New Zealand Cyrtidae (Diptera) and the Problem of the Pacific Island Fauna.

S.]. PARAMONOV1

DURING THE PREPARATION of a review of The author has had an opportunity to study the Australian Cyrtidae some New Zealand some specimens of Apsona muscaria West­ material was used for comparison. The study wood, the only species of the genus if we do of this material has shown that a review of not include Apsona caerulea Brunetti from New Zealand cyrtids is also required. For the Brazil. (Brunetti has not compared his species clarification of some systematic problems the with Eulonchus and it is difficult to tell to author was forced to collect all available in­ which genus the Brazilian species belongs.) formation about New Zealand cyrtids, and He has found an astonishing similarity be­ to write a short, preliminary review of them. tween muscaria and Eulonchus smaragdinus The publication of this review, the author Gerst. from California. The size, shape, col­ thinks, will be useful for New Zealand dip­ our, structure of integument, venation, hairs, terists. The author quotes the descriptions in and many other characters are so similar that extenso, because they are dispersed mostly in they can almost be regarded as belonging to old, not very easily accessible publications the same species. Only detailed study under and it will facilitate the undertaking ofa more a lens (see below) shows that they are differ­ extensive study of New Zealand members of ent, but the generic difference between them the family. is in doubt. Comparison of the fauna of cyrtids of New A comparison of all Apsona and Eulonchus Zealand and Australia has given material for species will doubtlessly show that Apsona mus­ some general conclusions, which can be used caria Westw. and Eulonchus smaragdinus Gerst. in solving the problem of the Pacific fauna. are remarkably close or possibly congeneric. The representation of Cyrtidae in New Zea­ Lack of material does not permit the author land is very poor: 1 species of Apsona, 3 spe­ to state that the two genera are synonymous, cies of Helle, and 3 species of Oncodes, but there is no doubt about their very close representing three different subfamilies, but relationship. The species of the complex Eu­ it has some significance in the problem ofthe lonchus-Apsona are distributed in New Zealand, origin of the Pacific fauna. North America and South America, but are To the present time representatives of the quite absent from Australia. genera Apsona (Panopinae) and Helle (Phil­ The genus Helle is comparatively very well opotinae) are not known in Australia and represented in New Zealand (three species), there is no reason to believe that they will be whereas no representatives of the whole sub­ found here in the future. family Philopotinae are recorded for Australia. Elsewhere the distribution of the subfamily 1 Division of Entomology, Commonwealth Scien­ tific and Industrial Research Organization, Canberra, is confined to widely separated areas. In Amer­ A.C.T. Australia. Manuscript received June 28, 1954. ica the genus Helle is absent, but Philopota, a 16 New Zealand Cyrtidae-PARAMoNov 17 closely related genus, is present. The causes ofthis destruction were various: The genus Oncodes is cosmopolitan, but 1) some elements adapted to the arid area none of the species has been found to occur conditions were eliminated by the absence in both in Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand of deserts and by very high Thus the information we have on the New humidity, 2) some elements were destroyed Zealand Cyrtidae would indicate a closer re­ by the glaciation, which was not very intense, lationship, with respect to their origins, be­ but which changed fundamentally the ecolo­ tween the New Zealand and American fauna gical conditions. than between the New Zealand and Aus­ When the author was writing his Review of tralian. Australian Apioceridae (Paramonov, 1953), he Let us now examine the general features of was restricted by the scope of the theme and the dipterous fauna of New Zealand. First could not discuss the problem of the absence the absence, or extremely poor representation, of the family in New Zealand; now it will be of some families must be recorded: Neme­ useful to express his ideas in a more extensive strinidae, Apioceridae, Scenopinidae, Mydaidae, form. Conopidae are quite absent; some large families, If we accept the destruction of apiocerids such as Bombyliidae, Leptidae, are represented by glaciation, we must examine theoretically by one species each. What is the cause of this the three following alternatives. absence? It is quite evident that all these and 1. A large continent (for example, Australia similar elements of the fauna were present in or South America) is undergoing glaciation. :New Zealand in different geological periods. Will the result of glaciation be the destruc­ During its geological history New Zealand tion of the fauna of the continent? Most has been repeatedly covered by the