J1t
Fl'o'nl the ProceetLings ol the Linneon Societll of Neu
Vol. lu. Part 3. 1930.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIPTEROUS FAMILYSouth Wales,

TANYDERIDAE.

By Cxenr,rs P. ALEX.{NDnB,
Massachusetts Agricultural
Amherst, Massachusetts,'
U.S.A.
(Communicateil, b! I. M. Macken'as.)(Plates v-vi;[ReadCollege,

One Text-figure.)

21st M ay ,1930.]In the present paper, I wish to discuss two distinct subjects, first, to give a
preliminary description of the immature stages of the family Tanyderidae, andsecond, to describe a new species of Redino(Ierus from the Dorrigo plateau of New
South Wales.
The recent discovery of the inmature stages of the Tanyderidae is a matterot very great interest to students of the order, since this was the sole remaining
family of lower orthorrhapha whose larva had baffied discovery to the present
time. It seems entirely fitting that the first discussion of the early stages of thisarchaic family should be published in Australia, despite the fact that the species
ir question is a North Americau ore, Protoplaso fitchii (osten-sacken). Australasia
is the great centre of distribution of the family, more than one-half of the species
so far discovered being from this region (Alexander, 192gD). Now that the larval
habitat is known and we have an.idea of the general appearance of the larva, it
seems certain that the early stages of some one of the larger and more showy
Australian or New Zealand. species will be discovered.
The scantiness of larval, and especially of pupal, material has rendered it
inadvisable to consider details of structure at this time. The majority of thelarvae in my possession, together with the pupae, will be given to professor J.
Speed Rogers of the University of X'lorida, Gainesville, for more detailed consideration and dissection, especially of the head-capsule which has been but superficially treated in the present account. one additional larva has been depositedin each of the collectious ot the British Museum and united states National
Museum.
TEE IMM.{TUng Srlcrs oF TEE Texrosnro,rp.
Protopl,a'sa rt'tchii was long considered to be one of the rarest of North
American Diptera (Alexander, 1919,1920). In t.928,Dr. G. C. Crampton (Crampton,
1929), while collecting in the Gasp€ peuinsula of Eastern euebec, canada,
eucountered a large swarm of flies and was amazed to find that they pertained tothe present yery uncommon species. rn his opinion, there ryere thousands ofindividuals about and nearly two hundred specimens were secured by passing the
net through the swarm a few times.
It was due to the influence of the above discovery that Dr. cranptou and r,
in June, 1929, undertook a 2,000-mile motor trip to the Gasp6 couutry and, after
a detailed search, flnally discovered the early stages of the fly. The eutire credit
for the ffndins of the larva and rearing through to the adult condition of protoptasa

222

oBsaRvarroNs

oN TrrE t)n'Tf,ltous!"rM(LYTANTDINRTDT\II'is due to Dr. CramDton, in the flrst place to his initial cliscovery of the species
in lumbers and later to his kind interest in returning to the place the succeeding
year.
(Alexander, 1920)
In 1920, a most remarkable diBterous larva was describedAllthe characters ofquestio\toProtoplasa.
littlebutwiththat was referredgenus'
this larya seemed to fit in so well with our presumed knowletlge of theanwasProtoplasa
of
larva
true
the
find
that
to
shock
that it came as a clistinct.e n t i relydif reren tcre atu re.Pa r adox ic alas it m ay Sound, t heer r o n e o u s l a r v a
referred here in 1g20 still seems closer to what might be expected of the larvae
andof the Tanyderidae, based on a knowledge of the related families Psychodidae
question'
Ptychopteridae, than does the weird creature that. is now settled beyond
as to
The 1920 larva still remains unknown and much discussion has now arisen
Anisopodid
its correct position in the Diptera. one naturally turns to thes u b t a mily, A xymyiin ae ,the ty peof whic h, Aay nx gialur c at aM cA t e e 'w a s d e s c r i b e dplace the larva
from this identical region, but Mr. Edwards and I both hesitate toto believeisinclined
Eldwards
in question in this section.of the or.thorrhaDha. Mr.
(Alexander'
Psychodidae
Bruchomyiine
tothebelongthat it will be found togroup have not vet
19280), such as Nen1,opalpu|,although the members of thethe possibility thatfeelbutcannotbeen discovered nearer than Peru. I myself.
from any yet
difrerent
Dipteron
PsychodoidaWashirgton
atthere still erists
discovered",T heW ash ing ton larvaa bov edis c us s edwas f oundins at ur a t e d l o g s o n t h e
ba n ksof t hePo toma cRiver,in dic at inganaquat ic or am phibiou s l i f e 'T h i s
s rrp positionwa ssub sta ntia t edby t heas s oc iat edins ec t s oc c u r r i n g i n t h e s a m e l o g( A l exander,1 92 0).Wh en Dr. Cr am pt onandlf inally ar r iv edat t h e R i v e r P a b o s 'of allGasp6,on the atternoon of 19th June, 1929,we at once began a critical survev
margin, in asaturated logs, stranded anil imbedded in the earth at the stream
long search thatsearch for the particular type of larva we had in mind. After.a
possibly
produced numerous insects and other animals, but nothing that could
and,
water
the
to
attention
be,considered as being Pro'toplasa, we turned our
fly"
Aiter
provedthisbelongtotofinally
that
larva
the
atter a time, discovered
gravel at the water's margin, amiti
some hours of back-breaking sifting of sandy
punkies,
culicoiit;es, we flnally secured a
alldswarms of black flies, simutiurn,placedrearing and eventually yielded
in
were
which
of
two
larvae,total of nine
pupal skin. The
one lupa and an emerged adult female, together with her castpresumablv
from
and
I
days
than
more
puDal
not
is
stage
total duration of the
this'
than
less
daYs
three
to
two
T hew estb ran ch ofth eRi v er Pabos , t hr eem iles wes t of Ch a u d l e r 'i s a
Bay of chaleurs
shallow, pebbly to stony bottomed stream wheie the tides trom thepointstrictly fresh'
is
this
at
stream
the
of
water
the
are stightly felt, althoughcrossed by
The river here is about 120 feet wlde, without evident rapids or riffles,
woodenwith
1929)
Crampton,by(notstatedasiron,
an aucient wooden bridge
A scanty
pierbridge.
ofthethecentralriver
supportsln
theAn
islandrailings.
balSamwoody vegetation lines the banks of the stream, this being chiefly alder'p o plarandspru ce .on the ea s t er nbank , t het r ees ar es om ewha t t a l l e r a n d m o r e
ondense, iacluding white birch, spruce and balsam fir. The larvae were found
under
the
sand
in
occurredTheyyards
bridge.
north of thethe west batrk a few
shallow rrater but, Iike the associated Eri.ocera, they undoubtedly migrate to driersoil when reaaly to PuDate.

