MOSQUITOS OF THE PALAEARCTIC REGION. 275 



Christophers Seems incHned to disthiguish the var. mesopotamiae on account of a 

 slight difference in the shape of the processes of the ninth tergite of the male hypo- 

 pygium, but this distinction is no more constant than the colour characters which he 

 adduces to separate mesopotamiae from hyrcanus. The form inhabiting Japan 

 and Eastern Siberia has the wing-markings blurred somewhat as in the var. meso- 

 potamiae, but the general coloration is much darker. The var. pseudopictus is at first 

 sight sharply distinguished by its pale fourth hind tarsal joint (one Macedonian example 

 has the third joint also broadly white at the tip), but the paleness in some specimens 

 is only visible in certain lights, and there appears to be no other distinction between 

 the two forms. The fifth hind tarsal joint in pseudopictus remains dark, but in 

 Swellengrebel's argyropus from Sumatra both the fourth and the fifth joints are 

 white ; this condition seems to have been developed independently in argyropus 

 and mauritianits, and, if so, argyropus should perhaps be regarded as an extreme form 

 of hyrcanus rather than as an Oriental form of mauritianus. 



A. hyrcanus is found chiefly in large marshes, especially near the sea. The 

 larva has been described by Joyeux. 



Distribution. — North Mediterranean coast from the Rhone delta to the Levant, and 

 across Central Asia from the Black Sea coasts to Japan ; also (in a darker variety) 

 throughout the Oriental region. The var. mesopotamiae appears to be confined to 

 the region at the head of the Persian Gulf ; the var. pseudopictus has been found 

 in Italy (Grassi) ; Macedonia (Watcrston) ; Danube delta [Leon] ; Transcaspia (Tedjen, 

 C. Aknger). 



9. Anopheles mauritianus, Grp. 



Anopheles mauritianus, Grandpre, Planters' Ciazette Press (I90U). 

 Anopheles paludis, Theobald, Royal Soc, Rept. Malaria Com. p. 75 (6th July, 

 1900). 



This is the African representative of A. hyrcanus, from which it differs almost 

 solely in the generally blacker colour and the white tip of the hind tarsus. The 

 range "of variation of the two forms is, however, quite distinct, and it is no doubt 

 justifiable to regard them as separate species. Christophers distinguishes the 

 hypopygium from that of A . hyrcanus by the absence of leaflets on the aedoeagus, 

 but either he was mistaken in his observation or the species is variable in this respect, 

 since delicate leaflets are certainly present in those which I have examined. 



Like its ally A. hyrcanus, this species lives chiefly in large swamps, especially 

 near coasts, and is a poor carrier of malaria. 



Distribution. — Tropical Africa, extending into the Palaearctic region only in the 

 south-eastern Mediterranean, where it occurs in the Nile delta and in the marshes 

 on the Palestine coast (Barraud). 



Subgenus Myzomyia (Blanchard), Christophers. 

 Ind. Journ. Med. Res. iii, p. 383 (1915). 



Adult. — Cross- veins and bases of forks of wing- veins with light scales (except 

 in A. rhodesiensis). Costa with four or more pale spots. Male hypopygium with 

 a group of several (4-6) stiff bristles at the base of each side-piece, none of which are 

 borne on tubercles or otherwise differentiated. Prosternal hairs nearly always 

 reduced. 



Larva. — Shaft of antenna without a branched hair. Leaflets of palmate hairs 

 generally with long terminal filament. Internal clypeal hairs rather wide apart. 



The members of this subgenus, though showing a great total range of ornamen- 

 tational characters, are really all much more closely allied than the species of the 

 subgenus Anopheles. The male hypopygia are almost identical throughout the 

 subgenus, the minute distinguishing characters given by Christophers being in some 



