342 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



TJranotaenia sapphirina Osten Sacken 



PI. 13, 27, 46, 48, flg. 1 ; 2, 3; 2 ; 7 respectively 



The single species belonging to this genus is among the smallest 

 of our mosquitos, and may be easily recognized by the line of 

 violet blue scales on the thorax. The larvae were taken in small 

 numbers at East Greenbush in early August. 



Description. Female. Proboscis nearly as long as the body, 

 dark brown with fine, yellowish hairs. Antennae slender, slightly 

 shorter than the proboscis; segments with sparse, basal whorls 

 of stout, brown hairs and thinly clothed with shorter, yellowish 



brown ones ; basal segment glob- 

 ular, yellowish. Eyes black, 

 coarse!}^ granulate, strongly 

 emarginate; occiput with a con- 

 spicuous median patch of bright 

 violet scales extending laterally 

 along the posterior margin of 

 the eyes. Prothorax yelloAvish 

 or yellowish brown with a bright 

 median line of violet scales be- 

 coming obsolete posteriorly; a 

 submedian line of long, coarse, 

 brown hairs and in some speci- 

 mens a sublateral and lateral stripe of similar hairs; other 

 portions sparsely clothed with shorter, brown hairs; a small 

 patch of violet scales on the anterior lateral margin just 

 behind the head, a few of the same color or a short lateral line 

 at the base of the wings, and a rather conispicuous patch of similar 

 scales on the pleura a little below the wings. Scutellum with a 

 patch of violet scales and bearing a few long, coarse, black bristles ; 

 postscutellum yellowish. Halteres, basal portion yellowish white, 

 apical portion fuscous. Abdomen brownish, mottled with yel- 

 lowish; first and fifth abdominal segments with more o'r less 

 defined posterior patches of violet scales. Ventral surface of 

 abdomen brownish, sparsely clothed with yellowish brown scales. 

 Legs mostly dark brown, with apexes of femora and tibiae ringed 

 with white. Wings, veins black, membrane hyaline with bright 

 metallic reflections, large, flat scales on second longitudinal vein ; 

 basal portion of fifth longitudinal vein thickly clothed with a 

 double row of bright violet scales similar to those on the body. 



Male. Proboscis long, brownish, flecked with yellowish brown 

 scales. Antennae with dark brown plumes, jet black, segments 

 with basal, yellowish rings. Occiput crowned with several patches 

 of purplish scales. Prothorax ^brownish, with a median and 



Fig. 79 Labial plate of Uranotaenia 

 sapphirina 



