1985] 
Ashe — Meronera venustula 
193 
labial palpus 2 articled, article 2 about 1.2 times length of 1; seta on 
mentum near base of labial palpus large. 
Thorax: Pronotum as in Figure 10; anterior row of setae with 
A 1-5 present, Al, A3 and A5 very small; lateral setae wih LI -5 
present, L3 very small, L5 displaced medially to near C3, L5 very 
small; posterior setae PI -5 present; discal setae reduced, represented 
only by Da2 and Dc2, Da2 very small, Dc2 very large; campaniform 
sensilla Cl present or absent, very small if present, C2 and C3 
present, C4 present postero-lateral to Dc2, C5 absent, C6 present. 
Mesonotum (Figure 1 1) with lateral setae represented by LI, L2 and 
L4, LI slightly medial to L2; posterior setae PI -5 present; discal 
setae Da2 and Dc2 present, of similar size; campaniform sensillae 
C3, C4 and C6 present. Metanotum similar to mesonotum. Legs as 
in Figure 14; chaetotaxy characteristic of subfamily (see Ashe and 
Watrous 1984), rather long and slender, femur 3.0-3. 1 times as long 
as greatest width, tarsungulus long and slender. 
Abdomen: Abdominal tergum I (Figure 12) with lateral setae 
LI and L4 present, posterior setae PI -5 present; discal setae Da2 
and Dc2 present, minute; campaniform sensilla C6 present. Abdom- 
inal terga II-VII (Figure 13) similar to abdominal tergum I except 
Da2 absent and additional very large seta (here interpreted to 
represent Db2) present in posterior row between P2 and P3, campa- 
niform sensillae C4 and C6 present, C4 displaced posteriorly to near 
posterior row between Db3 and P3. Abdominal tergum VIII (Figure 
15) not prolonged posteromedially in association with tergal gland 
structures; lateral setae LI and L4 present; posterior setae PI -5 
present, PI reduced to pore, P2 and P4 very large; Pal present, very 
small, microsetose; discal setae Dc2 present, Da2 absent; campani- 
form sensillae C5 and C6 present. Tergal gland reservoir indistinct, 
completely membranous, about 0.7 times length of tergum VIII; 
gland ducts terminating in small, round papillate sclerotized struc- 
tures attached to reservoir sac (Figure 15). Abdominal terga IX-X as 
in Figure 16; urogomphus single articled, short, about 0. 3-0.4 times 
length of tergum IX. Hooks of pseudopodium 4, reduced, very small 
to minute (Figure 16). 
Diagnostic Features and Discussion. Larvae of M. venustula 
are particularily distinctive and can be distinguished from those of 
other aleocharines by the combination of: fusion of labrum with 
head and distinctive patches of dome-like microsculpture on labrum 