sea, but probably not, because the continent extends since mesosoic time it has been definitely from north to south for a very great distance. above the sea and part of a large continent, We cannot suppose glaciation to cover the which was situated mainly westwards of the whole continent. On one or the other end present position of New Zealand. Australia of it there will exist much more mild climatic is also a part of this earlier continent. conditions, which will permit the existence of In Trias-Jura time New Zealand was more the different elements of the fauna. Such extensive, reaching to New Caledonia or even glaciation cannot wipe out the fauna-the farther northwards, eastwards reaching the animals will only migrate to the warmer areas Chatham Islands and southwards to the or strips of land or "pockets." Campbell Islands. If we suppose the whole of the state of The main ranges ofmountains were created Victoria, from the Kosciusco summit to sea during the Pliocene. The uplift was continued level to be covered with snow and ice, we in the Pleistocene. This was the time of the can be sure that in the area of Cape York greatest glaciation. The end ofthe Pleistocene there will be areas serving as "refugiums" for was a time ofsubsidence when the sea coveted the different elements ofthe fauna. Never will the sea-shore zone to a height of 40-150 the fauna be completely extinct. After the end meters above present sea level. This subsidence of glaciation the animals will migrate back -changed to slow uprising which has continued. into Victoria. The glaciation can cause max­ Thus New Zealand has been connected imally only the impoverishment of the fauna with land-masses which have representatives and temporarily the change of its spatial dis­ ofthe above mentioned families in great num­ tribution. ber, and such families were destroyed during 2. We will have a quite different picture if the process of New Zealand's isolation. the glaciation covers a not very large island 18 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, January, 1955

(for example Tasmania) and is strong and the coexistence of a huge mass of ice and, prolonged-the extinction of the fauna will at a distance of 2-3 hundred metres, a huge, very probably occur. However, if the island very tall forest. Here we have equilibrium is part of a long chain of islands, there is a between the elements causing the glaciation good chance of reimmigration after the end and deglaciation, and this equilibrium has of glaciation. existed for at least 100-200 years because the 3. If we have some large islands with their forest near the masses of ice has required such axis in a north-south direction, and these time for growth. islands are isolated by very broad ocean areas However, there is another type ofmeteoro­ from all continents and islands (e.g., New logical combination which can destroy the Zealand), the extinction or impoverishment essential parts of the fauna without glaciation of the fauna during strong glaciation is very -the periodical or permanent lowering ofthe probable. temperature in the winter. Itis enough to have From these explanations, I think, it is evi­ 5-10-25 years of winters with the tempera­ dent that the comparison of New Zealand tures under 0° c., and all the insect pupae in with Australia or South America is not well the superficial layer of the soil will be frozen. grounded. The general wnditions are very The apiocerids are a very old group from very different. In New Zealand there is not the warm countries. They have not developed possibility of reimmigration of the fauna. adaptations to cold winters, their pupae al­ Let us now consider the glaciation. In Aus­ ways lie shallowly in the soil. A number of tralia there never was a glaciation which cov­ winters with temperatures under 0° C. can ered extensive landmasses as by a shield. The cause the complete extinction of the apiocer­ glaciation touched only the mountain area ids. It will be useful to remember that in and as a result no complete fauna or even the Siberia (Yakutsk area) in the coldest point of outstanding elements of parts of that fauna the whole world (the temperature in the were destroyed. There was only temporary winter drops to - 70° C.) the snowfall is very redistribution of the elements of the fauna small, usually so small that horses can find in space. food under the snow during the whole winter. I think we have a similar condition also in In such a way we can explain the extinction New Zealand, where the glaciation was never of apiocerids in New Zealand, not only di­ so strong as to be able to destroy the whole rectly by strong glaciation but also by a series fauna. Very possibly glaciation was the real of very cold winters which can destroy those cause of the extinction of the apiocerids, be­ elements of the fauna without adaptation to cause heavy snowfall usually is connected low temperatures. In my review of Australian with diminishing temperature, and masses of Apioceridae I