Br c. p. ALEXANDER.

ZZBAssociated with the larvae of protoplasa were larvae of a large species of thecrane-fly genus Eriocera; larr'ae and abundant pupae of a new species of Eriocera,
E. gaspensis Alexander; and a few larvae of a Tipuline crane_fly.
on 21st June, when a short distance east of Matapedia, Gasp6, 140 miles westof chandler, Dr. crampton and r again encountered great swarms ot adultProtoplnsa flying at dusk near a small stream and secured some two hundredadditional specimens. At this time, the srrarms were in close proximity to large
swarms of a Tipulid, Eriocera longicorni,s (Walker).
Descriptiolx ol the Stages.
Larua.-Body sucephalous,terete; lateral spiracles on prothorax and abdominal
segment eitht; no creeping welts on body; caudal end of abdomen with six long
hlaments, of which one pair are borne near the caudal ends of two elongate anai
pseudopods,the latter terminating in a circlet of short outer crotchets and a central
group of long slender chotchets; four simple anal gills.
Pupa.-Appearance very much like a Hexatomine Tipuliat; head surmounted
by a high bispinous crest; pronotal breathing horns relatively small, smooth, equalin size; leg-sheathslying side by side, the fore pair shortest, the hind pair longest;
venation sholving clearly on wing-pads; abdominal segments with a tuberculate
armature, chiefly near the posterior margins of the segments.
Leave.-Length to end of longest filaments, 1?-1g mm. Filaments alone.
4'5-5 mm. Greatest diameter of body, 1.b mm. General coloraflon dirty white,
the head-capsuleand spiracles blackened.
Body (P]ate v, fig. 1) eucephalous; segments terete or nearly so, those of thethoracic segments a little more dilated then those of the abdomen.
Head (Plate v, figs. 2 and B) a compact, heavily chitinized capsule.
clypeustransyerse, the margin with four lobes, the lateral pair each with two palesetaearising from the lower surface; intermediate Iobes eaeh with a singre
seta.
Antennae distinct, three-segmented; basal segment widest; second
segment
longest, cylindrical; terminar segmont reduced in size.
what appear to be
epipharyngeal structures appear as two large pale lobes densely cushionedwithyellow setae. Both labial and maxillary palpi reducedin size.
Prothorax longer than the remaining thoracic segments,
divided by acotrstriction into two rings; on posterior ring at micl-height ofbody with a small
spiracle; mesothorax a litile longer and thicker than the metathorax,
on dorsal
surface divided into two rings by a weak constriction that becomesobsolete on
the sides, the ventral margin entire. Nine apparent abdominal
segments that
gradually increase in length and decrease indiameter from the frst to the last;
abdominal segments with a narroril basar constriction orring and a much longer
posterior portion that is weakly subdivided
into annuli.
Penultimate or eighth abdominal segment (prate v, fig. 4) witira small spiracle
on side sborily before caudal margin; immediately caudad of the
spiracle arises
a long pale fflament that is slighily longer than any of thoseon the terurinal,
segment. Ninth abdominal segment with the ventral lateralangles produced
into long slender anar pseudopods (plate v, fig. b), each terminatinsin two setsof crotchet-like structures, including a marginal series ofshort curved hooks anda central group of about eighteen long slender rods thatare slightly curved attheir tips. Just before apex of pseudopod on dorsal facearises a long srender
fllament. Each dorsal lateral portion of the ninth segmentwith a loug fllament

224

oBsEnvATroNBoN TrrE D'l'tltllotrs

By c, p. ALExANDEB.

