GENUS UEANOT^NIA 493 5 . — Head testaceous, clothed behind with blue scales ; palpi deep pieeous ; proboscis piceous, brown at the base, with short fuscous pilosity; eyes black with a silvery border. Pleurae pearly. Wings moderately densely clothed with fuscous scales, which tend to pale blue in places. Legs pale testaceous, with the apices of the femora and tibige deep pitch-brown. Halteres pale reddish, with dusky knobs. Length.— 2 to 2-5 mm.
Habitat— South America ; Buenos Ayres and San Paolo. 9. URANOTiENIA PYGMiEA, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 254). Tarsi deep metallic-bronze or purple, unbanded. Thorax black, covered with narrow shiny pale bronzy scales, with a short clear silvery-white line on each side just in front of the wings, another small white spot on the prothoracic lobes, and others on the pleuraB. Abdominal segments dusky, with whitish apical bands which are sometimes indistinct ; venter grey. Wings with purplish-black scales and with a line of silvery-white scales at the base.
$ . — Head dark brown, with broad flat scales, black in the middle, and with a few black upright forked ones and flat white ones in front, forming a very distinct broad white border to the eyes, which widens out laterally, forming a pale violet -coloured patch on each side ; antennae brown ; palpi very short, black ; proboscis dark brown, nearly as long as the body, expanded apically, hairy. Scutellum nearly black. Legs generally purple-black, with the coxae and bases of femora pale, and a faint knee-spot on the hind legs ; the bases of the mid femora dilated m the ?. Length. — 2 mm.
Habitat. — Queensland.
10. URANOT^ffiNIA DOMESTICA, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 253). Tarsi unbanded, nearly black. Thorax bright reddish-brown, a small metallic-silvery spot on each side in front, and three silvery spots on the scutellum. Abdomen dark brown, with lateral silvery spots.
5 . — Head dark brown, covered with dark brown flat scales, a patch of silvery-white ones on each side near the eyes, towards the middle, and a patch of dull ochreous ones laterally ; at the back of the head is a patch of dull ochreous narrow curved scales, and projectmg forwards numerous black bristles ; proboscis almost black ; palpi very small, black and scaly ; antennae brown. Pleurae chestnut-brown, with a white patch. "Wings with the anterior fork-cell longer than the posterior, and a glistening but not very pure white spot at the base. Legs almost
494 GNATS OR MOSQUITOES — CHAPTER XIV black, a silvery spot near the apex of the hind femora, and at the apex ; also one on the apices of the tibite. Venter dusky. Length. — 3*8 mm. Habitat. — Old Calabar. "Taken in the Vice-Consulate, and hence possibly a domestic species."
11. URANOT^ENIA MALAYI, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 258). Tarsi unhanded, hiack. Thorax hlack, with flat bronzy spindle-shaped scales, with some white ones just behind the head, and in front of the roots of the wings. Abdomen dusky blackish-brown, with small triangular basal lateral white spots. 5 . — A rather dusky species. Head clothed with flat black scales, with a few grey ones forming a pale central line, a border of creamy white scales round the eyes and at the sides, a few small black, upright scales at the back of the head; a few black bristles projecting in front ; antennse brown ; palpi black scaled, and with black bristles ; proboscis dark brown, with short blackish bristles. Scutellum clothed with flat dark scales. Pleurae purple-black, with white scales. Wmgs with small fork-cells, the anterior being the smaller, but with the cross-veins further out than is usual in this genus, so that the stems are proportionally shorter than in most species ; but apparently without anj' glistening basal patches. Legs black, with pale knee-spots. Length. — 3-8 mm.
Habitat. — Jungle, Selangor, Straits Settlements.
12. URANOTiENIA SOCIALIS, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 340). Tarsi unhanded, brown. Thorax chestnut, with iridescent blue adornment, consisting of a median line, stopping short at a bare space in front of the scutellum ; a spot on the mid lobe of the latter, and patches before the roots of the wings and on the prothoracic lobes. Abdomen black, unhanded, and usually unspotted, though occasionally with a whitish apical patch on the fifth or sixth segment. Wings with an azure patch at the base of V.