mentioned only glaciation as snow and ice with low temperatures can cause the cause of impoverishment of the New the death of the apiocerids. Zealand fauna, but the above explanation But (and this is my main idea) it is not just should be taken into consideration, also. the glaciation which destroys the whole fauna The presence of a very small number of or large parts of it. Glaciation is the result of species representing the three subfamilies of a specific combination ofmeteorological con­ cyrtids in the New Zealand fauna shows us ditions when the snow accumulates more and that the fauna is very impoverished. The main more, beginning to form ice-shields and cause is probably the same as for the other penetrating little by little into the valleys, but· families: glaciation, low temperatures in the it does not mean the destruction of the fauna winter, and high humidity. or the depression of its elements. The remnants of the fauna show, however, In Patagonia and Chile we have at present rather high specialization. It is quite evident New Zealand Cyrtidae-PARAMoNov 19· that before the glaciation, etc., New Zealand we must also consider the presence of some had many rather peculiar elements. These other elements, because the presence of these elements do not show a very close relation­ elements is also important to an understand­ ship with the Australian fauna, but reflect ing of the problem. Whence came the rem­ more an affinity to the American fauna and nants of the warmth-liking elements? Only possibly to the fauna of the Antarctic con­ very few of them are true endemic species of tinent. New Zealand, the greater part of the species At the present state of our knowledge it is no doubt did not originate in New Zealand, difficult to state the cause of the glaciation in but only persist there (for example the genus New Zealand. If we accept Wegener's theory Helle). Probably the origin of similar forms of the drifting continents, we can accept the was connected with the Antarctic land masses. drift of New Zealand to the polar area, which If we reject the idea of the drift of continents destroyed the more warmth-liking elements, it will be very difficult to explain the origin and then back-drift to the warmer areas. As a offorms such as the genus Helle. The distance result ofthe very marked isolation by the vast between the Antarctic land masses and New surface of ocean there was no possibility of Zealand is so great that if we suppose that receiving again the warmth-liking elements. the position of the south pole changed so If we examine the families of Nematocera that the whole Antarctic continent was situ­ and compare them with those of Australia, ated in latitudes which would permit the we will see that no families of Nematocera existence of animals adapted to a warm cli­ are absent from the New Zealand fauna, some mate, New Zealand would be situated in the of them even (for example Tipulidae) are rep­ tropical or equatorial area. However, there resented much better than they are in Aus­ are no equatorial or tropical elements in its tralia. In general the nematocerous families fauna (and flora). are more typical of cold areas throughout the We can imagine the complicated relations world. This comparative richness of the New between faunas if they changed their geo­ Zealand fauna in Nematocera is in close har­ graphical positions, but if we accept immov­ mony with the drifting theory: New Zealand ability of the continents, an explanation can­ has received its cold-liking elements from the not be found. The theory of land-bridges of Antarctic area. the authors of the last century is quite However, there are facts in contradiction to unacceptable, because it contradicts much this idea. The family Cordyluridae, which is geological data. typical of the cold areas of the Northern In thus expressing his ideas the author is Hemisphere, is absent in New Zealand; also not definitely convinced in their correctness, the genus Tapeigaster (Neottiophilidae) is ab­ however, from the material which he posseses sent though nine species ofthe genus are very the drifting theory of the continents is more common in Australia, living on mushrooms. acceptable than any other theory. Only an Also, not without significance is the absence examination of all dements of the flora and of the families Heteroneuridae, Sepsidae, fauna of New Zealand can furnish a firm Tanypezidae, and Thyreophoridae (the last basis for a correct interpretation, so we are family has some representatives in Australia, still very far from this goal. However, a work­ which live mostly, in the winter, on carrion). ing theory is useful for progress of our The absence of these flies possibly can be knowledge. explained without difficulty, but, at the pres­ ent, we do not have enough data about their Subfamily PA NOPINAE distribution and life histories to explain it. Genus ApsoNA Westwood In order to attack the problem as a whole 1876. Ent. Soc. London, Trans. 1876: 510. 20 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, January, 1955