FAM ILY 'l'ANYDlllllu'\lt'

than the filaments of thethat is a little stouter at base but somewhat shorterp e nultimateseg men t..[.rom t hedis k bet weent hes es ix elong a t e f l l a m e n t s a r i s efour short simPle aual gills.
C haeto taxy:Pro tho raxwit hagr oupof about f iv es m alls eta e o n l a t e r a l
a s pect ofbasa lring ,witha na ddit ionals et aonpos t er ior r ings o m e d i s t a n c e b e f o r e
t h e spiracle.Afurth erEFou pof s m alls et aeonv ent r als ur f ac e . o n t h e m e s o .
t h o raxandm e tath ora x,a gro upof t hr ees et ae' t wolar geandon e s m a l l e r i n t e r .
me diateonep laced ina no bl iquedt r aight lineonant er ior r ing; o n v e n t r a l s u r f a c e ,placed on slightly tumid swellings
setae about as oq prothorax and still small'
Very small and weak setae on
welts'
creeping
as
being
that cannot be consideredc l o r salaspectofp osterio rringof allt hor ac ic s egm ent s , t hes e g r a d u a i l y i n c r e a s i n g
i n gizeonoute rse gme nts.on t heabc lom inals egm ent s t hear r a n g e m e n t o f s e t a e
and inconspicuous, lacking
is.about the same, the dorsal series remaining small
on basal ring' two onone
on segment eight; the lateral series are arranged'
large and more
becoming
posterior
ring
of
setae
posterior ring; ventral
c o nspicuous,arra ng ed mor eor les s def init ely inBair s but \ r ith n o i n d i c a t i o n o fcreeping welts.
about 1'5-1'6
PupA.-Male, length, 8.5-9 mm. Greatest witlth, dextro-sinistral'
puBa about
ofapBearance
Generalmm.
1'6-1'8
milr Greatest clepth, dorso-ventral,a s figured(Pla tevi,fls'1 ),theabdom enof t his s pec im enm or e o r l e s s s h r u n k e n 'H ead(Plate vi,fig s.3 an c t 4) s ur m ount edby ahigh, bis pin o u s c r e s t , t h e t w oventrad; alorsal surface of theseterminal points directed cephalad aDd strongly
with a long appressed seta lying
togetherprotuberance,spinoushorns with a basal'cephalic horns with four
further distad. Dorsal region of head behind theat base with a large
labrumofsheathsetae.
longbear
conspicuous tubercles that
smaller lateral spines directedslightly
twoandventraddirected
spine
medianmaxlllarv palpi very
ventrad and caudad (Plate vi, flgs. 1 anil 3). Sheaths ofLabial sheath very
cephalad'thenceandlateraddirected
five-segmented,
stout,
Sheaths bncl theantennal
thebetweenlarge, bilobed. Ventral aspect of headatransverse row
withinadultdeveloping
the
of
eyes
the
labrum and overlying
of four tubercles that bear long tlelicate setae'
pronotum (Plate vl, figs. 1 and 4) extensive, flnely transversely wrinkled'
pronotal breathing-horns (Plate vi, ffg, 2) each appearing as a relatively small'
gradually narrowed to a terminal point' bothsmooth structure, slightly sinuous,
Mesonotum nearly smooth' gibbous'quite
symmetrical.
andsize
horns of equal
deflned at anterior end;
with a more or less distinct median depression, best
setae. All leg'pads
small
two
providedwithwing-roota weak callosity above
I y ingside.b y-side ,the fore ( inner ) pair s hor t es t , endlngs ho r t l y b e f o r e t h e p e [ .
about oBposite theultiurate segment of the mitldle legs, which, in turn, end(outer) pair of legs. wing-pads
hind
the
of
segment
third
of
the
termination
simple; R fiveshovring the essential features of venation of the family' Scb ranched,Mfo ur-b ran ch ed; Cus im ple; a, s it r gleanalv ein, w i t l r a s e c o n d c u r v e d
side;
into the axilla. Metanotum narrow' smooth, with a large seta on either
wing-padthebeneathconcealedsheath of halteres chiefly
Abdominal tergites just before caudal margine with a transverse row ofsetae;
tubercles of various sizes and shapes" these terminating in long to sbort
threetergitesontuberclessuchthirtyandtwenty-five
betweennumberrows
theand four, being some$,hat reduced in number on the more basal segmentS,rapidlV
gix ondecreasing in number on the outer segments, there being only about

