MEGARHINUS RUTILA 941 



Megarhinus rutila Dyar & Knab, Smiths. Misc. Colls., quart, iss., xlvili, 248, 1906, 

 Megarhinus rutilus Vosseler, Deutsche Ent. Zeltschr., 1907, 245, 1907. 

 Megarhinus rutillus Theobald (in part), Mon. Culic, v, 94, 1910. 



Original Desckiption of Megaehinus euttla: 



(?. Head black, tomentum of occiput blue in the centre, white next the eyes; 

 antennae brown, the first joint covered with blue tomentum on the outer side, that 

 on the inner side silvery-white; hairs of antennae dark gray, their bases brown; 

 proboscis and palpi black, covered with an appressed blue, golden and violet to- 

 mentum. Thorax brown, its tomentum golden-brown and violet, that on the lateral 

 margins pale golden; humeral angle and two large spots on the pleura covered 

 with golden tomentum, scutellum covered with blue, black and violet tomentum. 

 Abdomen black, its tomentum blue, becoming violet at the tip, that on the lateral 

 margins golden, on the venter blue, mixed with a few golden ones; sides of abdomen 

 bearing a few short pale yellow hairs. Legs black, the tomentum mixed blue, violet 

 and golden, that on the coxae and apices of femora entirely golden; second joint and 

 base of the third of each front and middle tarsi, fourth joint and base of the fifth 

 of the hind tarsi, white; one claw of each front and middle tarsi toothed, the other 

 claws simple. Wings hyaline, costal margin and the veins brown, the scales blue 

 and violet. 



5 Same as the c?, with these exceptions: First joint of antennae destitute of blue 

 and silvery tomentum; second, third and base of fourth joint of the front and middle 

 tarsi white; tarsal claws simple. Length, 7 to 10 mm. 



North Carolina and Georgiana, Florida. Three males and five females in the 

 National Museum. 



Readily recognized by the colouring of the tarsi. 



Desckiption of Female and Male of Megarhinus rutila (Larva Unknown) : 



Female. Proboscis rather long, curved, tapering gradually to tip, covered 

 with metallic blue and dark bronzy scales. Palpi long and stout, about two- 

 thirds the length of the proboscis ; long joint with a constriction at basal two- 

 fifths, the succeeding joint about one-third the length of long joint, terminal 

 joint minute; vestiture brilliant blue, tip, constriction, and apex of long joint 

 pale lilac ; many pale brassy scales beneath and at sides. Antennas filiform, 

 delicate, the joints subequal, rugose, finely and densely pilose, blackish ; second 

 joint longer and slightly stouter than the succeeding one, its basal half with a 

 dorsal crest of erect brilliant blue scales; hairs of whorls sparse, moderate, 

 black; tori black with silvery pruinosity. Clypeus broad, transverse, not 

 prominent, angles bluntly rounded, black with silvery pruinosity. Occiput 

 covered with appressed metallic green and blue scales, ocular margins silvery- 

 white ; cheeks and head beneath silvery-white scaled. 



Prothoracic lobes large and prominent, clothed with broad, appressed light 

 metallic blue scales and bearing coarse black setae. Mesonotum clothed with 

 bronzy-brown scales on the disk, well defined lateral marginal stripes and a 

 narrow median stripe of very pale metallic blue scales ; patches of brilliant blue 

 scales at roots of wings. Scutellum covered with silvery-blue scales. Post- 

 notum brown, nude. Pleurae and coxae brown, densely covered with silvery- 

 white scales. 



Abdomen subcylindrical, depressed, broadest at middle; dorsal vestiture of 

 dark greenish-blue metallic scales, shading off into blue posteriorly; lateral 

 margins of all the segments silvery, expanded medianly on last three segments ; 

 first segment metallic green scaled in the middle, bright blue at the sides; a 

 lateral fringe of short cilia ; venter clothed with silvery scales with a yellowish 

 tinge, a broad median, longitudinal metallic blue stripe extends to apex of 

 seventh segment. 



Wings narrow, hyaline with a yellowish tinge, particularly towards costa; 

 basal cross-vein oblique and almost or quite incident with anterior cross- vein; 

 costal vein metallic blue scaled. Halteres with silvery and blue scales on knobs. 



Legs slender; vestiture dark blue, the tarsi white marked; femora brassy 