Type species: A. muscaria Westwood. The author has seen specimens from Ar­ Westwood writes: thur's Pass, New Zealand, 23. i. 1928 (A. Genus novum Panopi et Lasiae affine, differt antennis Philpott). apice longe aristatis; proboscide longitudine mediocri, cellulis duobus posticis basi a venula unid basali A comparison with Eulonchus smaragdinus pedicellatis. gives many details of this species, which were Caput rotundo-cransversum; oculis maximis antice conjunctis, secosis. Ocelli 3 in tuberculum parvum absent in the short description of Westwood. positi, verticales. Antennae in medio faciei insertae, 1. Proboscis in Eulonchus is extremely arciculis duobus basalibus parvis, ultimo basi elongaco­ long, in normal position directed back­ ovaco, apice in setam longam tenuem producro. Pro­ boscis elongara, rhoracis longitudine, apice bilabiaro. wards under the body and protruding Alae venis fere ut in LasiJ et Panope dispositis, cellula beyond the apex of abdomen on the autem curvata apicali e venula tertia postcostali pone side of abdomen, in Apsona it does not cellulam angustam mediam discoidalem emissa; cellu­ laque criangulari etiam basi pedicellata. Pedes graciles; reach the apex of the abdomen. This abdomen fere globosum. Color metallicus. character cannot be regarded as generic because the length of proboscis is vari­ Apsona muscaria Westwood able in Diptera in both sexes and in­ dividually rather strongly, so the struc­ 1876. Ent. Soc. London, Trans. 1876: 510. ture of proboscis and palpi is quite (pI. 5, fig. 2). similar in both species. 2. Head in Apsona is more declined than Westwood writes: Valde convexa, nitida, sublente tenuissime coriacea, in Eulonchus, in which it has it nearly cupreoviridis, luteo-pubescens, proboscide et antennis normal position in relation to the nigris, pedibus luteoflavis, femoribus in medio ob­ thorax. scurioribus; alis hyalinis, venis nigris. Long. corp. lin. 4; probosc. lin. 2; expans. alar. 3. Face in Eulonchus is turned downwards, lin. 8\-'2. in Apsona in oblique position. Habitat in Nova Zelandia. In mus. Hopeiano 4. Antennae in Apsona are inserted at a Oxoniae. distance from the ocellar triangle, about Body metallic green, shining. Legs (ex­ as long as the latter, in Eulonchus nearly cluding coxae), halteres and anterior spiracles in the middle between the ocelli and yellow, proboscis brown. Whole body, in­ the mouth. cluding eyes, with very dense, erect, yellowish 5. Extremely fine strip separates the eyes hairs. Squamae alaris transparent, with yellow above and below the antennae in Eu­ rim and also yellowish-haired. Empodium and lonchus, in Apsona they touch below the pulvilli ofsame size, form and colour, yellow­ antennae. ish. Wings with a very well developed vena­ 6. Ocellar triangle is short, high, prom­ rion, only the branches ofM towards the hind inent in Eulonchus, in Apsona longer, margin evanescent. Alula absent. Anal cell broader and flat. long, petiolated. Lower basal cell M is dis­ 7. Occipital part of head in profile is very tinctly narrower and longer than the upper narrow above in Apsona, in Eulonchus basal cell R. Fourth posterior cell (subdiscal) it is rather broad. is triangular, petiolated at base, connected to 8. In Eulonchus all tibiae on outer side have the hind margin by a short vein. Discal cell an acute prolongation of the edge, in ,extremely long, slightly broadened towards Apsona the edge is nearly round. the apex. Both branches of R4 and R6, short­ 9. Subdiscal cell is touching, basally, the petiolated. First posterior cell is extremely lower basal cell in Eulonchus, in Apsona, long, the cross-vein rom is beyond the apex it is separated from the lower basal cell ·of the discal cell, another cross-vein is situ­ by a rather long petiole. ated at its base. 10. Tergites in Eulonchus with very short New Zealand Cyrtidae - PARAMONOV 21

yellowish hairs, in Apsona with long Type species: H. longirostris Hudson. ones, Osten-Sacken writes: All these characters have a relative value but Eyes glabrous, contiguous above the antennae as far the striking similarity is quite dominating. as the ocellar triangle. Three ocelli. Antennae inserted about the middle of the head (seen in profile), very small; second joint incrassate at the base and attenuated Apsona caerulea Brunetti beyond it in the shape of an arista-like prolongation. Proboscis elongate. Hind part of the head swollen. 1926. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. IX, 18: 581. Thorax gibbous; ptothoracic lobes contiguous along a rather long suture, on both sides of which they ex­ Brunetti writes: pand hindwards, so that the hind margin of the pro­ Head. Eyes with long, dense, btight rufous-brown thorax shows a deep emargination. Neuration almost pubescence, appatently contiguous, but actually suffi­ complete; a single submarginal cell; an elongate, some­ ciently sepatated ro show a very narrow shining metallic what pentagonal discal cell; folit posterior cells, in­ blue space between them throughout, from the shining, complete in consequence of the post-discal veins not almost blue-green frons bearing long, black, rather reaching the margin; two distinct basal cells; the anal shaggy hair ro the narrow shining black triangular cell closed long before the margin, its petiole stunted a frons. Antennae elongate, very slender, first joint very little before reaching the margin. Tegulae large. Legs short, cylindrical, brown with a little grey dust; second smooth, without spurs; tarsi but little shorter than the much thicker, neatly as broad as long, subcylindrical, tibiae; joints three and folit are the shortest, both brown, with some stiff bristly hairs at tip; third very rogether neatly equal the first in length. Three pulvilli. slender, pale yellow, nearly three times as long as Abdomen oval, with the first segment short; the five second, basal half cylindrical, very much narrower than other dorsal segments longer and neatly of the same second joint, apical half elongate conical, narrowed length, with coarctations at the incisures. at base, with long fine apical arista. Proboscis long. slender, Lasia-like, sheath bright shining metallic blue, much longer than full length of body, black. Occiput Hutton adds, "The neuration closely resem· metalie blue, with long shaggy dark grey hair. bles that ofMegalybtts pictttS Westwood, Trans. Thorax shining metallic blue with green reflections and long, rather coarse, blackish hair, mote greyish Ent. Soc. London, 1876, pI. v. fig. 4a." rowards sides. Scutellum more than twice as broad as long, with concolorous pubescence, hind margin gently curved, wirh more whitish pubescence. KEY TO THE NEW ZEALAND SPECIES OF HELLE Abdomen shining metallic blue, with rather long, fine, black pubescence. Two peculiar and conspicuous small patches of much denser black hair on discs of 1. Larger species, length of body about 7 second, third, and fourth segments, well separated. mm. Prothoracic plates not touching, Belly shining violet, with black pubescence. always separated by one rather broad Legs. Femora and tibiae shining dark brown, with a little fine black pubescence; tarsi yellowish (except the furrow. Yellowish-red species, with black tips), with yellowish pubescence, which latter black median longitudinal stripe on me­ also occurs on inner sides of tibiae on about apical half. sothorax and two lateral ones, abbre- Wings quite clear yellowish grey; venation normal viated in the presutural area . except fork of third vein much more upturned than in type-species, and fourth posterior cell almost con­ ...... rufescens Brun. tiguous at its pointed base with tip of second basal Smaller species, about 3-4 mm. in cell. All endings of fourth vein not reaching wing­ margin. Alar squamae yellowish, bare, black-fringed; length. Brown species with mesonotum thoracal squamae ferruginous, with rather long shaggy uniformly coloured, no darker longitu- depressed whitish hair. Halteres concealed. dinal stripes 2 Length 7Y2 mm., proboscis 9 mm. A unique of uncertain sex in the British Museum, 2. Thorax deep blue-black. Ocelli distinct Minas Geraes, Brazil (Rogers), from the Saunders ...... megalyboides Brun. collection. The only previously known species is mus­ Thorax dull blackish with a slight aene· caria, Westw., the genotype from New Zealand. ous tinge longirostris Hudson* Subfamily PHILOPOTINAE * Hudson has not described this species, the col­ Genus HELLE Osten-Sacken oured illustration in his book is not good, the insect is unrecognisable. The first author who recognised the 1896. Ent. Monthly Mag. 32: 16. right position of the species and has described it was Hutton, 1901. New Zeal. Inst. Trans. 33: 28. Osten-Sacken, 1896. 22 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, January, 1955

Helle rufescens Brunetti The occipital part of the head in profile is very narrow, about as broad as the anterior 1926. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. IX, 18: 572. tibiae. In other species it is broader than the Brunetti writes: Head mainly as in longirostris, but occiput much femora and much broader when viewed from narrower and front ocellus indefinite or absent. above. Thorax bright brownish red, hind corners of pro­ thoracic plates, which do not quite touch in the median line, narrowly pale yellow; dorsum wirh three con­ Helle longirostris Hudson riguous broad black stripes; the middle one beginning on anterior margin of mesothorax, where ir broadens 1896. Manual ofNew Zealand Entomology, a little, continuing to hind margin of dorsum, where it is considerably narrowed. Outer stripes beginning 56, tab. vii, fig. 4. (Acrocera). just in front of wing-base and ending, narrowed a Osten-Sacken, 1896. Ent. Monthly Mag. little, on hind margin. Scutellum very globular, a little (ser. 2, vii), 32: 16. blackish on underside at base; metanotum more or less blackish. Brunetti, 1926. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. Abdomen reddish, concolorous with thorax; a black­ IX, 18: 571. ish, elongate, transverse spot with indefinite outline Brunetti writes: each side ofmedian line on hinder half of each segment, Redescription.-Head dull blackish; eyes quite bare, more distincr on third, fourth, and fifth segments; base closely contiguous from just below small vertex to of each segment from fourth onwards more or less frontal triangle; latter bright orange. Ocellar triangle black and a little contracred. A fine microscopic whitish flush wirh eyes; ocelli brown, front ocellus small, dis­ pubescence over all dorsum. Venter concolorous red­ tinct, the other two larger and less well defined. An­ dish with dorsum, a little blackish transversely at base tennae dark brown; face blackish; proboscis one and of each segment. a half times as long as height of head, pale yellowish Legs.brownish yellow; femora, except tips for a s'hort above, dark brown below, the basal sheath moderately distance, obscurely brown; tips of tarsal joints narrowly dark brown, shining. Occiput very broad above, nar­ brown. rowing gradually to lower part, the latter still broad, Wings yellowish grey; venation as in longirostris, whole margin with microscopic whitish hairs. except for an extra cross-vein between third and fourth veins above tip of discal cell. All veins distinct. The Thorax dull blackish, wirh a slight aeneous tinge, elongate thickening offirst vein yellowish brown, much minutely punctate; ourer margins of prothoracic plates less conspicuous than in longirostris. Squamae obscurely and their hind corners more or less dull reddish yellow, whitish, the yellow clubs of the halteres visible through sides and hind corners ofdbrsum, also pleurae and them, their margins distinctly yellow. hind margin of scutellum similarly coloured, varying Length 7 mm. a little in intensity. Type from Buller River, New Zealand, 29. xii. 1918 Abdomen dull blackish with a slight aeneous tinge, (G. V. Hudson, no. 47h). A second specimen labelled minutely punctate; hind margins of segments towards ?Buller Riv., N. Zeal. (collector's no. 47g), also col­ sides narrowly bright orange; extreme side margins of leered bv Hudson. Both in the British Museum. abdomen narrowly orange. Seen from in front, dorsum The author has seen specimens from the with rather dense, very shorr, fine, whitish pubescence. Venter black, hind margins of segments very narrowly following localities: New Zealand: 2cJI cJI, 20. orange, more or less interrupted. Genitalia mainly xii. 1921, Mt. Arthur Tl., 4,500 ft. (A. Ton­ concealed. noir); lcJ1, 6. xi. 23, Nelson (A. Tonnoir); Legs. Coxae and femora blackish brown, trochaa"rers 1cJI, 9. ii. 1921, Dun Mt., 3,000 ft. (R. and tips of femora yellowish; tibiae and rarsi brownish J. yellow, dorsum of each tarsal joint blackish in middle; Tillyard). pulvilli yellowish, claws black. In one of the specimens from Mt. Arthur Wings uniformly yellowish grey, all veins disrinct; the additional vein at the apex of the discal first vein wirh a spindle-shaped black rhickened apical parr; second and rhird veins pracrically parallel for their cell is quite absent in both wings. The spec­ last two-rhirds, rhird vein parallel wirh fourrh vein as imen from Nelson has it on both wings, far as end of discal cell. An adventitious cross-vein situated rather far beyond the apex of the somerimes occurs between third and fourth veins shortly beyond tip of discal cell, sometimes found in discal cell. In the fourth specimen it is present one wing only. No veins after third reaching wing­ only on the right wing in the same position. margin; fifth vein forming hinder side of discal cell The second specimen from Mt. Arthur has for some distance, discal cell large; second basal cell longer than either first basal or anal. Squamae whirish, the additional vein exactly above the apex of nearly transparent, margin barely obvious, through the discal cell. them can be seen rhe large yellow clubs of rhe halreres. New Zealand Cyrtidae-PARAMONOV 23

Length 3Yz-4 mm. hinder angles rather broadly brownish yellow, the same Three specimens in the British Museum appear to colour occuring on propleurae, around wing-bases, be this species. Wellington, New Zealand, 1. iii. 1910 narrowly thence to the reddish-orange hind margin of (Capt. F. W. Hutton); Botanical Gardens, Wellington, scutellum. 