ZZs

the seventh tergite, but these all large and powerful. Each cephalic lateralangle of the tergite with two additional tubercles, these more approximatedon the basal segments, becoming slighily more separated on the outer segments.
Pleurites with a single powerful setiferous tubercle on basal portion, together
with a tralsverse group on posterior ring, consisting of two tubercles with asmaller tripartite or quadripartite tubercle between, the lateral tubercles becoming
larger and more powerful on the outer segments. Sternites with a transverse
swelling on either side near caudal margin, each bearing a tiny lateral seta anda powerful inner tubercle bearing a long seta (plate vi, fig. b); a transverse
row of very tiny setae on basal portion of the sternites beyond the terminationof the wing-pad, these becoming somewhat larger and more conspicuous on theouter segments. Eighth segment wiih a lateral finger-like lobe, directed caudad.
Genital sheaths of both sexes about as figured (male, plate vi, fig. 1; temale,
Plate vi, fiC. 5 ).
Nepionotype (type larva).-Riverpabos, Gasp6, euebec, Lgth June, 1929, incollection of Professor Rogers.
Neanotype (type pupa).-Reared from larvae from type locality,transformedat Amherst, kitled BOth June, 1929.
Paratype larvae and one pupal skin.
Afr,nities.
The larva of protopt&so is so distinct from that of all other families ofDiptera that a comparison is scarcely needed. on the other hand, the pupa
is so
exceedingly like a Hexatomine Tipulid,. such as Eriocera, that nofeatures areavailable for definition of ths family in this stage, othir than the venationofthe pupal wing-pads and the details of structure of the mouth-parts.
For many years the Tanyderidae were placed with the ptychopteridae andthe relationship admittedly exists, though probably not as close as .was believed
before the cliscovery of the early stages. It was formerly believed that theimmature stages of the Tanyderidae, when discovered, would conform in
theirchief essentials with those of the psychodidae and the ptychopteridae,
such asthe possessionof an anal breathing-tube, a character of all families of psychodoid
Diptera- The Tanyderidae depart from all these related families
in a totally
dilferent arrangement of spiracles, these being placed laterally
on the prothorax
and eighth abdomitral segment, and. so deviating from the normal
arrangementof spiracles in amphipneustic respiration.
similarly the body pseudopods orcreeping welts, that might well be pre-supposed from the taxonomic
arratrgementof the groups, do not occur. The rong anal pseudopods are rather
iike those of
the Chironomidae.
I am supplyitrg a tentative arraAgement of the larvaeof the Orthorrhaphous
Diptera to show the position of the Tanyderidae therein:
1'

2.

Body

eucephalous;or the posterior portion of the head-capsule with ateep longitudtnal
incisions;mandibles
movinghorizontaily
or obliquery;labiumusuaily\veildeveloped (larvae frequenuy
peripneustic).
(Orthorrhapha
Nematocera). ..
zBody not eucephalous,
the head being more or ress retractile
or lacking(Heteroneuridae);prate not d.eveloped;
labialmandibles
moving(rarvaevertica,y;normallyamphipneustic;
very rarely
metapneustic
or peripneustic,i.e., some
Dolichopodida,e).
(OrthorrhaphaBrachycera;
Cyclorrhapha).
l9.l l e a d -c a p s u l e i n c o mp l e t e b e h i n d . , re t ra c t i l e...
.........
3
Ilead-capsulecomptete, immovable,i.e., body eucephalous
4

OBSEBVATIONS ON T}IE I)IP'TTToT'S I'AMII'Y

226

usually
peripneustic;
Larvaesurface of second tbora;ic

TANYDERIDAE'
BT C. P. ALEI(ANDER.

plate on ventrala chitinizedwltha "breast-bon6"'
mostly gall-makers;
phytophagous'(mainly
segment

Antennae elongate;
body with conspicuous setae; arrangedin transverse rows . .
_Antennae short and inconspicuous;
body without
conspicuous setae; (generally
fungl
colous, some in decaying vegetable matter). ... MyCEToFHTLTDA
Posteriorspiracles
elevated
on lon*: stalk_like
processes, the lateralspiracleso(in dung and other decaying
shorter stalks;riattery. . . . . . Sc.rmpsroa
Spiracles
sessile, the posteriorpairlarge, o, ao"saf surfaceof ninth
abalominas e g me n t ;D ro t h o ra c i c s p i ra c l e l a rg : e r t h a n o t h e rs
o f l a t e ra l s e ri e s ; (s o i t )....

a few in decayingr/ood, bulbs, fungi; a t'"' '::i1"3::ij.;";r;;;'ii;.r;r;;i.

