PTEROMALIDAE OF N.W. EUROPE 175 



irregular in shape. Axillae with very fine engraved reticulation. Scutellum about as long as 

 broad, convex ; its reticulation similar to that of the mesoscutum but finer (especially laterally) ; 

 frenum marked off by a strong punctate line, very shiny, with a few irregular longitudinal 

 carinulae between which there is some weak alutaceous sculpture. Dorsellum shiny, nearly 

 smooth. Propodeum about three quarters as long as scutellum ; median area very coarsely 

 rugose, except the nucha which is extremely finely reticulate or nearly smooth ; median carina 

 more or less indicated in the basal half by some of the rugosites ; plicae strong but irregular ; 

 spiracular sulci smooth, crossed by three to four strong costulae ; spiracles oval, slightly less 

 than twice as long as broad. Fore wing with lower surface of costal cell with a complete single 

 or partly double row of hairs and with some additional hairs scattered over the distal third or 

 more, upper surface bare except for a row of hairs extending over about the distal third ; basal 

 vein pilose ; basal cell bare or with a few hairs distally, open below except apically ; speculum 

 closed below ; marginal vein 19 to 2-2 times as long as the stigmal vein ; postmarginal vein 

 1-2 to 1-3 times as long as the marginal ; surface beyond the speculum thickly pilose. Legs 

 rather slender ; spur of mid tibia about half as long as the first tarsal segment. 



Gastral petiole (Text-fig. 138) 1-4 to i-8 times as long as broad, slightly shorter than the 

 propodeum, reaching hardly beyond the tips of the hind coxae, without a transverse carina 

 near its base, mainly finely reticulate but often with some longitudinal wrinkles at base and 

 apex, its sides subparallel. Gaster ovate, slightly shorter than but almost as broad as the thorax, 

 1-5 to i-8 times as long as broad, convex dorsally ; basal tergite occupying about half the total 

 length, its hind margin curved ; second tergite (fourth abdominal) slightly transverse and 

 about two thirds as long as the basal tergite ; last tergite slightly shorter than its basal breadth. 



<J. Differs from the female as follows : 



Mid tibia sometimes with a fuscous subbasal ring. Antennae with scape reaching to middle 

 of median ocellus, its length virtually or quite equal to transverse diameter of eye ; combined 

 length of pedicellus and flagellum nearly twice breadth of head ; pedicellus only i-6 to 1-7 

 times as long as broad and about half as long as the first funicular segment ; flagellum filiform, 

 hardly stouter than the pedicellus ; first funicular segment 2-7 to 3 times, sixth 1-9 to 2 times, 

 as long as broad ; clava not broader than the funicle, 4 to 4-5 times as long as broad, about as 

 long as the two preceding funicular segments together, tapering to a point ; flagellum clothed 

 with hairs which stand out at an angle of 35° to 45 , the length of these hairs slightly less than 

 the breadth of the flagellar segments. 



Gastral petiole slightly longer than the propodeum, 2-4 to 2-6 times as long as broad ; gaster 

 very much shorter than the thorax, bluntly pointed apically. 



Holotype $. England : Surrey, Ash Vale, reared 18. ix. i960 from Agromyza 

 albipennis Mg. on Phalaris arundinacea L. (G. C. D. Griffiths), BM(NH). 



Paratypes. Same data as holotype, males and females, 23. ix. i960, 30. ix. i960, 

 5.X.1960 ; Ireland : Co. Sligo, shore of Lough Gill, 2 $, 23.vi.1959 (A. W.Stelfox). 

 In BM(NH) and author's collection. 



This species closely resembles megapterus Walker, which differs as follows : 



$. Mesoscutum less shiny, the reticulation of its mid lobe strong, distinctly raised above the 

 general surface, its areoles with relatively thick walls and tending to be more subcircular in 

 shape, the reticulation also rather finer than in splendens. Axillae having some of their reticula- 

 tion, at least at the inner angles, slightly raised. Scutellum also less shiny and rather more 

 strongly sculptured. Genae, immediately behind the malar sulcus, not quite smooth but with 

 some very delicate alutaceous sculpture. Temples, in dorsal view of head, rather more strongly 

 convergent. Gastral petiole (Text-fig. 137) as long as or slightly longer than the propodeum, 

 2 to 2-7 times as long as broad, reaching slightly beyond tips of hind coxae ; gaster often 

 relatively longer (i-8 to 2-25 times as long as broad), the basal tergite sometimes occupying 

 rather less than half the total length. 



