56 MYCETOPHILIDjE. 



Genus CEROPLATUS, Bosc. 



Ceroplatus, Bosc, Act. Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris, i, 1, p. 42 (1792). 

 CerQtelion, Eondani, Dipt. Ital. Prod, i, p. 191 (1856). 



GENOTYPE : Rondani designated Platyura laticornis, Mg., as tire 

 type species. This is now considered synonymous with Cerotelion 

 (Tipula) lineatus, R 



Head small, broadly ovate, flattened in front ; eyes oval, some- 

 times emargiuate at base of antennae. Three ocelli arranged. in 

 a transverse curved line in front. Palpi short, not incurved, three 

 or four-jointed, the 1st joint very small, the following longer, 

 differing with the species. Antennae projecting forward, shorter 

 than head and thorax together, very broad and flat, compressed, 

 strap-like, 16-jointed, basal joints short, apical joint conical or 

 bud-like, the intermediate ones much broader than long. Thorax 

 ovate, highly arched ; scutellum nearly semicircular, metanotum 

 arched. Abdomen of seven segments, cylindrical or somewhat 

 depressed. Legs long, the tibiae with spurs of unequal length, 

 lateral tibial setae absent or very minute. Wings microscopically 

 setulose, shorter than the abdomen, with the base broadly 

 rounded, decumbent. Costa produced beyond lower branch of 

 3rd vein ; auxiliary vein long, ending at about the middle of the 

 wing, subcostal cross-vein quite near base of auxiliary vein ; 1st 

 longitudinal vein long and straight ; 3rd longitudinal originating 

 in a wide sweep, bisinuate, the anterior branch very short, up- 

 right, united to the 1st longitudinal vein near its tip (Ceroplatus 

 s. s.) or to the costa just beyond the tip of the 1st longitudinal 

 (Cerotelion, Bond.). The 4th vein forks soon after quitting the 

 coalesced portion of the 3rd and 4th veins, the branches gently 

 divergent; posterior cross-vein normal in length and position, 

 5th longitudinal widely forked immediately before meeting the 

 anterior cross-vein ; 6th vein long, reaching border of wing, 7th 

 , very short and indistinct. 



Fig. 8. Larva of Ceroplatus. 



Life-history. The larvae live on the underside of tree-fungi 

 protected by the webs that they spin. Ceroplatus sesioides, a 

 European species, is said by Wahlberg to live on Polyporus letulce, 

 and this author states that' both the larva and pupa of this species 

 emit a phosphorescent light, whilst the larva of 0. mastersi, of 

 Australia, is also luminous. 



Range. Europe, Australasia, North and South America ; now 

 recorded from the East for the first time. Johannsen separates 

 Cerotelion from Ceroplatus; in the Kertesz Catalogue they are 

 united under the latter name. 



