Kinsey: Studies of Cyni/pidx 



69 



close together at the scutellum; median groove lacking, or very short 

 and deep and distinct at the scutullum; anterior parallel lines fine, 

 raised, distinct, especially posteriorly; scutellum more narrow than in 

 plana, median raised region not as broad anteriorly; second segment of 

 the abdomen covering about three quarters of the area; abdomen rather 

 short; legs, especially the femora, lighter brownish rufous than in 

 plana; areolet large or very large; first abscissa of the radius less heavy 

 than in plana. 



MALE, — Differs from the males of other varieties as follows: 

 Parapsidal grooves posteriorly suddenly curving inward, and conse- 

 quently close together at the scutellum; median groove short or dis- 

 continuous, areolet large or very large. 



GALL. — Does not differ particularly from the galls of other va 

 rieties; averages larger. 



RANGE.— Utah: Thistle (Weld collector); Provo, Price. 



TYPES.— Lost. 



Bassett described utahensis from several males cut from 

 old galls sent by Mr. Siler ''from Utah". The original de- 

 scription was a brief comparison of the males with "radiciim'', 

 but such a comparison as would cover several of the western 

 varieties, especially since it cannot be entirely certain which 

 of the eastern varieties Bassett had in mind. As with other 

 Cynipidse, there are probably several varieties of this species 

 to be found in Utah, and I have no other reason for taking 

 my Provo and Price material to represent Bassett's name than 

 that this is the common variety in a large part of the more 

 accessible regions of that state. This material does not dis- 

 agree with anything in the original description. Altho the 

 types are lost it may be as well to retain the Bassett name, 

 restricting it as I have. 



Of 4077 insects I have bred of this material, 2554, or about 

 63 per cent, are males. This high percentage is evidently due 

 to the premature collecting of the galls which appears to pre- 

 vent a larger number of the less mature females from emerg- 

 ing. Of the first 2948 Provo insects emerging 69.5 per cent 

 were males; of the last 765 Provo insects emerging only 49 

 per cent were males. More mature galls collected at Price 

 gave only 38 per cent males. These factors in obtaining 

 ratios of the sexes of Cynipidse must be borne in mind if we 

 are to avoid wrong conclusions. It is safe, however, to esti- 

 mate that the males are about equal in number to the females 

 in this species. The adults emerged after collecting on April 

 18 and April 20, 1920. As with other species in this genus 

 this insect probably has no alternation of generations. 