28. xi. 1906 (W. Wesche); Ngaio, N. Z., 21. xii. 1921 Abdomen of six segments, separated by deep inci· (G. V. Hudson, no. 306f). In the specimen captured sions, deep' blue-black, finely punctate, traces of orange by Wesche the adventitious cross-vein is present in the narrowly towards sides of hind margins of segments. right wing only; in the one taken by Hutton it occurs Whole dorsum of abdomen and venter with very shore only in the left wing; in the third specimen mentioned whitish pubescence, barely visible except from in front. there is no trace of it in either wing. Genitalia concealed. Whole abdomen in general outline This species was not described by Hudson, but he (except for the deep inter·segmental inCisions) sub­ gave a colouted plate which simply portrays a blackish cylindrical, slightly narrowing from base to tip. body, pale legs, unicolorous wings, with a venation Legs. Coxae and femora black, tips of latter rather which is not identical with that of Helle, but may be broadly but indefinitely yellowish. Tibiae and tarsi regarded as an indiffetent copy of it. The apical thick­ brownish yellow, dorsum of tarsal joints brownish ening of the first vein certainly suggestive. Hudson except at base. sent a specimen of his species to Osten-Sacken, who Wings yellowish grey; venation as in longirostris, the described it (Ent. Month. Mag. (2) vii, p. 17, 1896), additional cross-vein between third and fourth veins and through the inadequacy of Hudson's plate the present. Clubs of halteres yellow; squamae obscurely authorship of the species should count to Osten­ whitish, about basal half of disc (except margin) black­ Sacken, though I do not suggest any altetation now. ish brown; margins not differently coloured. A specimen in the British Museum under this name, Length nearly 4 mm. by whom identified I do not know, cannot be true Described from two specimens in the British Mu­ longirostris and I describe it herein as rttfescens. seum: Wilton's Bush, Wellington, New Zealand, 27. xi. 1921 (G. V. Hudson, "206" (?c», type; the second D. Miller in his Catalogue of the Diptera example labelled simply "New Zealand" (G. V. Hud­ of the New Zealand sub-region, (1950: 75), son, "206a" and "47d"). has transferred this species from the genus The author has not seen this species. From Helle to Oncodes; the reason for this is not the description by Brunetti it is evident that stated. The genus Helle belongs to the sub­ it is very closely related to H. longirostris. family Philopotinae and the transfer of this There is a possibility that it is only the other species to another subfamily Oncodinae can­ sex of H. longirostris. not be accepted. The type of H. longirostris apparently was not fixed and can be regarded as lost. There­ Subfamily ONCODINAE fore the first recognisable description of Genus ONCODES Latr. 1796 Osten-Sacken should be regarded as the only valid one. KEY TO THE NEW ZEALAND SPECIES OF ONCODES Helle megalyboides Brunetti 1. Hairs on whole body yellowish . 1926. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. IX, 18: ...... O. consimilis Brun. (0', <:;?) 573. Hairs on whole body black, or dark Brunetti writes: Head mainly as in longirostris. Ocellar ttiangle Hush brown 2 with the eyes, wholly occupied by the three brownish 2. Abdomen black O. nitens Hutt. ocelli, which are mote distinct than in the other two Abdomen dark-brown, with narrow yel- species. Frontal triangle bright orange, a little prom­ inent, below it a pair of whitish pubescent spots; lowish margins on tergites . antennae modetately light brown. Face black; pro­ ...... O. brunneus Hutt. boscis one and a half times as long as height of head, pale yellow, tip blackish, sheath brownish yellow. Occipital margin very broad (as in longirostris) , but Oncodes brunneus Hutton sloping away tapidly from hind matgin of eyes, deep blue-black, finely punctate. Thorax deep blue-black, finely punctate; prothoracic 1881. Cat. Dipt. New Zeal. p. 24; 1901. plates quite contiguous in median line; outer and New Zeal. Inst., Trans. 33: 29. 24 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, January, 1955

Maskell, 1888. New Zeal. Inst., Trans. 20: The author has seen only one specimen: 106-108, pI. 10 (Henops). 19, 23. xii. 1924, Dun Mt., 3,000 ft., N. Z. Brunetti, 1926. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (A. Philpott). IX, 18: 593-594. Oncodes consimilis Brunetti Maskell writes: Flies (fig. 1) rather large, but squat-looking and 1926. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. IX, 18: heavy; motions very slow. Thorax much elevated, the 603. head being bene down beneath it so as not to be visible when the insect is viewed from above. Abdomen round Brunetti writes: and swollen, wider than the thorax but seeming as if Considerably like O. basalis Walk. The pubescence cut off short, the posterior extremity being turned of the thorax is more yellowish, that of the abdomen under; there are six segments on the abdomen. Colour is distinctly longer, rather conspicuously whitish, the dark brown, almost black, on the thorax, with shorr cleat-cut yellow hind margins of the segments being yellow hairs; abdomen dark brown, with a yellow band quite bare (as is the case also in basalis). The first and marking each segment; head black; Wings hyaline; second abdominal segments are all black, the third, halteres yellow. The winglets are very large and scale­ fourth, fifth, and sixth mainly blackish brown on more like. Eyes very large, compound, occupying all the than the basal half of each, the remaining porrion upper part of the head, but not highly convex (fig. 2). paling to a bright