n 4 R. W. CROSSKEY 



entirely with Malloch's conclusion and thus treat Oxydexiops as a synonym of 

 Urodexia. 



Mesnil (1960S : 654) placed his genus Hygiella in the Blondeliini, and this placement 

 is accepted for present purposes, but it should be noted that the bare prosternum, 

 the rather strong apical scutellar setae, and the non-divergent subapical scutellar 

 setae make Hygiella a rather atypical blondeliine. 



The Oriental fauna contains three species of Blondeliini that are taxonomically 

 valid but cannot satisfactorily be assigned to any known genus in the Old World 

 fauna, and apparently to none of the New World genera either. These species 

 certainly do not belong in the genera in which they were originally described, and 

 they are run out individually in the key. 



The wide range of hosts attacked by members of the tribe includes adult and 

 larval beetles, moth caterpillars and larval sawflies, but there are relatively few 

 hosts yet recorded for Oriental Blondeliini and none in the Hymenoptera. It 

 is likely that some Oriental blondeliines, such as Meigenia, will be found to parasitize 

 certain sawflies, especially as the closely allied Froggattimyia Townsend complex 

 of forms in Australia, and the Australian genus Zenargomyia Crosskey, include 

 parasites of Pergidae and Argidae respectively. The females of some blondeliines 

 that attack adult chrysomelids and other beetles, such as the Oriental Medinodexia, 

 have special modifications for dealing with the problem of ovipositing in adult 

 Coleoptera - e.g. a sharp horn-like downcurved ovipositor and peg-like modifications 

 of the hind coxal vestiture. 



Tachinophytopsis ghanii Mesnil from Pakistan is not covered by the keys that 

 follow, as it was described while this work was in press (see Mesnil, 19756). It is a 

 parasite of an unidentified chrysomelid beetle. 



Key to Oriental Genera of BLONDELIINI 



Eyes conspicuously hairy. Facial ridges setose (except in Meigenia). Fore tibia 

 almost always with two pv setae. Scutellum with strong lateral setae. Mid tibia 

 with a submedian v seta. Three (sometimes four) stpl setae .... 2 



Eyes bare. Facial ridges usually bare. Fore tibia with one pv seta (except in 

 Degeeriopsis and Trichopareia). Scutellum with or without lateral setae. Mid 

 tibia with or without a submedian v seta, stpl setae varied .... 6 



Propleuron bare. Facial ridges setose up most of their height .... 3 



Propleuron haired. Facial ridges bare . . . MEIGENIA Robineau-Desvoidy 



3 + 4 dc setae. Ocellar setae absent. Abdominal Ti + 2 excavate to its hind 

 margin. Tergites of $ abdomen compressed to form a mid ventral abdominal 

 keel bearing stubby spinules (Text-fig. 142) . . . COMPSILURA Bouche 



Either 2 + 3 or 3 + 3 dc setae. Ocellar setae present, sometimes weak. Abdominal 

 Ti + 2 not excavate to its hind margin. Tergites of $ abdomen normal or if 

 slightly compressed and keel-like ventrally then without stubby spinules . . 4 



Dorsocentral setae 3 + 3 .......... 5 



Dorsocentral setae 2 + 3 . . . . PROSOPOFRONTINA Townsend 



Vibrissae conspicuously above level of the epistomal margin. Parafacials with some 

 fine hairs immediately below the frontal setae. Intermediate abdominal tergites 

 each with a pair of discal setae BIOMEIGENIA Mesnil 



