and that now described form a group whose 

 members are exceedingly closely related, but a detailed 

 comparison of the three shows minute differences all over. 

 While it is possible that additional annectant forms may be 

 discovered (which might give rise to a discussion of the 

 status of members of the group), it seems best to treat the 

 three known forms separately, as they are probably attached 

 to different plants. Unfortunately in none of the three 

 cases is the host fig known. 



Blastophaga dyscritus, sp. n. 

 Head : — Length (depth) and breadth subequal (39 : 40). Lobes of 

 the clypeus distinct. Antenna (fig. 1 a). Scape (2:1) with a well- 

 marked ventral prominence. Pedicel (9:7) flatter along the dorsal 

 edge and more salient medianly ventrally. The seven sensoria- 

 bearing joints of the funicle (reckoning from the base of each to the 

 apex of the lowermost sense organ) are in the following ratio, 31, 34, 

 32, 32, 35, 35, 34, with breadths respectively 26, 26, 29, 31, 33, 30, 20. 

 These breadths have been measured under slight pressure. Sensoria 

 on joints, five to eleven, as follows :— 10, 10, 11, 12-13, 12, 11, 7-8. 

 Mandible (fig. 1 6) massive, its ventral outline less quadrate than in 

 TRANS. ENT, SOC. LOND. 1920. — PARTS III, IV, V. (APR.'21) EE 



