A Tachinid parasitic on Plutella maculipennis, Curt.

Extract

Dr. R. H. Le Pelley has reared in Nairobi a number of specimens of a new Tachinid from the diamond-back moth (Plutella maculipennis, Curt.).

Cadurcia plutellae, sp. n : ♂♀.

♂. Head black, the pollinosity of the face, lower half of the parafrontalia and lower half of the posterior orbits inconspicuous, but appearing almost silver-white in certain directions. Eyes bare. Frons one-fifth to one-sixth head-width (slightly less than one-half eye-width) above middle, very slightly dilated to vertex, moderately dilated to lunula ; face moderately dilated with the sides almost straight to the lower margins of the eyes, which are separated by half the head-width ; parafrontalia and interfrontalia somewhat narrowed to about middle, parallel-sided from there to base, the interfrontalia velvety blackish-brown, somewhat wider than the parafrontalia, the latter with about six inclinate and two reclinate setae, the parafacialia with 3–4 descending inclinate frontals, which reach the level of the apex of the second antennal joint. Antennae fuscous-black, third joint more than twice as long aswide, almost reaching level of lower eye-margins, falling short of mouth-margin by half its width, arista minutely pubescent, the hairs shorter than its basal diameter, the basal fourth moderately incrassate. Parafacialia one-half, jowls fully as wide as the third antennal joint, vibrissae level with mouth-margin. Palpi fuscous, hardly projecting beyond mouth-margin.