SXEAl'IOaOIDJE. 17 



Family STRATIOMYIDJE. 



Head hemispherical or flattened, rather shoi't, usually about as 

 broad as thorax, generally bare. Eyes contiguous in <$ (occasion- 

 ally very narrowly separated, Sargus, etc.), wide apart in $ ; if 

 hairy in <S , nearly always bare in $ ; sometimes upper facets 

 enlarged in d> , all facets equal in $ ; posterior orbits often very 

 broad aud conspicuous. Irons seldom prominent, but lower part 

 of head forming a conspicuous snout in some genera (Nemoteliis) ; 

 three distinct ocelli. Proboscis usually short and fleshy, some- 

 times rudimentary, occasionally long and thin (Nemotelus), rarely 

 conspicuous ; palpi 1- to 3-jointed, inconspicuous. Antennae 

 porrect, approximate at base, showing, perhaps, greater diversity 

 of form than in any other family of Diptera, 3-jointed ; 3rd joint 

 annulated, forming apparently several (up lo eight) annulations ; 

 an apical style, often a ery large, or an apical or subapical arista 

 often present. 



Thorax generally quadrangular or roughly oblong or oval, more 

 or less pubescent, moderately or considerably arched ; scutellum 

 semicircular or broadened, unarmed or with 2, 4, 6, or 8 spines, 

 occasionally produced into a prominent erect blunt cone or spine 

 (Monacanthomyia, Geratothyrea). A strong spine on each side of 

 thorax in some genera (Ephipjpium, Negritomyia). 



Abdomen of live to seven, sometimes eight, segments ; of very 

 varied shape, globular, much broader than thorax (Pachygastet , 

 Acanthina, Cyphomyia) ; broader and shorter than thorax (JJulena) ; 

 quadrate (Stratiomyia, Odontomyia) ; oblong or oval, and about as 

 long as thorax (Evaza, Tinda, and many others) ; or very elongate, 

 linear, cylindrical, or flattened (Sargus, Hermetia, Stratio- 

 sphecomyia). Genital organs usually inconspicuous. 



Legs normally of moderate length and strength, or rather weak ; 

 destitute of bristles or spines (except for a serration below hind 

 femora in some Xylomxinje) ; generally bare or with pubescence 

 mainly confined to the femora ; tibia? unspurreu, except in 

 XylomyijST^e and some Bebinje. 



Wings generally with the characteristic venation of the family 

 (except XvLOMYiNiE and Behind); auterior veins (subcostal, 1st, 

 2nd, and 3rd longitudinals) crowded together in fore part of wing 

 and the posterior veins very faint, often not reaching wing-margin. 

 In typical genera costa not reaching wing-tip, ambient vein 

 absent ; 3rd vein simple or forked, fork occurring at some distance 

 beyond discal cell, both branches ending in costa before wing-tip ; 

 discal cell always present, lower side often formed of upper branch 

 of 5th vein, in which case posterior cross-vein absent ; anterior 

 cross-vein present, not distally further than middle of discal cell, 

 joining, except in Sargin^, 3rd vein to discal cell. In Clixel- 

 lakiin.e, 2nd vein apparently anastomosed with 3rd or may be 

 considered absent. In Sakgi>le, auterior cross-vein joining 

 praefurca and discal cell, as 2nd vein originates much later thau 



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