PTEROMALIDAE OF N.W. EUROPE 245 



Skeloceras mirabile Delucchi 



Skeloceras mirabile Delucchi, 1955 : 26, $. 



I presume the type of mirabile to be a female placed second in the series of 

 Lamprotatus picinervis in Thomson's collection ; it is labelled in Delucchi's hand- 

 writing " Skeloceras mirabilis n. sp." and also bears a label " Lund ". Delucchi 

 stated (1955 : 27) that mirabile was described from a female in Thomson's collection 

 probably placed under the name Lamprotatus crassipes Thomson ; but there is no 

 such female in that series and the only one I can find is that placed in picinervis. 



Britain, Sweden. 



Biology. A female was reared in England, Oxfordshire, Shotover, 28.ix.1923, 

 from an unspecified host on Rumex acetosa L. (E. G. R. Waters). ■ Imagines appear 

 May- June and August. 



Skeloceras cerebrosum Delucchi 



Skeloceras cerebrosum Delucchi, 1955 : 21, 24-26, $. 



Type material. Type (? holotype) $ (probably from Germany) in Naturhistor- 

 isches Museum, Vienna. 



I have not seen the type of this species, and cannot recognize it from the 

 description. In his key to the species of Skeloceras (1955 : 21-22) Delucchi distin- 

 guishes cerebrosum from triangulare (Thomson) and mirabile Delucchi mainly upon 

 characters of the propodeal sculpture. This shows considerable variation in most 

 of the species I have examined, and may be unreliable in the case of cerebrosum also. 

 The latter species would appear to be near mirabile Delucchi. It will be necessary 

 to re-examine the type of cerebrosum and compare fresh material with it before its 

 status, and reliable characters for its recognition, can be ascertained. 



? Germany ; Italy. 



Biology. Reared as a parasite of Hylemyia sp. (Dipt., Anthomyiidae) in Italy 

 (three females determined by Delucchi, see Secretariat, etc., 1961 : 215, 229). 



Skeloceras novickyi Delucchi 



Skeloceras novickyi Delucchi, 1953a : 217-218, $. 

 Skeloceras novickyi Delucchi, 1955 : 22, 27, $. 



Type material. Type (? holotype) $, Switzerland, Valais, Saas Fee, 15.vii.1953, 

 at 1800 m., in coll. Delucchi (not seen). 



Some of my British and Irish Skeloceras run in Delucchi's key (1955 : 21-22) to 

 the couplet including novickyi and glaucum ; they agree quite well with the 

 diagnosis and also with the original description of novickyi, and I believe that they 

 are that species. My specimens show some variation, which it may be useful to 

 note. In females the line of hairs along the cubital vein (lower surface of wing) is 



