AEDEOMYIA SQUAMIPENNIS 897 



rounded quadrate, somewhat protuberant without ; a group of filaments at outer 

 angle; a long curved row of filaments at outer third; inner portion tapering 

 slightly, bare without, dental area much reduced, represented by four weak 

 slender teeth, a short trifid tooth within; a small chitinized angular process; 

 a row of short filaments on the side near base. Maxillae projecting from the 

 lower side of mouth, long, slender, conical, with median chitinized suture ; an 

 apical row of long hairs curved over toward base ; basal half of innei side with 

 rows of fine hairs; a stout terminal seta; palpus small, but distinct from 

 maxilla, with basal chitinous ring and rudimentary terminal digits; a mem- 

 branous finger-shaped process arising between maxilla and palpus, slightly 

 swollen outwardly, with a black line along one side. Mental plate very small, 

 with five teeth, the middle one the largest. Thorax fiattened, rounded-quadrate, 

 with chitinous lines ventrally on the segments and posterior edge; a pair of 

 chitinous plates in front bearing small hair-tufts; bases of lateral hair-tufts 

 strongly chitinized and projecting, the subventral metathoracic tubercle espe- 

 cially conically projecting and chitinized behind; hairs long. Abdomen with 

 the segments slightly widened centrally, uniform ; lateral tubercles large, with 

 single hairs; venter obscurely brown-banded in the centers of the segments. 

 Lateral comb of eighth segment a large plate with row of long spines on its 

 posterior border. Air-tube small, slender, slightly tapering, about four times as 

 long as wide, its surface finely setose, with long, stout terminal spines and rudi- 

 mentary tracheae; a single pair of long hair-tufts near the middle and a smaller 

 pair nearly opposite towards the dorsal aspect, a third pair at extreme apex; 

 peeten absent. Anal segment ringed by a chitinous band, with subdorsal series 

 of coarse irregular spines ; distal end below obliquely excavated, for insertion of 

 ventral brush, which is of sparse hairs, ciliate on their posterior sides; apex 

 dorsaUy with terminal hairs ; lateral hair long and double, situated subventrally 

 close to ventral brush. (Anal gills probably small, absent in our specimen.) 



The larvas of this species have been observed only by Mr. H. W. B. Moore of 

 the British Guiana Museum. He writes us as follows : " The larvae of Aedeo- 

 myia squamipennis live among roots of water plants, chiefly Pistia and 

 SUvinia, resembling those of Mansonia titillans in this respect, though they 

 are far from being so retiring as the latter. In a breeding-jar, for instance, 

 those of M. titillans will hide themselves altogether among the roots, whereas 

 with Ae. squamipennis a number of larvae may be seen among the roots at 

 various points. Their siphons and long body-hairs seem to keep them in posi- 

 tion. They are fond also of lying on their backs on the muck at the bottom of 

 the breeding-jar. Last week I timed three in this position for over two hours, 

 and I do not know how long previously they had been lying so. Even when they 

 shift their places it is seldom that they go to the surface. They generally go to 

 another plant or to a new place at the bottom of the jar. They can be taken 

 throughout the year, their breeding-places being our sweet-water canals, which 

 have to be kept permanent, as the water is used by the common people for 

 drinking and for domestic purposes generally. They are found only where 

 there is a good growth of aquatic vegetation, chiefly on the plants already men- 

 tioned. Is the adult a blood-sucker? Both male and female frequently come 

 into houses in Greorgetown, our capital city. In fact, my notes show, as far at 

 least as my house is concerned, that they visit more frequently than any other 

 out^door or non-domestic mosquito. As regards numbers, I take as many or 

 more on the window-panes as of those of M. titillans, another frequent house 

 visitor. I have never, consciously, been bitten by Ae. squamipennis, either 

 indoors or out of doors, and I have always failed to get them to bite when I have 

 tried. Only twice have I taken a gorged female, but in each case, as far as 

 outward appearance went, she seemed filled with something else than blood." 



