﻿SOLOMON ISLANDS TRIPTEROIDES — BELKIN 239 



species are available for study. They resemble very closely those of 

 stonei and it can be surmised that the fourth-instar larvae will show 

 similarity also. A very short description will suffice to show the essen- 

 tial features. 



Maxillae elongate, with large terminal spines. Postmaxillary hair 

 dark, well developed. Thoracic spines absent. Prothorax with two 

 pairs of spike hairs. Metathorax with a long 2-branched spike hair 

 dorsally. Middle abdominal segments dorsally on each side with a 

 dark stellate tuft of two to four branches and a single small spike 

 arising just anteriorl3\ Pecten teeth four or five on each side. Siphon 

 light brown, index about 2.5. Comb scales in a single row, four to 

 seven on each side. 



Types. — U. S. N. M. No. 59088 (holotype, allotype, and paratypes) : 



Holotype $ (G-172), Torokina, Empress Augusta Bay, Bougain- 

 ville, February 3, 1944 (A. B. Gurney). 



Allotype 5 , Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, January 18, 1944 

 (C. R. Bruck). 



Paratypes (35,5$): 3 5,19 (G-1T2) , same data as holotype ; 1 9 

 same data as allotype ; 3 5 (G-224) , Empress Augusta Bay, Bougain- 

 ville, February 18, 1944, (A. B. Gurney) [U.S.N.M., CU, JNB]. 



Taxonomic discussion. — T. toroMnae resembles stonei quite closely 

 but can be separated from it readily by the large number of apical 

 bristles on the male palpus and the normal simple claws on the middle 

 legs in this sex, the apical bristles on the palpus of the female and the 

 reduction of prescutellar bristles in both sexes. The same characters 

 will serve to separate it from all the other members of the -fUipes- 

 group of the subgenus Rachisoura, The larvae of torohinae resemble 

 those of stonei in the third instar, but, as no full-grown larvae are 

 available, no definite separation can be made at the present time. 



T. toroMnae is restricted to the northern Solomons, where it seems 

 to replace stonei. The latter species has not been reported on Bougain- 

 ville or Treasury Islands. 



Variation. — The small number of adults available for study are very 

 uniform in their characters and show no overlapping with stonei^ 

 the only species with which it could be confused. There is consider- 

 able variation in the number of spiracular bristles in the female, from 

 three to seven, although usually they are six in number. 



Specimens examined : 11 adults, 4 third-instar larvae ; no individual 

 rearings. 



Biology. — The larvae of torohinae have been collected in tree holes 

 in association with those of T. binotata, new species, and T. solomonis 

 Edwards. No information is available on the habits of the adults. 



From the similarity in the larvae of this species and stonei it would 

 appear that they are also predaceous. 



Distribution. — Solomon Islands : Bougainville : Empress Augusta 



