Carpenter et al.: Mosquitoes of Southern U. S. 165 



long spine and a membranous papilla, subapically with two longer spines. 

 Head hairs: Preantennal (A) about 6 to 8-branched, conspicuously barbed; 

 lower (B) and upper (C) single, barbed; postclypeal (d) small, multiple; 

 sutural (e) 2-branched; trans-siitural (f) 3 to 4-branched; supraorbital 2- 

 branched. Comb of eighth segment of about six thorn-shaped scales; individual 

 scale trifid, with long central tooth. Siphon somewhat inflated medially, about 

 three times as long as basal width; pecten of 4 to 6 progressively longer teeth 

 on basal third of siphon; subventral tuft minute, multiple, inserted at apical 

 third of siphon; hair of lateral valve more than half as long as apical width of 

 siphon. Anal segment longer than wide, completely ringed by the dorsal plate; 

 lateral hair small, usually 2 to 3-branched; dorsal brush consisting of a long 

 lower caudal hair and a shorter multiple upper caudal tuft on either side: 

 ventral brush extending almost the entire length of the anal segment; gills 4. 

 longer than the anal segment, pointed. 



DISTRIBUTION. — Central United States, south to Mexico. Southern States: 

 Arkansas (30); Kentucky (140); Missouri (70). Other States: Arizona (52); 

 Colorado (89); Iowa (155, 156); Kansas (79); Montana (112); Nebraska 

 (178); New Mexico (52); North Dakota (127); Oklahoma (159); South 

 Dakota (129); Texas (108). 



BIONOMICS. — According to Rozeboom (159), the females of this species 

 are extremely annoying biters in Oklahoma when their haunts are invaded. 

 Rowe (155) claims that they are also troublesome in Iowa. Mail (112) states 

 that P. signipennis is well adapted to breeding in temporary ground pools in 

 arid regions and that it can pass from the egg to adult stage in five days under 

 favorable conditions. 



Genus Aedes Meigenl 



Aedes Meigen, 1818, Sysl. Beschr. Bek. Eur. Zweifl. Ins., 1:13. 



The genus Aedes is large, including a great many species distributed 

 throughout the world. The members of this genus are frequently of consid- 

 erable economic importance, since the majority are vicious biters and mr-.ny 

 are vectors of diseases of man and animals. The eggs of most species are laid 

 on damp soil in depressions subject to flooding by rains, melting snow or 

 floodwater from streams, although a few species breed in more restricted 

 habitats, such as rot cavities in trees and in artificial containers. In general, the 

 eggs are able to withstand long periods of drying. The genus is represented in 

 the southern states by 23 species belonging to the following subgenera: 

 Ochlerotatus, Finlaya, Stegomyia, Aedimorphus and Aedes. 



SALIENT CHARACTERS. — Adult: Pulvilli absent or hair-like. Tarsal claws of 

 female usually toothed. Spiracular bristles absent; postspiracular bristles present. 

 Paratergites usually scaled. Postnotum without setae. Squama fringed. Fork 

 of vein 2 much longer than its petiole. Tip of abdomen of female more or less 

 pointed, the eighth segment retractile. Male Terminalia: The structure of the 

 male terminalia varies greatly in different subgenera, providing useful charac- 

 ters for classification. The extent of variation in the species of the southern 



1 Consult Dyar (1928) or Edwards (1932) for synonymy. 



