IN ORIENTAL CULICIDAE. 241 



thorax at the posterior angle." Rachionotomyia somewhat resembles Topomyia, 

 but in that geims the proboseis is shorter than the abdomen and slightly swollen 

 at the tip, while the secondary male characters (plumose antennae and differentia- 

 tion in the claws) are not developed. It is unfortunate that the name Rachionoto- 

 myia is the oldest one applicable to this genus, as it was mainly founded on a 

 misconception (see note under R. aranoides). 



60. Rachionotomyia nitidiventer (Giles). 



Uranotamia nitidiventer, Giles, J. Trop. Med. vii, p. 368 (1904). 

 Runchomyia philippinensis, Giles, »T. Trop. Med. vii, p. 368 (1904). 

 This synonymy has already been given, but the species has not till now been 

 referred to this genus, and the writer's statement (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., July 

 1911, p. 69) that Phoniomyia bimaculipes is another synonym is incorrect. 

 P. bimaculipes belongs to this genus, but differs from R. nidiventer in having 

 longer palpi. 



61. Rachionotomyia aranoides (Theo.). 



Wyeomyia aranoides, Theo., Mon. Cul. ii, p. 274 (1901). 



Rachionotomyia ceylonensis, Theo., J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. xvi, p. 248 

 (1904). 



Slteiromyia ftisca, Leic, Cul. of Malaya, p. 248 (1908). 



Squamomyia inornata, Theo., Rec. Ind. Mus. iv, p. 28 (1910). 

 I have no doubt about the above synonymy, as I have examined all the types 

 except that of S. inornata, and the species is a very distinct one owing to the 

 scaly clypeus. The type of W. aranoides has the integument of the mesonotum 

 of a darker colour than usual, but does not differ in any other way. Mr. C. S. 

 Banks has placed the following common-sense note on the type of R. ceylonensis 

 in the British Museum Collection : " It appears to me that this genus has been 

 based upon a specimen which at some time, when soft, was so much mutilated 

 that the contents of the body have exuded through the suture between the meso- 

 notum and the scutellum or the scutellum and the metanotum and then have 

 hardened, catching up small scales from the body surface, thus, when hardened, 

 having somewhat the appearance of being covered with scattered scales. At any 

 rate, the specimen is so much of a monstrosity that it is in no sense wise to use 

 it as the type of a species, much less of a genus. — C. S. Banks, 21 Sept. 1908." 

 Mr. Banks is evidently quite correct in his interpretation of the specimen. 



62. Rachionotomyia affinis, nom. n. 



Phoniomyia coeruleocephala, Theo., Mon. Cul. v, p. 577 (1910), 



nee Colonemyia coeruleocephala, Leic, Cul. of Malaya, p. 233 (1908). 

 This may possibly be a variety of R. aranoides (Theo.) or R. argentiventris 

 (Theo.) ; it differs from both in having the head bright blue in front view, from 

 the former in having no scales on the clypeus, and from the latter in having 

 brown instead of white scales on the pro thoracic lobes. 