gallno "breast-bone";.rleveri'e"
Antocheior apneustic,
metapneustic
Larvaewood)
decaying
or
'
earth
in
wet
mostly(habitsvery various,makersTTPUIIDAE' " "prothorax
in position on sides ofwith the spiracles small, lateral
Boaly cylindrical,
at caudal end of body' one
six long fllaments
a"g-"tt;
and eighth abdominal(aquatic)' ' TANYDERTDAE
Fair borne by long anal pseudopo'ts;
5
not as above
Charactersout]ateralconspicuous
t'ith
to
seven
one
segments
abtiominal
alepresseal;o. Body
conarmed withsucking-disk
a ventral
growths,
at outer enal of each with(larvaeaquatic'
biramous;
long,unequallyantennae
crochets;ofrows
centric
i nmo u n ta h stre a ms,cl inglngtostonesbypseutlopo.ls) ...' .DEUTD R oP}ILEBIID AE
6
not as above
Cbaractersthorax:
withinpermanently
retracted
Body depressed, the head-capsule complete but
sucking
tlivisions' each with a median ventral
into six primary
boaly constricted
t li sk.wi th a tu fto tg i l l -fl lamentsoneither side;( aquatic) ...,BLEPEAR oC ER 1D AII'I
not as above
Characters
generamostinpseudopods;
v/ithout
mass,
segments fused into a complex
Thoracicand some
as in Anophelinae
when lacking,funnel;an anal respiratory
withC h a o b o ri n a e ,th e fi rsts tatem entholds;( aquatic) ..........OULICID AE
T h o r a ci cse g me n tsn o tso fu sed;ifconspicuously' tilatedor extended' pr ov i dedw i th
8
" " '- " 'a me d .i a n p ro th o ra ci cpseudopod
asthat is at least one-halfbreathing-tube
a
of
at
apex
oorne
spiracles
8 . Posterior
PTYCI{oPTERTDAE(aquatic
or semi-aquatic)"'"
Iong as boaiv; two anal gills;
or sessile; Sills four in
tube
short
very
a
of
apex
ai
borne
spiracles
PosteriorI
number or lacking
10
gills
anal
q
conspicuous
or with' 'Boaty amphipneustic
13
or apneustic
metapneustic
Boaly peripneustic,
11
prothorax
1 0. No median pseudopod on
Lzpseutlopod
on prothorax
A nredian ventral
abdominal
pseudopods
on eitherpairedwithincases,
simple;segments
1 1 . Body
se g me n tso n e a n d t'w o,or ontlr efor mer alone;for minlifeU.sha.pe .l ;( aquati c' D r x r D AE..' .
o r se mi -a q u a ti c)(decaying
constrictions;faise
bytlivldedsegments
body
not as above;
Characters
ANrsoPoDrDAE'""
matter)vegetable
four to seven teeth' these caDable
plate withonly
labiatdistended;tz. Thorax much
(TanvDinae)
retractile" " " CETRoNoMTDAE
of being directed cauda'I; a"i""tta"
T h o r a xn o td l l a te .l ;l a b i a l p l ate,whenwithdistlnctteeth,theseexceetlin gs ev eni nantennae non-retractile
number and directed cephalad;; ORpttNBPllrLrDAE
CHTRoNoMTDAE (Chironominae)....
14" " .'' :or apneustic
13. Boaly metapneustic
16
Bocly PeriPneustic
t 4 f o a v t " " v-" fo n g a te ,sl e n d e r ,taper ingtowar tlbothends' ter minalseg:m entv 'i thaboute i g h tse ta e ;(a q u a ri c,movementssnake- like,Polpomyia,Cuucoi d'es 'etc .) ......
. . -. . CHTRoNoMTDAE (Ceratopogoninae)
15
not long anat snake-like
Larva
some or all of
constrictions;with tfansverse
pseualopoals; segments
ID,
Body without
th e .l o rsa .l se g me n ts withnar r ow,chitinizedtr ansver sebandsor pl ates ;or thete rmi n a l se g rn e n tp rotlucealintoaver yshor ttube;( habltsvar ious 'i n'l ec ay i ng
PSYcEoDTDAE" "or aquatic)
vegetable matter
which are flattened and lanceolate;of
somesetae,
numerous
witharmealBody siout,(terrestrial'inor chitinizeal plates;
constrictions
secondarylrithout
segments
etc.)
Cerdtopogotu'
Forcipomllia'
logs,water-soaked
in
or
bark,
duirg, beneath
CHTRoN oM T D AE ( C er atopog:oni nae).,.,.
bo'ly clavate' thb caudal end stronglv
but evi'Ient;
spiracles rudlmentarywith which larva adheres to habitat i mouth
a sucking-disk
enlargied-fans;andbearing
SrMUr'rrDAE" "(aquatlc)
with(terrestrial)
I7
not as above;""other charactefs
spiracles tlistinct;
Abdominal