5 . — Head dark, covered with flat black scales and flat metallic-blue ones bordering the eyes in the middle ; clypeus fawn ; palpi brown, very hairy ; antennae brown with grey bands, basal joint bright testaceous ; proboscis black, swollen apically. Pleurae pale brown, with a small blue patch. Wings, with fork-cells small, the hinder the larger. Legs dark, with snowy spots on the apices of the femora and tibiae ; the fore and mid femora dilated. Venter greyish. Length. — About 2 mm. Habitat. — Jamaica. Is said not to bite.
GENUS URANOT^NIA 495 13. URANOTiENIA CiERULEOCEPHALA, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 256).
Tarsi unhanded, hrown. Head with shiny azure-hlue scales. Thorax chestnut-brown, with a small silvery-white spot on each side in front, and a white line on each side, just in front of the wings. Abdomen brown, unhanded.
5 . — Head covered entirely with flat azure-blue scales, slightly paler around the eyes, and with black upright forked scales behind ; antennae brown, with rather large joints ; proboscis brown ; palpi black, very minute. Scutellum clothed with flat black scales. Pleurae paler than the niesonotum, sometimes with a white patch. Wings with venation much as in other typical species, but apparently without basal patches. Legs deep brown, unadorned. Halteres with white stem and black knob. Length. — About 2*4 mm.
Habitat. — Old Calabar. Taken in officers' mess. 14. URANOTiENIA MASHONAENSIS, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 259).
Tarsi unhanded, brown. Thorax bright rufous. Abdomen unhanded, hrown. Wings with normal venation, but apparently without glistening basal spots. Scutellum clothed with linear curved black scales.
Head and appendages entirely dark brown, but for a pair of creamy lateral patches behind the eyes ; proboscis nmch dilated. Pleurae pale yellowish. Legs uniformly brown, with pale coxae. Tarsal claws simple in both sexes, but markedly unequal in the fore and mid ungues of the ^ . Lengtli. — About 2 '8 mm.
Habitat. — Salisburj', Mashonaland.
Observation. — This is the only Tlranotcenia with curved narrow scales on the scutellum, and even here there are flat ones intermixed. Mr. Theobald further describes an allied form which he names U. alba in which the abdomen is apically pale banded.
Genus XXII., Wyeomyia, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 267).
This genus has been separated by Mr. Theobald from Mdes on account of the metanotum being armed with bristles instead of being nude, as in all other mosquitoes except the single species of the genus Trichoprosopon.
Unfortunately, it is often by no means easy to make out the characters of this region, as in most positions it is much hidden
496 GNATS OR MOSQUITOES — CHAPTER XIV by other parts of the insect, especially by the scutellum, the bristles of which are very apt to look as if they sprung from the really nude metanotum below them. It is on this account often difficult to distinguish female specimens from those of Stegomyia. The members of that genus, however, are seldom so devoid of ornament as the species included in the present genus, so that it is well to regard any very sombrely-tinted Stegomyia with suspicion, and to examine the metanotum with special care. In ^cles, it will be remembered, the scutellum is clothed with curved Mr. Theobald's definition of the genus reads as follows : — " Head covered with flat scales ; also the prothoracic lobes and scutellum ; niesonotum with spindle-shaped scales ; metanotum with bristles on its ijosterior half. Palpi equal in the male and female, apparently four-jointed ; antennae fourteen-jointed, ba,sal joint of moderate size ; proboscis very long and thin, often longer than the body. Wings with the basal lobe long and narrow ; fork-ceUs long and narrow. Abdomen unhanded, but with either apical or basal white lateral spots or unadorned. Ungues of the female equal and simple." They have a habit of hovering in the air with the hind legs held over their back, and their long, thin legs give them a very spider-like appearance. Dr. Lutz speaks of them as " wood mosquitoes," haunting damp woods near rivers or the sea shore, and often breeding in water held in the cups of plants of the Bromelia order, and states that the larvae resemble those of Gulex, but are usually brightly coloured — red, green, or blue. Table of Species of the Genus Wyeomyia.
i. The abdomen mibanded, but with pale lateral spots. 1. W. lo7igirostris, Theob. Abdommal lateral spots basal. Metanotumblack, with two large, golden-brown bristles. 2. W. Trinidadensis, Theob. Abdominal lateral spots basal. Metanotum with three bristles on the outer row and two behind. Mid tarsi white on one side.
