REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1904 



461 



Theobald, in his exceedingly valuable work on CuUcidae of the 

 World, states that in Culex the female palpi are short and three or 

 four jointed, whereas in the male they are long and three jointed, 

 adding that constrictions at the base give the female the appearance 

 of having four or five jointed palpi, and the male as possessing a 

 five jointed organ. The study of the more generalized forms has 

 convinced us that there are, except as stated above, five segments 

 in these organs, and while in most work it may be impractical to 

 count the basal segments, we prefer to apply the same number to 

 homologous segments in the different groups. This procedure 

 gives one a more just appreciation of 

 morphologic changes and has no serious 

 disadvantage, since after some experi- 

 ence, there is very little danger of mis- 

 applying the numerals. 



Wings. The wings of Culicidae vary 

 widely in character, as has been pre- 

 viously pointed out. Differences in 

 venation are easily seen and frequently 

 prove of considerable service in iden- 

 tifying species, particularly the relative 

 distance between the mid cross vein 

 and posterior cross vein and the propor- 

 tions obtaining between the two fork 

 cells and their petioles. The male wing 

 is usually recognized by its much longer 

 petioles, sparse scales and the absence 

 of oblique scales along the greater por- 

 tion of the posterior margin. The scales 

 clothing the wings of these insects vary 

 exceedingly, ranging from almost linear 

 in Sayomyia and Corethra to the lan- 

 ceolate ones of Anopheles or the very 

 much dilated scales of Uranotaenia. 

 The latter is remarkable for the great 

 diversity in its wing scales. The wing 

 clothing of most Culicids is easily 

 divided into two classes — the long and 

 the short scales, the longer ones being 

 slender, frequently strap-shaped and, as 

 a rule, extending some distance on each 

 side of the veins, while the short scales are 



i 



Of 



'X) 



Fig. 



Culicada fitchii 

 palpus of male and female 

 showing the normal con- 

 dition for the two sexes, 

 much enlarged (Original) 



