190 THE MOSQUITOES OF NEW JERSEY 



[According to Howard, Dyar, and Knab (14) the eggs are laid 

 singly, on their sides, close to the water line on the side of the cavity 

 containing the water. This is normally a hole in the trunk of a tree, 

 though water barrels and similar receptacles are occasionally used. 

 The species winters over as a mature larva.] 



Psorophora ciliata Fabricius 

 The Fringed -Legged Mosquito 



DISTRIBUTION AND CHAUACTERIZATION 



[Eastern and central United States to Central America and eastern 

 South America from Brazil to Argentine. Trapped 301 females in 

 New Jersey.] 



By far largest of our mosquitoes, brownish black ; legs clothed with 

 erect black scales, tarsi banded at base of joints with pale yellow in 

 front and mid-legs and with white on hind legs. Beak unhanded, thorax 

 longitudinally marked with brown and black stripes. Abdomen un- 

 handed, dark brown, with scattered whitish scales. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE ADULT 



Very large, robust, measures 8—10 mm. (.32— .40 inch) in length, 

 excluding beak, which is 5 mm., or nearly half length of body. Head 

 covered with mixed brown and white scales, white ones usually pre- 

 dominating and brown ones collected into three stripes, which extend 

 from base of head to posterior margin of eyes. Proboscis testaceous, 

 wholly black at apex, with scattered black scales at base, thickest at 

 basal half and at extreme apex. Palpi in female about one-third length 

 of proboscis, four-jointed, apical joint minute and variable in size 

 and shape ; testaceous with numerous scattered black scales. Male 

 palpi very large, longer than proboscis by last two joints, shaped as 

 in Culex, two terminal joints and apex of basal one being dilated; 

 blackish brown in color, testaceous at base. Antennae brown in female, 

 fuscous in male, two basal joints of the former yellowish. 



Dorsum of thorax has median line of golden brown scales extending 

 its entire length ; on either side of basal fourth edged with patch of 

 white scales ; this median ornamentation bordered by lustrous, nude 

 portion which becomes wide posteriorly. Sides of mesonotum covered 

 with mixed white and yellowish brown scales. Pleura brownish, with 

 scattered grayish scales. Legs pale testaceous, femora of all with few 

 dark scales ; dense tufts of black scales near apex. Tibiae of anterior 