yellowish brown; the black spots at Antennae (fig. 3) inserred in front, between the eyes; the sides of the segments are less clearly dematcated, two-jointed, both joints very shorr; the style is very larger, more triangular, and almost united to the long, inflated neat the base, natrow in the shaft and blackish-brown basal band. The femora are much more slightly dilated at the tip, where there are two shorr slender in form, brownish yellow, indistinctly darker bristles. Proboscis (fig. 2) very shorr, almost obsolete, distally; the tibiae brownish yellow, the tarsi mainly conical; placed so much beneath the down-turned head black but first joint brownish yellow on basal half or as to be extremely difficult to detect. Feet (fig. 5) long more. and slender; tarsus five-jointed; claw double (fig. 6) Length 6 mm. with three pulvilli. Wings (fig. 4) with brown costal A single specimen from Mount Ruapehu, New and subcostal veins; discoidal cell open; cubital cell Zealand, 4,000 ft., Jan. 1922 (G. V. Hudson). large; and postical vein appears to have a branch almost Unique type in British Museum. if not quite disconnected. Length of the body, in the Aparr from the first and second abdominal segments, usual postion, nearly Y5 inch. which are wholly black in both species (except for the whitish hind margin of second segment in each), the Hutton, 1901, writes: ground-colour of the rest of the abdomen in consimilis Head black; antennae pitch-brown. Thorax pitch­ is blackish brown, shading into brownish yellow pos­ brown, with scarrered tawny hairs. Abdomen brown, teriorly; but in basalis it is bright brownish yellow, with the posterior margin of each segment tawny. Legs the black spotS clearly cut on third and fourrh seg­ pale-brown. Wings hyaline; the costa and second ments. In the type of basalis the ·pubescence of the longitudinal vein brown. Length, 5-6 mm.; wing, thorax and abdomen is more yellowish, that of the 5-7 mm. abdomen much shorrer than in consimilis; the black in Hab. Otago (F.W.H.); Wairarapa (Maskell); Auck­ the femora is on the basal half only and sharply de­ land (Broun). fined, the femora themselves stouter and mote uni­ formly cylindtical; the tibiae uniformly bright orange Brunetti writes: and the tarsi wholly black from base to tip. The wings A shorr series in the British Museum from New in consimilis are absolutely colourless and the squamae Zealand, some labelled Wellington, 3. ii. 1911 (Capt. nearly as clear, although not actually transparent; in F. W. Hutton); Christchurch, Ohakune, v. 1922 (J. W. basalis the wings are yellowish grey, the squamae Campbell), others with no closer data. obscurely whitish. A furrher series from New Zealand amongst the unnamed material in the British Museum have nearly The author has seen specimens from the or entirely clear wings, and the legs showing much following localities: 2et et, 30. xi. 1921, variation, being in individuals entirely and quite black, Khandallah, N. Z. (A. Tonnoir); let, 19, in others shining brown varying in intensity and ex­ 2. 1921, tent, in others again with the tibiae all brownish yellow. xii. Wilton's Bush, N. Z. (A. Ton­ The data are as follows:-Wilton's Bush, Wellington, noir); let, 5-7. i. 1922, Dun Mt., 3,000 ft., 28. xi. 1921; 6. xii. 1920; Karori, Wellington, 28. i. N. Z. (A. Tonnoir). 1917; 16. ii. 1920; Gollans Valley, 24. xii. 1921 (all G. V. Hudson). Ohakune, 1922-23 (T. R. Harris). The specimen from Gollans Valley has a pale irregu­ Oncodes nitens Hutton larly-shaped spot of some size, but with indefinite outline towards each side margin on the third segment. 1901. New Zeal. Inst., Trans. 33: 29. New Zealand Cyrtidae -PARAMONOV 25

(Henops). stimulate the discovery of additional species. Hutton writes: The comparisonof the New Zealand cyrtid Shining black, with black haits on the thotax and fauna with that of Australia and America, abdomen. The tibiae, except theit bases, the tarsi, to except the last joint of each, and a spot on each side shows that it is much closer the American of the second and thitd abdominal segments, tawny. than to Australian fauna. The cause of the Wings hyaline. Length, 5-6Y2 mm.; wing, 4Y2-5 mm. absence of some families of Diptera was also Hab. Auckland (Broun); Wellington (Hudson). discussed.

SUMMARY REFERENCES

To the present time no review of the New MILLER, D. 1950. Catalogue of the Diptera Zealand Cyrtidae has been published. Al­ ofthe New Zealand Sub-Region. New Zeal., though the cyrtid fauna is very meagre (only Dept. Sci. and Indus. Res. Bul. 100: 1-194. 3 genera [3 subfamilies] with 7 species), it is OSTEN-SACKEN, C. R. VON. 1896. A new very difficult to identify them, because the genus of Cyrtidae from New Zealand. Ent. descriptions lack the completeness required Monthly Mag. 32: 16-18. by modern systematics. The author has given PARAMONOV, S. J. 1953. Review ofAustralian all the necessary additional data to bring our Apioceridae. Austral. Jour. Zool. 1(3): 449­ knowledge up to date, and also hopes to 536.