196 THE MOSQUITOES OF NEW JERSEY 



Psorophora columbiae Dyar and Knab 

 The Spotted -Legged Mosquito 



DISTEIBUTION AND CHARACTERIZATION 



[Eastern United States from New York southward. Trapped 606 

 females in New Jersey.] 



Dark, large slate colored or black mosquito. Femora and tibiae 

 spotted with yellow, tarsi white-banded at bases. Beak has white cen- 

 tral band, wings thickly scaled with black and white scales, giving 

 dotted appearance under lens. Abdomen black with incomplete basal 

 bands and C-shaped marks. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE ADULT 



Large, 6.5—7 mm., little over quarter-inch in length ; beak about 2 

 mm., or slightly less than one-third length of body. Head blackish, 

 with cinereous scales scattered over surface, forming narrow border to 

 posterior part of ej^es ; proboscis black at apical third, yellowish 

 centrally, gradually merging into black base. Palpi in female blackish, 

 white at apex of third joint, fourth joint usually very small, with few 

 bristles at apex. In some specimens this joint rather large, oblong, 

 with obtuse apex. Male palpus black, only slightly dilated, basal joint 

 has whitish band in center, is almost as long as the proboscis ; terminal 

 joint a little shorter than central one; both have narrow pale band at 

 base. Antennae of female brown, with basal joint yellowish brown; in 

 male brown with paler plumes. 



Thorax black, generally striped appearance ; absolutely fresh speci- 

 mens, pinned without handling, and before they have had opportunity 

 to denude themselves in breeding jar do not show stripes. Evenly 

 covered with black spiny clothing, has cinereous scales, diffused over 

 posterior part and collected into two or four spots in anterior portion. 

 Pleura black with small patches of grayish scales. Femora black with 

 scattered yellow scales ; apex white ; broad white band near apex on 

 posterior femora, narrower band on anterior, almost none on median 

 pair. Wholly yellowish beneath. Tibiae black with white dot at base, 

 many white scales collected into spots on one side. Tarsi black with 

 broad white rings at base of all joints except fifth on fore and middle 

 feet. First tarsal joint has broad white band in the center, less distinct 

 on middle and anterior pairs. Claws of fore and middle tarsal joints 

 of male unequal in length, larger with median and basal tooth, smaller 

 with basal tooth only. Posterior claws equal and simple, as all those 



