R. NBWSTEAD — THE PAPATACI FLIES (PHLEBOTOMUS) 



Syjiopsis of Maltese species of Plilebotomus. 



A. Abdominal hairs recumbent. 



(a) Integument black. Large species. Palpi with second segment slightly 



longer than the third. nu/ei'rinnis, sp. n., p. 68. 



(b) Integument ochreous. Small species. Palpi with second segment 



one half the length of the third. minutus, Eond., p. 69. 



B. Abdominal hairs more or less erect. 



(a) Legs in both sexes relatively short, average length of hind leg, 3 mm. 



Terminal segment of superior clasper of male slightly longer than 

 the inferior clasper. perniciosiis, sp. n., p. 70. 



(b) Legs in both sexes relatively long ; average length of hind leg, 4 mm. 



Terminal segment of superior clasper of male scarcely half as long 

 as the inferior clasper. papatasii. Scop., p. 73. 



Phlebotomus nigerrimus, sp. n. 



Female.^ — Colour. Head, thorax, and abdomen brownish black ; hairs bright 

 ochreous buff, those on the thorax being slightly paler and erect, those on the 

 abdomen recumbent. Basal segment of antennae dark brown. Palpi pale to 

 dark brown, hairs similar in colour to those on the body. Legs pale ochreous 

 buff, with ochreous white, not silvery white, refulgence. Wings ochreous buff or 

 dull golden in some lights. 



Head. Proboscis long ; eyes black, deeply emarginate in front. Palpi and 

 antennae very like those of P. papatasii. Legs very long, femur of hind pair 

 nearly as long as the abdomen ; tibia one and one-third times the length of the 

 femur ; tarsi longer than the tlbiie by about one-sixth, or nearly as long as the 

 wing ; ungues simple. Wings (fig. 5, p. 62) with the hind margin strongly 

 arched ; sixth longitudinal vein short, terminating near the centre of the hind 

 margiii, the length equal to the distance, in a straight line, from its tip to the 

 tip of the third longitudinal vein ; the anterior branch of the second longitudinal 

 vein twice the length of the. distance between the two forks. 



Length, 2'50 mm. 



The black or brownish black colour of the integument of this insect will serve 

 as a ready means of distinguishing it from any of its allies. It may also be 

 separated from P. pajMtasii, to which it is closely related in its morphological 

 characters, by the shape of the wing and the shorter sixth longitudinal vein. 

 The only two examples which were secured were taken by Captain P. J. Marett ; 

 both are females, one of which bears the data : " Black species, Gozo, 

 20. X. 10 ;" the other, " P. papatasii, dark variety, 17. VI. 10. F." 



Captain Marett had evidently therefore noted the black or dark colour of this 

 insect in life ; and when questioned regarding this he was absolutely certain that 

 the colour was not due to post mortem changes. It is undoubtedly a rare insect 

 in the Maltese Islands, otherwise more specimens would have been secured. We 

 trust that Captain Marett will be able to obtain examples of the males so that 

 the characters of the armature may be examined and described. • 



