MANSONIA FLAYEOLUS 521 



(Theobald) ; ParA, Brazil (Goeldi) ; Yquitos, Peru (Newstead and Thomas) ; 

 Argentine Eepublic ( Arrib^lzaga) . 



Dyar and EJiab have published the following (Can. Ent., xl, 312, 1908) : 



" We regret to be obliged to call attention to an important error in the other- 

 wise excellent work of Dr. Goeldi. That author figures the eggs of Mansonia 

 titillans from photographs. This constitutes the only reference published to the 

 life-history of this interesting species, and is the only contribution to the life- 

 histoiy of it or its allies. Dr. Goeldi's observations have been \ridely quoted, 

 and it is generally supposed, in consequence, that Mansonia eggs are of fusiform 

 shape and deposited singly. It is, however, clearly to be seen from the figures 

 of the adult on Dr. Goeldi's plate, that the species he had under observation could 

 not have been a Mansonia, owing to the long tapering extensile abdomen there 

 clearly shown, characteristic of Mdes (sensu nostrum), while the abdomen of 

 Mansonia titillans is blunt and non-extensile. This type of egg is also character- 

 istic of ^des, and leaves the early history of Mansonia entirely unknown." 

 The larva and pupa are now known, but Mr. Moore's observation on the egg- 

 laying habits have reached us too late for inclusion here. We think that prob- 

 ably the series of heavy chitinous hooks on the eighth abdominal segment of 

 the female may be employed in this connection. 



Newstead and Thomas state that this Mansonia bred in the collections of 

 water formed in the cellars of houses situated along the low-lying land next the 

 river, which were flooded at high water, and that the larvae were not found where 

 the water had been oiled. We believe this to be an error, as the Pistia plants 

 would not occur in the cellars of houses. No doubt these authors concluded 

 that the Mansonia bred in temporary pools like some other mosquitoes. Find- 

 ing the Mansonia abundant and larvae in the pools abundant, they assumed that 

 there was a connection between the two facts. 



We suspect that Mansonia pseudotitillans Theobald (Mon. Culic, ii, 178, 

 1901) , from the lower Amazon, should be placed as a synonym of titillans. The 

 only tangible difference indicated is that pseudotitillans is said to have only 

 broad scales on the wing-veins, while titillans, and all the other Mansonia, 

 have two series of wing-scales, broad and narrow. We note that in perfect 

 specimens of titillans the narrow scales are completely hidden by the super- 

 imposed broad scales, and we think that Theobald may have had such speci- 

 mens before him. The fact that no new specimens of pseudotitillans have been 

 reported strengthens this view. However, comparison of the types can alone 

 decide this question. 



MANSONIA FLAVEOLUS (Coqmllett) Dyar & Knab. 



TmniorJiynchus flaveolus Coquillett, Proc. Ent. See. "Wash., vli, 182, 1906. 

 Twniorhynchus flaveolus Coquillett, II. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent, Tech. Ser. 11, 24, 1906. 

 Mansonia flaveolus Dyar & Knab, Ent. News, xxl, 264, 1910. 

 Tceniorhynchus (?) flaveolus Theobald, Mon. Culic, v, 432, 1910. 

 Obioinal Desceiption or Twniorhynchus flaveolus : 



Scales of proboscis yellow and with several black ones Intermixed, those of the 

 palpi mixed yellow and black, with a band of white ones at the sutures of the joints; 

 palpi slightly widening at the apex; appressed scales of the occiput light yellow, the 

 numerous upright ones brown. Body yellowish, scales of mesonotum and scutellum 

 light yellow, the hairs black, scales of abdomen golden yellow, a few black ones on the 

 first three and the last segment. Scales of legs mixed yellow and black, not forming 

 distinct spots or bands, those on the apices of the joints of the middle and hind tarsi 

 wholly black, on the broad bases of the last four joints white; claws of front and 

 middle tarsi with a tooth under one of the claws, none under the other, hind tarsal 



