244 MOSQUITOES OF NORTH AMERICA 



Type no. 12050, U. S. N. M. 



We have selected six specimens as types from the Panama Canal Zone. 

 Gulex lactator is a common tropical mosquito, the adult variable, but the larvae 

 constant We have been obliged to recognize named varieties in this case, since the 

 extremes are so different from the normal form as to fall very differently in any 

 synoptic table. These forms would certainly be treated as distinct species by any 

 student studying the adults alone. 

 GEiorNAi, Descbiption of Ctoex iactatob, Vaeeett lactatob: 



Our Gulex lactator, described from larva, proves to be very variable as adnlt. 

 We propose to restrict our name to that form of lactator In -which the legs are en- 

 tirely black and the proboscis lacks the white ring, being only white-marked beneath, 

 leaving the name hassardii Grabham for the normally fully marked form. 

 Descbiption of Pemai^, Hale, AifD Labva of Chlex cobnigeb : 



Synopsis of Vabieties. 

 Abdomen with basal segmental pale bands: 



Proboscis and tarsi distinctly white-ringed hassardii Grabham 



Proboscis unbanded, tarsi narrowly white-ringed loquaculus Dyar & Knab 



Proboscis and tarsi black, unbanded lactator Dyar & Knab 



Abdomen with segmental dorsal spots comiger Theobald 



Female. — Proboscis moderate, rather thick, uniform, labellae conically 

 tapered ; vestiture black, with a blue reflection towards tip ; a broad dull- whitish 

 ring beyond the middle, iU-defined towards its base, setae minute, curved, black, 

 those on the labellae more prominently outstanding. Palpi short, black, one- 

 fourth as long as proboscis, with some outstanding setae at base. Antennae 

 moderate, joints subequal, rugose, pilose, black, second joint scarcely enlarged, 

 pale at base; tori subspherical, with a cup-shaped apical excavation, pale yel- 

 lowish, brown on inner side, with a few short hairs; hairs of whorls sparse, 

 black, and rather short. Clypeus triangular, convex, brown. Eyes black. Occi- 

 put black, clothed with narrow, curved pale-yellow scales, flat white ones on 

 lower part of sides; margin of eyes white; a patch of black scales on sides; 

 numerous erect, forked or serrate-tipped yellowish scales dorsaUy. 



Prothoracic lobes elliptical, remote dorsally, clothed with narrow, curved 

 whitish scales and a few black bristles. Mesonotum brown, vestiture of dense, 

 narrow curved scales, dark shining bronzy-brown on disk, shining yellowish on 

 lateral margins, broadened on anterior angles, a spot on each side of middle of 

 disk, a stripe on each side of ante-scutellar bare space; bristles brown, rather 

 short. Scutellum trilobate, pale, brown, clothed with narrow yellowish scales, 

 each lobe with a tuft of black bristles. Postnotum elliptical, luteous brown, 

 nude. Pleurae luteous, shaded with blackish, not forming a defined band ; with 

 patches of elliptical, flat white scales, and rows of smaU pale bristles. 



Abdomen subcylindrical, depressed, truncate at tip; clothed dorsally with 

 black scales, with a slight metallic reflection ; first segment with a patch of black 

 scales in the middle, the succeeding ones with yeUowish-white basal segmental 

 bands, that on second segment forming a eeniral patch, a row of lateral, tri- 

 angular, basal segmental white spots joined to the bands ; venter clothed with 

 yellowish-white scales, tips of segments with broad black bands. 



Wings moderate, hyaline; petiole of second marginal cell about one-fourth as 

 long as its cell, that of second posterior cell rather shorter than its cell ; basal 

 cross- vein distant about its own length from anterior cross- vein ; scales of veins 

 brown, linear. Halteres whitish. 



Legs: femora black above, white beneath nearly to tips, tips white; tibiae 

 black, tips yellowish white, a line of pale scales on inner side; tarsi black with 

 very small whitish rings at both ends of the joints. Claw formula, 0.0-0.0-0.0. 



Length : Body about 4 mm. ; wings 3.5 mm. 



Male. — Proboscis straight, longer and more slender than in the female, black, 

 with a small white ring beyond the middle. Palpi exceeding the proboscis by 