16. Abdominal,ql8

rc. Maxiriae*"li.'"'"r.n";, ;; ;;i;i'il;;;;;,
protruded-""d,;,i"';;;*;i,;..;;;i;-"f.T::)'i:far beyond the apices of the maxillae,
often not extending
one,halthis distance;
antennae
well-areveloped,
praced on a chitinizear
dorsarrrrate(O rt h o rrh a p h a
B ra c h y c e ra ).....,.
:..
Maxiltae poorly devetopel, the palpivi"ibl;
;;iv
r"'"
r"*
*""u,o,3i;;;"o;,
short and hook-like,usualry capable of protrusion"""it".;;
far beyond the tips of thr
maxillaewhen_thelatter are devetoped;
antennae
poorly developecl or lacking.
w h e n p re s e n t p l a c e d u p o n a me mb ra n o u s
s u rf a c e.....
. l C y c l o rrh a p f ra ;20' Bodv elongate' e'ipticar,
strongryflatteneJ,
with a sright eo."o--eoi..
carina, trrl
body with only nine apparent segments,
excluding the head, _"iotno"o*elongat(and apparenily
includingalso the first abdominal
segment;
1a-pniprur*ti";posteriorspiracles
distant;
pupa in last lar'al
skin;
lix
aDltenda€aeson thorax
and two others on last abdominal"ior,*r."segment;
earth J" n"ruatn
lasri
leaves of rosette plants;r,undbeckconsiders to be orihorrt
apr,or", oe lteijerl
CyclonhaphOus)......,.
....
L o N c rrO e TE R : D A D
C h a ra c t e rs
not as above...
. .. .
posterior

21'

spiracres apBroximated,situated;',;;;t;;" ;.i;;;;i;;iusuallv concealed;bodv more
-iiti" or less shasreenedor lonsitudinally",.?lnt"J;f'":.iid
posterior spiractes*,a"i";;';;;;;;;;;oi".j""rilfor upon the penultimate""""""*A"r,";;;';;or antepenultimate";;;",i;segment borly
not shagreened or;

striated

22. Body depressed,.n,"dr"-"n^oic,,*r. .""i"";;;;'_;;;;;;;";;;;;i.;i;,ji."#retraciire;
spiracular
flssuretransverse;(earth,animatnests, uncter bark,
decaying vesetable or animal matter;
pupa in last larval skin). . SrRA.rroMyrrD.{E
Body cylindricalto pyriform,
the abrtominai
segments witha Sirdie of pseudopods
on each segment;
body_integurnent
usually
longitudinaiiy_i"i"eo,sometlmes
inegulb,rlyroughened;head retractile;
spiracular
flssure vertical;(aquaticorsemi_aqua.tic; pupa free),
23. P o s t e ri o rs p i ra c re s u p o n t h e a p p a re n t a p i c a t s u s me rt...............
li::1;
P o s t e ri o r s p i ra c l e s u p o n t h e p e n u l f i ma t Jo r a n t e p e n u l t l ma t e
s e g me n t........
B0
24. Apical abdominal
segment heavily chitinized,
blackened25
A p i c a l a b d o mi n a l
s e g me n t n o t h e a v i l ychitinized or blackened.......
26
25. Thoracic
segments
not- chitinizeal
dorsally;
plate very
apicallarge, the spiracles
verticallyelongated,
the lobes sunounding
the disk*Iautylseparated;(earth, rarely under bark)"_"tt,.

prothoraxand mesothorax
chi'nized i;";i;;;;il;;iil;;;.;i;*i"Jiilf:Hilspiracles circular, the paireal surrounding
lobes large, fo"ua iJ"Jfrv, eachwithanumberof l ongs etae; (bc neathbark ).... ,.. X y r,oprr.q.c rol o
26. Posterior sDiracles not in an apical transverse
cleft
Z7
Posterior spiracles witely separated, situatedin an apical transverse cleft; headvery-.
small, retractile; (internal parasites of Coleopterou"b;";;i. . ."ir_r"*r*roo,
2?' Apical abdominal segment terminatingin two elongat. p"oc"s""s'irra, ,..ufringedwith delicate elongate setae; abdomen with put."i,"ri.Jr
JJ"oaopoa". or.t
fleshy dorsat and lateral appendages; (aquatic,
Atherie) . . . . . f,-rrrro^D, in part
Apical ar')dominal sesment not as above, the pleudopods
and other'ap!i.urr"""lacking
or approximately so
28. A pi c al abdomi nal s es ment termi nati ns
tn tour;;,i ;;' ;;;' ;;i ;;;* r"."t""i l oi lor two fleshy lips; head_skeleton with a larg€
arched. dorsal plate, the longituatinal
upon a horizontar prane; (te"restrrir,-iliii,
chrusop4ta,":li:.::ticurated::jl

Apicarabdomi,arsee*ent;;;;;';;;;;;; ;;;;;;_;;;i;;dorsal plate, the rongitudinarrods articulated
witha n g l e s o r n e a rl y s o , i n p ro l l l e a p p e a ri n gbent..

