938 CHARLES PAUL ALEXANDER 



Genus Qonomyia Meigen (Gr. angle + fly) 



1818 Gonomyia Meig. Syst. Beschr. Zweifl. Ins., vol. 1, p. 146. 

 1850 Taphrosia Rond. Dipt. Ital. Prodr., vol. 1, p. 182. 

 1869 Goniomyia O. S. Mon. Dipt. N. Amer., part 4, p. 176. 



Larva. Form elongate, terete. Spiracular disk surrounded by five blunt lobes which are 

 heavily marked with brown, in some species (G. alexanderi) the brown suffusing the disk 

 between the spiracles. Head capsule of eriopterine type. Mandible with lateral teeth 

 slender, flattened. Antenna with apical papilla elongate-oval. Mentum not chitinized. 



Pupa.- Cephalic crest blunt, the surface with minute roughenings. Pronotal breathing 

 horns flattened, fanlike (G. sulphurella) , or short, trumpet-shaped. Mesonotum declivitous, 

 at crest with an interrupted transverse row of six to eight tubercles which are densely beset 

 with sharp black spicules. Wing sheaths attaining base of third abdominal segment. Leg 

 sheaths moderately elongated, reaching base of fourth abdominal segment; tips of middle 

 tarsi ending a short distance before apices of other tarsi. Armature of abdominal segments 

 weak. Lateral spiracles distinct, tubular. Five blunt, fleshy lobes on dorsum of eighth 

 abdominal segment. 



Gonomyia is a largo and diverse genus of small crane-flies (including 

 more than one hundred known species) described from all parts of the 

 world. They are divided into four recent subgenera, of which three 

 Gonomyia Meig., Progonomyia (new name for Gonomyella Alex., pre- 

 occupied), and Leiporieura Skuse occur in the Nearctic fauna. 



The immature stages of the known species are spent in moist sand or 

 earth, usually near water. In Europe, G. tenella Meig. (Beling, 1879:56, 

 mention only) was found in August in damp, sandy earth along the margin 

 of a dried-up brook. 



The writer has found the immature stages of Gonomyia (Leiponeura) 

 alexanderi and G. (G.) kansensis in wet sand near rivers. G. sulphurella 

 and G. subcinerea O. S. occur in muddier and more stagnant conditions 

 near ponds and small streams. 



Not enough larvae arc available for study to require a key at this 

 time. The pupae of the known Nearctic species may be distinguished by 

 the following key: 



1. Pronotal breathing horns narrow at base, expanded distdly into a very flattened, fan- 



like blade with delicate and anastomosing nervures G. sulphurella O. S. (p. 40) 



Pronotal breathing horns not as above, more earlike or trumpet-shaped 2 



2. Pronotal breathing horns massive, trumpet-shaped; literal margin of thorax before 



wing root produced into an angle; male cauda small, elongate, dorsal lobes a little 

 shorter than ventral lobes, with two stout lobes on dorsal side far removed from their 



bass G. alexanderi (Johns.) (p. 939) 



Pronotal breathing horns flattened, earlike or narrowly trumpet-shaped; lateral margins 

 of thorax above wing root broad and blunt; male cauda short, stout, dorsal and ventral 

 lobes subequal in length, the latter closely approximated along median line, the former 

 widely separated, at their base with two acute points G. kansensis Alex. (p. 941) 



