FAMILY HIPPOBOSCIDAE 405 



thorax ; wings, when presnt, with veins more or less crowd- 

 ed anteriorly, the weaker ones running outward and back- 

 ward, the cross-veins short and approximated to the base of 

 the wing ; claws large, bidentate or tridentate ; palpi not 

 leaf-like, nor protruding in front of the head , ; . Hippoboscidae. 



Speiser recognizes another family, the Ascodipteridae, which contains 

 the single genus Ascodipteron with three species, A. lophotes, Mont., A. 

 siamense, Speis., and A. phyllorhinae, Adensamer. These flies are all 

 parasitic on bats and are usually found buried in the skin of the host's 

 wing ; they are extremely aberrant forms with unsegmented bodies and 

 without any apparent head. 



FAMILY HIPPOBOSCIDAE 



Leathery flies with relatively large wings closed cross-wise, completely 

 concealing the abdomen. Head flattened ; eyes round or oval, with or 

 without ocelli. Palpi ensheathing the proboscis. Antenna with one joint 

 inserted into a depression and usually armed with spines or long hairs. 

 Thorax flattened and horny, with yellowish spots ; scutellum short and 

 broad; halteres small and often rudimentary. Abdomen sac-like, of 

 leathery consistence ; segmentation indistinct or entinely absent. Legs short 

 and broad, all segments well developed ; tarsi short ; claws strong, and 

 often with one or more spurs. Wings present or absent ; when present 

 the veins are crowded together towards the anterior border, a few weak 

 ones extending obliquely across the wing membrane. 



All the species are parasitic on mammals and birds. They behave 

 in a characteristic manner when disturbed, making short rapid flights, 

 and alighting on some other part of the host, quickly burying themselves 

 in the hair or among the feathers. Several species may be encountered 

 on recently killed game, and on raptorial birds. 



Speiser recognizes the following subfamilies and genera : 



1. SUBFAMILY Hippoboscidae in which the wing 



OTFFRSTTNAF ' s we ^ developed, anc * tne ana ' 



cell is absent ; the pronotum is 

 visible from above ; ocelli are 

 absent. Genera : Ortholfcr- 

 sia, Olfersia, Lynch ia, Icosta 

 and Pscudolfcrsia. 



The important genera may be recognized with the aid of the following 

 key : 



1. Wings lanceolate, rounded at the tip ; scutellum truncate . Lynchia. 



Win&s of qsual shape ; scutellum not truncate ...,,, 2 



