988 CHARLES PAUL ALEXANDER 



of decaying trees. The larvae are much closer to Ctenophora than to 

 Tanyptera, the skin being tough and opaque, with a fine pubescence, and 

 the spiracular disk consisting of small but distinct lobes. The pupae like- 

 wise are similar to those of Ctenophora, having the pronotal breathing 

 horns elongate, five spines on abdominal sternites 3 to 6, and four spines on 

 tergites 2 to 7. 



Genus Tanyptera Latreille (Gr. extend 4- wing) 



1805 Tanyptera Latr. Hist. Nat. Crust, et Ins., vol. 14, p. 286. 

 1832 Xiphura Brulle". Ann. Soc. Ent. France, vol. 1, p. 206. 



Larva. Integument very thin, with numerous setae, those on dorsum very small. 

 Spiracular disk with lobes practically lacking. Spiracles large, lying exposed on the face of 

 last segment. Anal gills bluntly rounded. Mandible small, with one dorsal and one ventral 

 tooth. Antenna cylindrical, capped with an apical cone. Mentum with seven to nine 

 teeth. 



Pupa. Cephalic crest lacking. Sheaths of maxillary palpi not recurved at tips. Pronotal 

 breathing horns large, broadly flattened, margin deeply crenulated. Mesonotum with two 

 blunt tubercles. Abdominal segments with six to ten spines on tergites, three to five spines 

 on sternites. 



Tanyptera is a small genus including about twelve nominal species 

 whose limits and relationships are still but little understood. The imma- 

 ture stages are spent in the decayed or partly decayed wood of various 

 deciduous trees. 



In Europe, Tanyptera atrata (Linn.), the genotype, was found by Ferris 

 (1840) and by De Rossi (1882) in decaying alder (Alnus) stems. Nord- 

 linger (1848) found the same species in linden (Tilia) and in poplar 

 (Populus). It has also been taken in oak (Quercus), beech (Fagus), 

 birch (Betula), and other hardwood species. Gerbig (1913) discussed the 

 variety ruficornis Meig. under the name Ctenophora flavicornis. 



In America, Malloch (1915-17 b: 194-195) describes T. fumipennis 

 (O. S.) from a much-decayed chestnut log (Castanea), and later (1919) 

 in basswood (Tilia), where the species was associated with larvae of 

 Xylota fraudulosa Loew and Chalcomyia aerea (Loew), of the family 

 Syrphidae. Tanyptera frontalis, discussed below, was found in red maple 

 (Acer). 



Tanyptera frontalis (0. S.) 



1864 Ctenophora frontalis O. S. Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila, vol. 3, p. 48. 



