XXX. Family PIPUNCULID^. 



Fig. 95. Pipunculus fuscus, enlarged. After Lugger. 



Small, thinly pilose or nearly bare flies with large 

 heads. Head nearly spherical, broader than the thorax, 

 composed chiefly of the large eyes. Eyes of the male 

 approximated closely or contiguous above ; separated by 

 the narrow front in the female. Face narrow. Antennae 

 small, short, three-jointed, the third joint oval, reniform 

 or aculeate, with a dorsal arista. Ocelli present. Pro- 

 boscis small, concealed. Abdomen composed of six or 

 seven segments, small, cylindrical; hypopygium thick- 

 ened, more or less club-shaped; ovipositor usually elon- 

 gate and folded under the abdomen. Legs simple; 

 metatarsi elongate, tarsi broad; tibiae without spurs; 

 pulvilli present. Squamae vestigial. Wings much longer 

 than the abdomen; basal cells large, the anal cell elon- 

 gate, reaching to or nearly to the margin; first posterior 

 cell narrowed in the margin, but never closed; three 

 posterior cells; posterior cross- vein sometimes absent. 



The flies of this small family are commonly met with 

 on flowers or in sweepings, and are readily distinguished 

 by their large, subspherical heads. The larvae are para- 

 sitic, so far as is known. Coheman has reared larvae of 



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