12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 77 



The types of Cephalonomia kiefferi Fouts agree in every way with 

 the types of tarsalis. 



G ephalonoinia tarsalis is apparently the commonest species of 

 Bethylidae to be found attacking stored-product insects in America. 

 Specimens are in the collection from Saticoy and Fresno, Calif. ; 

 Wellington, Kans. ; Agricultural College, Michigan ; Vienna, Va. ; 

 and Washington, D. C. Oryzaephilus surinamensis Linneaus and 

 Sitophilus oryzae Linneaus are the only species named as hosts in 

 this material. 



RHABDEPYRIS ZEAE Waterston 



In February, 1929, J, J. Davis, of Purdue University, sent to the 

 Bureau of Entomology for identification four females and three 

 males of a bethylid which he stated were probably parasites of 

 Triboliwm confusuin Duval and which had been taken at Lafayette, 

 Tnd., February 10, 1929, by L. F. Steiner. The writer identified 

 these specimens at that time as '■^Rhabdefyris sp. (possibly a new 

 species)." More recently a female of the same insect was received 

 from T. H. Frison, of the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural His- 

 tory, with the information that it was reared from Triboliimi con- 

 fusum at Lafayette, Ind. Five males of the same species have also 

 been received from the Louisiana Experiment Station, said to have 

 been reared from stored-corn insects at Baton Rouge, La., Novem- 

 ber 12, 1928, by C. O. Hopkins. After a careful comparison of this 

 series of specimens with Waterston's description and figures the 

 conclusion was reached that they did not represent a new species 

 but that they were Rhahdefyris zeae Waterston. Specimens were 

 sent to Dr. James Waterston, of the British Museum, for compari- 

 son with the type, and he has confirmed the identification. 



This species has not hitherto been recorded from America. It 

 was originally described'^ from a single female specimen taken at 

 Liverpool, England, in a shipment of maize from West Africa. 

 The sample of grain was said to have been infested by Calandra 

 oryza Linnaeus, Tribolium castaneum Herbst, and Laemoflilaeus 

 ferrugineus Stephens, and Waterston expressed the opinion that the 

 first-named species was almost certainly the host of Rhabdepyris 

 zeae. It appears probable that the species may be found to attack 

 several of the coleopterous pests of stored corn. 



■^Repts. Grain Pests (War) Committee, Roy. See. Lond., No. 9, 1921, p. 27, figs. 14 

 and 15. 



U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTINS OFFICE; I9S<J 



