856 MOSQUITOES OF NORTH AMERICA 



Original Description of Howabdina aureostriata : 



$. Proboscis black, slightly curved downwards, rather long and narrow, three- 

 quarters length of abdomen. Palpi black, extremity of terminal joint golden-scaled, 

 a few golden scales on the upper median surface of the penultimate joint; under 

 surface of palpi speckled with gold scales. Antennae black, scattered gold scales 

 throughout its length, especially on the lower joints; about three-quarters length 

 of proboscis. Clypeus black. A narrow median band of golden scales on the 

 centre of the occiput, two broad bands of golden scales on each side of the occiput, 

 the intervening spaces black-scaled; a number of upright forked scales on the nape; 

 scales on the extreme sides of the head silvery. Thorax black-scaled, with seven 

 rows of brilliant narrow curved golden scales, the outermost pair starting from the 

 wing insertions, curving round and bordering the mesonotum laterally and an- 

 teriorly; the next pair arise from the preceding near the anterior border of the 

 mesonotum, and run backward, terminating in the lateral lobes of the scutellum; 

 the innermost pair also originate anteriorly, and course backwards, gradually nar- 

 rowing, over three-quarters the length of the mesonotum. The seventh row arises in 

 the hinder third of the mesonotum, and terminates on the posterior margin of the 

 mid lobe of the scutellum. Prothorax with brilliant silvery scales. Patches of 

 silvery scales on the pleura. Scutellum with a median and two lateral bands of 

 golden scales. Three long hairs on each of the lateral lobes and four on the central 

 lobe. Wings with pale brown scales, the lateral ones long and narrow, median ones 

 short and obconical. First submarginal cell narrower and one-third of its length 

 longer than the second posterior cell, its stem less than half the length of the cell; 

 stem of the second posterior as long as the cell; posterior cross vein more than its 

 own length behind the mid cross vein. Halteres with white stems and brown knobs. 

 Abdomen black-scaled, with violet reflections; first four segments with basal bands 

 of golden scales; all segments apically bordered with long white hairs. Triangular 

 patches of silvery scales on the sides of the segments extending ventrally a short 

 distance. "Venter with broad basal bands of golden scales on all the segments except 

 the last two. Legs black, with violet reflections, speckled with golden scales, 

 especially towards the extremities; femora golden-scaled on the under surface 

 throughout their whole length, upper surface golden-scaled near the base, a few 

 silvery scales at the apices above forming three spots, especially on the mid and hind 

 legs. Tibiae unhanded in all the legs. A narrow white basal band on the mid 

 metatarsus. Broad basal bands of silvery-white scales on the metatarsus and first 

 two tarsi of the hind legs. Ungues equal and simple. 



Length 2.5 mm. 



c?. Palpi black, very long and narrow, extending about one-quarter of their length 

 beyond proboscis; three long black hairs at the extremities of the terminal joints; 

 a few on the sides of the penultimate and at the extreme apices of the antepenulti- 

 mate joints; a few golden scales at the junction of the terminal and penultimate 

 joints; a conspicuous band of golden scales at the lower third of the antepenulti- 

 mate joint. Shaft of the antennae conspicuously golden-scaled. The median band 

 of gold scales on the occiput is divided into two by a line of black scales. Abdomen 

 black, segments with long white hairs along the apical borders; all segments with 

 silvery lateral areas; in the last three segments these nearly meet dorsally, forming 

 basal bands. Venter with broad basal bands of silvery scales, among which are a 

 few golden scales along the mid line. Ungues, of the fore leg, unequal, larger 

 biserrated, smaller uniserrated; of the mid leg larger biserrated, smaller uniserrate; 

 of the hind leg simple and equal. 



Length, 2.5 mm. 



Description of the adult LARVA. Seen in the breeding jar, it has an almost 

 transparent outline; the head and siphon of a dull red colour. When disturbed 

 it displayed marked activity, retreating with great speed to the dark side of the 

 bottle, and hiding among the algae. Head nearly circular, dull red in colour; 

 antennae transparent, slightly curved inwards, gradually tapering to a blunt apex; 

 Lateral hair tuft reduced to a single simple stout hair, one-quarter the length 

 of antenna, arising about half way up the shaft. Apex with four very short spines 

 and a lamella; surface of shaft entirely devoid of spines. A pair of stout simple 

 hairs on clypeus. Mentum a wide angle of 20 rounded teeth. Several tufted hairs 

 on the upper surface of the head near the bases of the antennae. Thorax and 

 abdomen with scattered tufted hairs, rays 5-20 elongated, jagged at the eyes, some 

 obsoletely feathered; lateral hairs feathered. Comb of twelve stout straight spines 

 in a single row. Air tube sub-cylindrical, about five times as long as broad (at the 

 base) , not swollen, tapering gradually towards the summit. Pecten of two rows of 

 simple elongated spines, 24 in number, extending half way up the tube with a com- 

 pound 2-3-fid hair situated at the upper extremity of each, about the middle of the 



