NOTES ON VERMILIONIDAE AND FOUR NEW SPECIES OF VERMIOPHIS (PIPTERA: BRACHYCERA)FROM CHINA

The present paper describes four new species of the genus Vermiophis Yang (1979) from China, with reports of the habitats and biology of the wormlions collected from Taihang Mountains and Yanshan Mountains. The types are deposited in the Insect Collections of Beijing Agricultural U niversity, and some paratypes in the N orthwestern Agricultural U niversity and the Beijing Natural History M useum.1. Vermiophis yanshanensis Yang et Chen, sp. n. (fig. 1 A-E) Body length: , 9-11 mm ;, 9-12 mm.Forewing length: , 7- g mm ; , 9- 10 mm.Holotype , allotype , paratypes 16 , 23 ; Wulingshan (700 m), Hebei Prov., emerged from 22- IV -1974 to 6- V -1976 at Beijing, coll. Liu Sikong and Yang Chi-kun.This new species is very similar to V. ganquanensis Yang, but the antennal flagellum is divided into 6 subsegments and the femora of hind legs are dark brown. The apex of male abdomen and the genitalia are also different (fig. 1 A-D ).2.Vermlophis taihangensis Yang et Chen, sp. n. (fig. 2 A -E)Body length: , 9-11 mm ; , 9-13 mm.Forewing length: , 7-9 mm; , 8- 10 mm.Holotype , allotype , paratypes 10 , 14 ; Shangfangshan (500 m), Beijing, emerged from 4-V -1974 to 24-IV -1977 at Beijing; paratypes: 1 , Miaofengshan (1000 m), Beijing, 31 - V -1983; 2 , Yanqing County, Beijing; coll. Yang Chi-kun; and paratypes: 5 , 10 , Wutaishan (1720 m), 8 , 5 , Yungang, Shanxi Province, emerged from 2- V -1982 to 17- V -1982 at Beijing, collected and reared by Yang Chi-kun and Li Fasheng.The new species is closely related to V. ganquanensis Yang and V. yanshanensis Yang et Chen, but differs in the following characters: the colour of hind legs, the shape of the tergum and sternum 9 of male abdomen, and the feature of male genitalia (fig. 2 A - D X3.Vermiophis taishanensis Yang et Chen, sp. n. (fig. 3 A -D )Body length: ,12- 13 mm.Forewing length: ,9-10 mm.Holotype , paratype 1 ;Taishan, Shanziya (600 m), Shandong Prov., emerged on 7- V -1986 4- V - 1985, collected and reared by Mo Tielu.The new species is closely allied to V. ganquanensis Yang and V. yanshanensis sp. n., but the apex of male abdomen and their genitalia are rather different (figs. 1 - 3, A - D X4.Vermiophis minshanensis Yang et Chen, sp. n. (fig. 4 A-E)Bodylength: , 9-11 mm ;, 9- 12 mm.Forewing length: , 7-8 mm ;, 8-9 mm.Holotype , allotype , paratypes 1 , 3- ; Wenxian County, Gansu Prov., emerged on 12- V -1981;and 7 , 3 , emerged from 28- IV - 1986 to 9- V -1986 at Beijing;collected by Yang Chi-kun Zhang Songlin.This new species is related to V . tibetensis Yang et Chen and V. wudangensis Yang et Chen in body colour of the abdomen, but differs in the shape of male abdomen at the apex and in the genitalia (figs. 1-4, A - D ). The male genitalia of this new species is nearest to V, ganquanensis Yang, but may be easily distinguished from it by the colour of body, the apical half of the 2nd-5th abdominal segments yellowish brown, others blackish brown.