TWO NEW ETHIOPIAN LONCHAEIDAE. 253 



In the same year I described two species bred in the Philippines by Prof. C. F. Baker ; 

 one of them, L. citricola, Bezzi, from Citrus fruits infested by Monacrostichus citri- 

 cola, Bezzi ; the other, L. ficiperda, Bezzi, from fruits of Ficus megacarpa, Merril. 



In the Mediterranean Region there is a common species, L. aristella, Beck., which 

 attacks the inflorescences and fruits of Ficus carica, causing serious damage ; it 

 was first recorded by Prof. Savastano* and was the subject of the above-quoted 

 important paper by Prof. Silvestri. The species is a primary parasite of the fig, 

 and causes the failure of the inflorescences ; the maggots feed on the flowers, the 

 tissues of the receptacle and on the true fruits. There is here no connection with 

 species of Trypaneids, as seems also to be the case with the Philippine species. 

 Prof. Silvestri has even observed that inflorescences well infested by the Hymenop- 

 terous parasite, Blastophaga, are not damaged by the Lonchaea, the larvae of which 

 are killed by the pressure produced by the inflated flowers. In some figs infestation 

 by Ceratitis capitata has been observed, but the attacks of Lonchaea seem to be inde- 

 pendent of this. It is interesting to note that, as the infestation of certain fruits 

 by fruit-flies causes the intervention of the Lonchaea, so the infestation of figs by 

 L. aristella causes the intervention of another fly on the decaying parts, namely, 

 Drosophila melanogaster, Meig. (ampelophila, Loew). 



It must be recorded finally that Quaylef has bred Lonchaea aurea, Macq. 

 (splendida, Loew) in Sicily from decayed oranges and lemons infested by Ceratitis 

 capitata. 



A special case, which perhaps may be referred to the carpophilous series, is that 

 observed in Java by Roepke and reported by Prof. De Meijere (Tijdschr. Ent., lx, 

 1918, p. 357) ; it concerns Lonchaea gibbosa, De Meij., the larvae of which five in the 

 large flesh)*' flowers of a leguminous plant, Sesbania grandiflora, causing their 

 destruction. The adult fly has a plumose arista, like the fruit-inhabiting species. 



To these special fines of evolution in the ethological habits of Lonchaea must 

 certainly correspond a morphological differentiation in the adult flies (and without 

 doubt in the larvae also). It seems that at least the three following cases may be 

 recognised : 



1. The saprophagous species living in decaying vegetable matter or in excrement, 

 and those apparently parasitic on various parts of vegetables. They have a bare 

 or only microscopically pubescent arista ; rather long antennae, which reach at 

 least to the middle of the face ; and well developed chaetotaxy. They form the 

 typical genus Lonchaea, s. str. 



2. The gall-making species, which have a bare arista ; very short antennae, not 

 reaching the middle of the face ; and an inflated head, with less developed chaetotaxy. 

 They must form the genus Dasyops, Rond. 



3. The fruit-inhabitating species, which have a more or less plumose arista 

 (with the exception of L. aurea) ; very long antennae, reaching or even extending 

 below the mouth-border ; and a much developed chaetotaxy. These species are 

 chiefly tropical or subtropical, and will require the formation of a new genus for 



* B. Staz. Sper. Agrumic. Fruttie. Aoireale, Boll. No. 17, 1915, 4 pp. 

 Ann. R. Staz. Agrumic. Fruttic. Aoirealo, iv, 1917, pp. 113-140, pi. iv-v. 

 t Citrus fruit insects in the Mediterranean Countries. — U.S. Dept. Agric., Bull No. 134, 

 Washington, D.C., 1914. 