3. W. discrucians,'\^Si\]iei-. Abdominal lateral spots apical. Metanotumwithfourbristlesintwotufts.
ii. Abdomen unadorned.
4. W. Grayii, Theob. Metathorax with four bristles placed in a square.
5. W. pertinans (Williston). Metathorax with a single row of bristles.
6. W. aranoides, Theob. Metathorax destroyed. Base of venter white.
GENUS WYEOMYIA 497 1. WYEOMYIA LONGIROSTRIS, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 275). Thorax black, shiny when denuded, covered with dusky and bronzy scales ; prothoracic lobes with broad scales, showing metallic reflections ; metanotum intense black, with two clear golden -brown bristles near the posterior border (and two smaller ones ?) ; pleurae testaceous and brown. Abdomen black, with lateral basal white patches ; venter pale scaled. Legs dark brown, long ; coxae ochreous. Ungues of the ? , equal, simple. 5 . — Head black, with flat black scales, showing metallic-green and purple reflections ; sides of the head with similar grey scales ; two long black bristles project in front between the eyes, and other shorter ones on each side ; proboscis very long, mvich longer than the whole body, sometimes nearly as long again, tliin, covered with dark brown to black scales, hairy at the apex ; antennae deep brown, less than one-third the length of the proboscis ; palpi very short, covered with deep purplishblack scales, somewhat testaceous at the base, apparently four-jointed, the last joint being very small ; clj'peus deep purpHsh-black. Length. — 3*5 to 4 mm.
Habitat. — Rio de Janeiro.
2. WYEOMYIA TRINIDADENSIS, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 277). Thorax deep brown, with bronzy scales. Abdomen black, with metaUic-green reflections, and with basal white lateral spots, which often pass into basal bands ; venter white scaled. Legs long, black, the mid tarsi white above. Ungues small, equal, simple. Proboscis as long as, or longer than, the whole insect. 2 . — Head covered with flat brown scales with metallic-violet and sometimes green reflections, sides with rather grey scales ; around the eyes are short black bristles projecting over, and two between them ; antennse rather short, black, with paler basal joints ; palpi very short, covered with purplish-brown scales ; clypeus brown, with grey sheen ; proboscis thin, as long as, or longer than, the whole insect, deep brown. Length. — 2-8 mm.
Habitat. — Trinidad, 3. WYEOMYIA DISCRUCIANS (Walker).
{= Culex discritcians, Walker, Ins, Saunders, p, 360, ')iec. J. discrucians, Arribalzaga.)
Thorax brown and ferruginous, with brown flat spindleshaped scales ; pleurae pale, with pale golden sheen ; metanotum with four chaetae in a line. Abdomen steely-brown, its segments with apical pale golden triangular lateral spots and 32
498 GNATS OR MOSQUITOES— CHAPTER XIV pale golden bands ventrally ; first segment ochreous, with pale hairs. Legs brown; bases and venter of femora yellow; last fore tarsi sonaewhat of an ochreous tint. Ungues equal and simple in the $ .
? . — Head covered with flat violet-brown scales on the occiput, with golden ochreous scales at the sides and behind ; across the back of the head runs a semicircular line of almost black, forked upright scales, one deep, looking like a black curved line with a hand-lens, a character which at once separates this from other species of the genus ; proboscis nearly as long as the abdomen, clothed with dark coppery scales ; palpi black ; antennae brown, with narrow pale bands. It may be distinguished from Arribalzaga's Janthinosoma discrncians by the fore tarsal claws of the ? , which instead of being simple have an accessory tooth in that species. Length. — 6 mm.
Habitat. — Eio de Janeiro.
4. WYEOMYIA GRAYII, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 269). = M.perturhans, Williston (?). (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1896, p. 272.) Thorax testaceous-brown, with dusky scales ; pleurae ochreous, densely clothed in parts with broad white scales. Abdomen dusky black above ; venter ochreous. Legs black, coxae and venter of the femora ochreous ; ungues of the ? , equal and simple. Metanotum with four chaetae, placed quadrangularly. Proboscis not quite as long as thorax and abdomen.
