279 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. IV. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW PARASITIC TACHINID 

 FLY FROM CEYLON. 



BY D„ W. COQUILLETT. 



v V » 



COMMUNICATED BY E. E. GREEN, f.e.s. 



Plate No. XVlllyfig. 1. 



Exorista heterusice, x Coquillett, new species. 



$ ? black, the apical two-thirds of the palpi and a spot on sides of the 

 second and third abdominal segments, yellowish. Front in the male two- 

 fifths, in the female three-fifths, as wide as either eye, the sides gray polli- 

 nose, orbital bristles present in the female, wanting in the male, frontal 

 bristles descending to base of third antennal joint, face whitish pollinose 

 vibrissae on a level with the front edge of the oral margin, four or five bristles 

 above each, cheeks one-seventh as broad as the eye-height ; antennae nearly 

 as long as the face, the third joint two and [one-half times as long as the 

 second, arista thickened on the basal third, its penultimate joint scarcely 

 longer than broad, palpi greatly thickened apically. Thorax gray pollinose 

 marked with four black vitt'se ; four postsutural and three sternopleural 

 macrochsetae, but the lowest of the latter sometimes very small ; scutellum 

 bearing four marginal pairs, of which the hindmost pair is cruciate and 

 directed obliquely backward. Abdomen subshining, broadly whitish pollinose 

 on the bases of the last three segments, except a black dorsal vitta, macro- 

 chsetse of the first three segments only marginal. Hind tibiae outwardly 

 ciliate, middle tibiae each bearing a single macrochaeta on the front side near 

 the middle, front pulvilli of male as long as the last tarsal joint. Wings 

 hyaline, slightly gray at the base, third vein bearing two or three bristles 

 at its base, bend of fourth vein destitute of an appendage ; calypteres whitish. 

 Length 6 to 9 mm. One male and three females. Pussellawa, Ceylon. 

 Bred from Helerusia cingala? Moore, by Mr. E. E. Green, F.E.S., Honorary 

 Government Entomologist, Ceylon. 



1 This Tachinid fly is said to have done good service in checking the ravages of the tea 

 pest Heterusia cingala, Moore, in Ceylon. Specimens received from the Pussellawa district, 

 were found to be so thoroughly infested by it that from over one hundred of the caterpillars not 

 more than half a dozen moths were reared by Mr. Green. In some cases as many as ten pupae 

 of the fly were found in the dead cocoons. 



' The caterpillar of this moth periodically occurs in very large numbers, and sometimes 

 completely defoliates the tea bushes over a large acreage in Ceylon (for an illustration of the 

 pest, See Plate XVlttfig. 2.) 



G. I. C. P. 0.— No. P. 291 R. 8t A,— 21-9-99.— D. R.— 25 



