SUBFAMILY CULICINAE 193 



a lobed structure, consisting of one or more spined tubercles, or a long 

 acutely hooked process at the apex of the basal lobe. Arising from the 

 base of the claspers are the harpes, which are of very varied structure, 

 but usually consist of a long blade-like piece of chitin. There is also 

 a pair of smaller claspers, usually formed of stout, recurved hooks 

 which lie above the harpes. In some species there are processes 

 on the ventral margin armed with strong teeth, which are spoken 

 of as the unci. Veins of the wings clothed with scales of various 

 kinds, the membrane between them being hairy ; light or dark scales are 

 often present in patches, thus forming the characteristic light or dark 

 spots seen on the wing of Anopheles. The fringe is bordered with scales 

 of various kinds. The venation is characterisitc and as follows : The 

 costal vein borders the entire wing, and the subcostal joins it nearer the 

 apex than the base; the first longitudinal curves outwards, and on 

 turning slightly downwards, ends just above the tip of the wing; the 

 second longitudinal vein is forked, the forks ending at the apex of the 

 wing, and enclosing the first submarginal cell; the third longitudinal 

 vein is simple and straight, and is united to the veins above and below it 

 by the supernumerary* and mid-cross veins (Theobald) ; the third vein 

 ends just below the tip of the wing. The fourth vein is forked, the forks 

 enclosing the second posterior cell. The fifth vein gives off an anterior 

 branch, halfway down its course, and the forks thus formed enclose the 

 fourth posterior cell ; the anterior branch is joined to the fourth vein by 

 the posterior cross-vein. The sixth vein is simple and somewhat curved. 

 When at rest the wings are folded over the abdomen. The legs are long 

 and slender, the hind metatarsus is usually long ; the claws are equal and 

 small in the female, and may or may not be serrated ; in the male those of 

 the fore and mid legs are unequal and serrated, but rarely with more than 

 two serrations ; the hind claws are always equal. 



The subfamily Culicinae at the present time contains some 1,200 

 species, and this number is being added to almost every month. A large 

 proportion of the females are blood-suckers, but many never bite, and 

 like the males, subsist on plant and similar juices. 



It has already been pointed out that the elaborate classification of 

 Theobald has for its basis the structure and arrangement of the scales, 

 which clothe the bodies and wings of mosquitoes, so that before taking 



* The supernumerary cross-vein is considered by some dipterologists to be the basal section 

 of the third long vein, and not a true cross-vein ; the mid cross- vein is also spoken of as the 

 anterior cross-vein (see page 80). 



25 



