THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XXXIX.] NOVEMBEE, 1906. [No. 522. 



A NEW MEGARHINUS. 

 By F. V. Theobald, M.A. 



Merjarhinus lierrickii, n. sp. 



Megarhinus portoricensis. Herrick (non Von Roder) (Entom. 

 News (1905), p. 281). 



Allied to M. portoricensis, Von Roder, but differs in the 

 following respects : — 



(i) The last segment of the male palpus much longer than the 

 penultimate, at least twice as long ; and (ii) the head iridescent 

 bluish green instead of brown with a shiny white border around 

 the eyes, white scales laterally, and azure blue spots in front ; 

 (iii) the hind tarsi are white except a black ring at the distal 

 ends, whilst in portoricensis the penultimate tarsal segment only 

 is white save for a small basal dark spot. 



Habitat. — Mississippi State, U.S.A. 



Observations. — This species is referred to by Professor Glenn 

 Herrick as portoricensis, but he points .out very obvious and 

 marked differences. This new species has been named after him. 



The specimens, he says, were bred from larvae taken *' in the 

 cup-like bottom of a massive iron post supporting one corner of 

 a large water tank. . . . Here we found five large, dark brown, 

 very spiny larvae, and also remnants of cast pupal skins, con- 

 spicuous for their long spines, made especially prominent by the 

 colonies of Vorticellae clinging to them. . . . We fed the larvse 

 entirely on Culex larvae and great numbers of the latter were 

 devoured. For example, three Megarhinus larvae in four days 

 ate eighty-three large Culex larvae, besides many small ones just 

 hatched from eggs. 



" The larvae transformed to pupae on September 28th. 



" The pupal stage lasted four days, while that of a third 

 extended over a period of five days. The anal flaps seem to 

 have a characteristic shape, and the edges, for the most part, 

 are l)eset with short stiff spines." (September 20th, 1906.) 



ENTOM. — NOVKMBEK, 1906. Y 