*,H;J;":l,iff"T

the labialplate...,.....:'........

at

right
zg

oBsEriv-lrroNs

228

oN TrrD DrPTERous

F'\MrLY

T-{NTDERTD'\E'

BY c. I,. ALEX.{NDER.
z2g

29.

off by a strong constriction;
Larva oval in ouiline, the smaller cephalic end marked
abdomen withadhere;particlesofsmooth and viscid'so
body integument'tirt
two to eigbt; spiracles notseven pairs of paal-like areas on venter of segments
is morelarra
the newly-hatche'l(parasitic
on spiders;by lobes;
surrounded
conspicuous
the body wlth conspicuous palmate scales and with two
elongate-oval,c a ud .a l se ta e ).CY R T ID AE( ACRoCERIDAE)
abdominalspiraeular disk surrounde'l by small fleshy lobes:
Body slender, cylindrical;
lobes of spiracular
ventralcreeping welt;
transverse
segments with a ventrald i s kl a rg e rth a n d o rsa l p air ;( fleshylobeslackinginNeur igona;bodyam phi .
p n e u sti ce xce p ti n 7 h ru p ticuswhichisper ipneustic;habitsvar ious' u nder bar k 'i n s'e te a rth ;a q u a ti c;b u nowinginstemsofpalustr algr asses)' DoLrcEoPoDrDAE ; EMPTDTDAE
abclominal segment; six basal abdominal
30. Posterior spiracles placed on antepenultimatebody very long
to appear as twelve;
segments subtlividetl by false constrictions
and slend.er
P o s t e r i orsp i ra cl e sp l a ce d 'o nthepenuttimate,ab.lominalse8ment;abdo m i nal
32
elongatebody not excessively
segments aU sim;le, undividetl;(in earth ancl wood)at apex;spatulate
med.ian ptate of head-capsule
31. Posterior
TIIEREVTDAE' "I - o s t e r i orme d i a n p l a te o fh e a d- capsulenottlilatedatapex;( usuallyinhou s es 'SCENoPTNTDAE
beneath carpets)
impreglvlth a transverse
than the ultimate'
long:ersegment
abdominal
32. Penultimateof two distinct segments i
appearance
give
superficial
the
to
end
sion near the(in decaying
in a sharp rldge with a median point;
last segment terminating
M T D AT D AE"' ' ' 'w o o d ,p re d a ce o u so n w ood- bor ingColeopter a)aor, if longer, without
seSment shorter than the ultimate,abdominal
Penultimate
33
segment not as described..
impression as alescribed above; ultimatetransverse
either side on ventro-lateralsegments each v/ith two long setae' one on
33. Thoracic
penultimat'e abdominal
apical segment with from six to eight long setae;
margin;with a dark brown e.at::rr
ilrat is arranged.in:llj#:,;":ffi:j,.T

theouter 1,"1",, cthe forms"lof two X-shaped areas",*onewith the darkened"na t;;_;""" basar
areasaround tn" ar"uiu.

and M.

iD cells R?. Length about 2b mm.; wing 1g.b
mm.
Rostrum and palpi black.
Antennae 20-s--

]l:l$fi:il:,ffffiln
iiiiillH;:",[,:"'-,x'",'1;i:"-#H,;[:ffabo.ut_one-thirdlonger than
flrst flagellar segment
the second;".;:;;""":"^":rn€isesments of nearry equal
cylindrical, the last
lensth,""."u"::T-]:-"kv;
shorter. Head and .""r,i.ui -.r""ir",brownish-blact, ai."oroiiiment"";;;;;
black orcoveredbybrack
stripes,the:::.=l:".1'fi"-:il::fil",il'"'J"'.Xl;"1ffj':larmost
brown
andincrudins
a.medianrineor,"" ,,q:':ilJ,i.tl"l;_illrfrl"l.J:*.,111:";iliolp,u.i,"*""?lil;;;;rH;"ff'a;*l;*xl" Tll* ".u"
ififi
" ao

duskv at base, theof the stem light-yeiiow,
outer halftire kaobs dark_bres
Legs with the coxae
trochanters dark; femora yellow,
andall with
nto*o'
rength,thisincrudins"
approximatery"::r#*
t*o_nrti,s:;"Tn?,i,T:t:"""j-TY"u'X?rfi;il.:;Jff?#;tibt""-v;;;;; the bases
broadry
brackened,,rewinssr:rext_;;.;i"*i1,,:Ti,il",'"#:;lJ;il;_1T*i:,s eg me n tu su a l l ysh o rter thantheultimate;boclyinlifestr ai8iht;( inw oodor
ASTLTDAE
soil, Predaceous.t
T h o r a c i cse g me n ts'a n .l a p i c alsegm entofabdomen,withoutconspicuou s s etae;penin life usuallybodythe ultimate;thanlongerdisttnctty
segment
ultimate
Bo!trBYLTTDAE
or inquilinous)"'(habits various, predaceous, parasitic
arcuate;'pupae"
I cannot attempt at this time to give a key to the Orthorrhaphous
T lrepupao fthe Ta nyde ridaem ay bes epar at edf r om t healli e . l g r o u p s b y t h efollowing simple key:
etongated, much longer than thehorns enormously
breathingof the pronotal.'
abortive' PTYCIIoPTERTDAE
and
short
': " ' :: ":
"
very
horn
other
the
body,
B r e a t h i n g tro rn ssh o rt,o r,i felongated( inafe\' \r Tipulinae) ' notlonger thanthe
Z
"""""
""
b otl y a n d th e a ti spr opor tlon ln size not conspicuous
3
parallelside,
by?. Tarsal sheaths lying sideln pairs' ' ' ' TRr(-'HocERTDAE
one anotheroveriying
sheaths
Tarsal
T-{NYDERTDAE
as being five-branchetl
radiussnowrng
3. Wing-sheaththebranches reachingwith T;dius reduced, wittr not more than four
wing_sheath.' " TTPULTDAE
margin

1.

