Chapter XIV 



CLASSIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE 

 CULICIDAE.* 



The Family Culicidae. Constitutes a family of 

 flies characterised by possessing : 



(1) A piercing proboscis about as long as the 



whole body. 



(2) The presence of scales on the wings 



characterises the family, the venation of 

 the wings is also characteristic ; scales also 

 occur on the head, thorax and abdomen. 

 To determine the sub -family. The family Culicidae 

 is again subdivided into a number of sub-families, 

 based mainly on the length of the palpi in male and 

 female. Theobald divides them as follows : 



TABLE OF SUB-FAMILIES 



A. Scutellum simple, never trilobed. Proboscis straight ; 

 palpi long in $ and ? ANOPHELINAE. 



AA. Scutellum trilobed. 



a. Proboscis strongly re-curved ; first sub-marginal cell 

 very small MEGARHININAE. 



aa. Proboscis straight ; metanotum nude. 

 ft. Wings with six long scaled veins. 

 7. Antennae with second joint normal in length. 

 B. First sub-marginal cell as long or longer than 



posterior cell, 

 e. Palpi of $ shorter than proboscis, of the $ long 



CULICINAE. 



ee. Palpi short in $ and ? - - AEDINAE. 



* In identifying a mosquito, first determine to what sub-family it belongs, next 

 to what genus in the particular sub-family, and finally to what species in the 

 particular genus. 



