Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus 



Vol. I NOVEMBER, 1913 No. 11 



A NEW AMERICAN PHLEBOTOMUS 



{Diptera, Psychodida) 

 By FREDERICK KNAB 



The Phlehotomus described in the following was sent by Prof. F. W. 

 Urich with the information that it is of economic importance, occurring 

 associated with man. Were it not for this fact, I should have refrained 

 from describing another species in a group which is very difficult, and, at 

 least for America, poorly elucidated. I can indorse the statements of 

 Drs. Lutz and Neiva relative to the difficulties in determining the charac- 

 ters of palpal structures introduced by them. In none of the five speci- 

 mens of the new species before me are the palpi in such a position that 

 the relative lengths of joints can be determined accurately. An objec- 

 tionable character, the relative length of head and body, has been intro- 

 duced by Sophia L. M. Summers. The body necessarily varies greatly 

 in length, according to whether the abdomen is contracted or distended, 

 and unless this is kept in mind students will easily fall into error. 



Phlebotomus atroclavatus, new species. 



Head, abdomen, and dorsum of thorax dull brown, the pleurae and 

 coxae pale yellowish ; vestiture dull brown with slight bronzy luster, on 

 the tibiae and tarsi shading off into whitish. 



Female : Head including proboscis distinctly less than half the length 

 of the body. Frons brown, the region about the antennae, and the basal 

 joint of these, yellowish. Clypeus slightly shorter than the rest of the 

 head, dark brown, shining, with long erect hairs on the dorsum ; probos- 

 cis projecting beyond slightly more than the length of the clypeus. Palpi 

 exceeding the proboscis by about half their own length, the last joint very 

 long and slender, more than twice the length of the preceding one. 



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