5 . — Head covered by flat broad scales, duU purplish in the middle, ochreous at the sides, and white between the eyes ; in some specimens the ochreous scales border the eyes as well ; clypeus ochreous-brown , antennge almost black, only a little over half the length of the proboscis ; palpi short, black scaled ; proboscis black, long and thin, swoUen at the tip, apex pilose. Length. — 3 to 3'5 mm.
Habitat.— West Indian Islands.
5. WYEOMYIA PERTINANS, Williston, Monog. II, p. 272). = yE. pertinans, Williston (?). (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1896, p. 271.) Thorax brown, with dusky-brown scales on the mesonotum ; pleurae yellow-brown with white scales ; metanotum deep brown, with four bristles in a straight line and some smaller ones between them, usually making six in all. Abdomen deep brown, with dusky brown scales ; venter ochreous. Legs deep brown ; femora and tibiae yellowish ventrally, not bristly. Ungues of 2 , equal and simple.
5 . — Head yeUowish-brown, with flat scales, ochreous at the sides, purplish-brown in the middle ; clypeus deep brown ; antennae almost
GENUS WYEOMYIA 499 black, basal joint pale testaceous ; palpi black scaled ; proboscis covered wth black scales. Length. — 3 mm.
Note. — In all probability the above species is identical with that described by WUliston, but in the absence of his types, the original description has been retained in its place under JEdes. 6. WYEOMYIA ARANOIDES, Theobald (Monog. II, p. 274). Thorax shiny black when denuded, with deep bronzy-brown scales ; pleurae dark in front, pallid posteriorly, with white scales ; prothoracic lobes with white scales. Abdomen dusky brownishblack above, creamy-white below, especially at the base. Legs ochreous, with brown scales, darkest on the tibire and tarsi. Ungues of the $ , equal and simple.
2 . — Head covered with flat dusky brown and black scales, grey round the eyes and white at the sides ; clypeus bright ferruginous, with two rows of white scales ; proboscis longer than the whole body, deep brown with coppery reflections ; palpi deep brown, densely scaled, with brilliant coppery reflections ; antennae dark brown, basal joints deep brown and bright testaceous. Length. — ^3 mm.
Habitat. — Straits Settlements.
Note. — Mr. Theobald's single specimen has the metanotum destroyed by the setting pin, but he is convinced that it belongs to this genus. No other species has a bright-tinted clypeus.
500 CHAPTEE XV.
The Gorethrina Sub-family.
It is very doubtful if this group of insects can be fairly included in the same family as the rest of the CulicidcB as the family stands at present ; as although the venation of their wings and their scaly curvature is typically that of a mosquito, the anatomy of their mouth parts is entirely different, being that of a midge or Tipula ; for they have no proboscis at all comparable to that of the true mosquitoes, and have in its stead, merely a short rostrum, ending in a pair of rounded knobs. They appear to frequent mostly the open country, and are also found in woods.
Although they are said to sometimes make their appearance in enormous swarms, they are certainly generally not common insects, as with the sole exception of the solitary female from which I describe Cor. Asiatica, not a single specimen referable to this sub-family was included in the enormous collection received at the British Museum from all parts of the world. On this account I have little to add to the infoi-mation collated in the first edition. The palpi are four-jointed, and about the same length in both sexes ; the antennae fourteen-jointed, plumose in the <? , and with scanty verticils in the ? . The abdomen is clothed with hairs not scales, and even the scales of the thorax and wing-veins are so long and narrow as to approximate to hairs in form.
The two genera of this sub-family may be distinguished as follows : — First tarsal joint longer than the second Genus XXIII. Corcthra. First tarsal joint shorter than the second Genus XXIY. Moclilonyx. Genus XXIII. Corethra, Meigen (" S. B." i, 14). Gnat-like insects with no true proboscis, but with a short rostrum ending in a pair of rounded knobs. The venation of the wing is as in a typical Culex. The abdomen devoid of scales but hairy, and the wings and thorax clothed with longhair-like scales ; first tarsal joint longer than the second.