One

A

NEw

sPEcrEg

or

RADTNoDERUS

FRoM

TEE

DoRRrGo

Plerneu'

Text_fig..

l..-Wtngof nad,irn. sp. ; horoty::";:*

dol'risenais,

trvo X-shaped areas thatare joined in the outerend of cells C andarea is further connected
Sc; the basal
with anresiousby rays in the.radial "*r"o"r"" *urking.ia th;;;";;"rand arcular."a *"oiui oJru",o"io,in trr"ff ""Ir"#':i',ff"::1".1"*';;"'1"**v"iu""'",i"'rirro
l..t$$ffi
attip;Rsna
shorter;un,,,.o"uceuM.ou;"";;;;;#tritiiiir"l-"1;"1;ii"u""ui*l*aiiiln"o*o

T hene wsp eciesde scr ibedher ewit hwas inc ludedinal a r g e a n d 'i n t e r e s t i n s
Ileron' from the Dorrigo
series of crane-flies receivecl from my friend' Mr"W'
plateau of New South Wales. The type specimen is preserved in my collection
through the kind interest of the collector'_ Abdomendark-brown,both sternitesana t,variesatedlaterauy near.
with conspicuoo*,"iro*..u;J*,""jj,rT
basesenital sesment"11::*9'l:tbrack.
rraD.--News""th ;"i;as;n. sP.
R-lorxoonnus DoRnrcENsrE'
scape black' theGeneral coloration tiark-brown; antenlae 20-segmented' theat near mid'
ring
black
broad
very
yellow,awithflagellum yellow; femora".r,f;*:"rtr9i*i?"Xl1la,
Badinod,erus

l ength; t ip so ffemo raa nd ' bas es of t ibiaem or enar r owly bla c k e n e d ; Y y i n g s w h i t i s h

ilorrioensi.*

EasternDorriso,artitude
about2,000reet,10th
iq al^-^^+(Alexaader)?'o';n1""!'"'"-re'si'"'ae' dineriugt""'?i-l'^;xJ* IHJ:: :l T#*ill
the conspicuous
i+il:'t'ora' andbIaJ
details o,,o" wrng-lattern'24)' and venation.

Pnoc. LrrN. Soc. N.S.W., 1980.
OBSEEVATIONS ON TEE230

DIPTEROUA !'A]\[ILY

Pr,,r,ruv.

TANYDEBIDAE'

Cited'.
Referenoes
paper byhas been given in an earlierof the Tanyderialae
A comDlete bibliography(Pnoc. Lrwr.r. Soc. N.S.W., liii' 1928' 373-374)'
the writerandDistribution
Part
I'
York'
of New
cra,ne-flies
Ar,ExANDaR, C. P., 1919.-The
Sta', Mem' 25' 883'
of the adult flies. Aornettr IIniD. Agr. Eapt'
taxonomy
phvlogeny'
andII'
BiologvPartYork.
of 'New
crane-flies
1920.-The
Std., Mem. 38, 769-??2' Pl' 13'
Cormell lllti1). Agr. Erpt.
(Psychoditla,e'Specles of the genus Netno\lolpws
Australasian
1928o._The
PRoc. LrNN. Soc. N.S..w., liii' 291-294'
Diptera).
1 9 2 8b .-T h e T a n ytl e ri tl a eofAustr alia( Dipter a) .Pnoc.I,r Nw.soc.N.s ..w .'l i i i '367 -37 +.
Protoplosa,craneflyof males of the rare and primitive
swarm
CRAMproN, G. C., 1g2g.-A(Dtptera)'
Con'aiL. Ettt''in the Gasp€ Peninsula.f tct,id observed. near Chandlerlxi .

7 0 - ? 2.

OF PI,ATES V.VI.
Plate v.
of ProtoPloso fitahii-

I'XPI.ANATION
Larva

larva, lateral aspect'l.-Itntire
2.-Heaal-capsule, tliagrammatic,'lorsal aspect'dlagrammatic, lateral aspect'
3.-Head-capsule,
4.-Cauclal end, lateral aspect.
pseudopocl and crotchets'
5.:Caudal end, ventral aspect, with further enlargements of anal
Plate vi,
Pupa of ProtoFtloso fi'tchii.
aspect.
lateralpupa,
male,
1.-Entire
breathlng horn.
z.-Pronotal
3.-Heaal, male, ventral aspect.
4.-tlead, male, alorsal aspect.
5.-Genital sheaths, female, Yeniral aspect'

Larva

of Proto\rldsu

fitchii

PLATE vr.

PRoc. LrNN. SDc. N.S.W., 1930.

Pupa

of Pt'otoplasa

fitchii.