MEGAEHINUS L0NGIPE8 939 



as wide, ringed by the plate, the latter with a series of long and rather sparse 

 spines on apical margin; dorsal tufts of five long hairs; ventral brush well 

 developed, confined to the barred area ; anal gills very short. 



The larva occurs in water held by the leaf-bases of epiphytic bromeliads. 



Forested regions of South America ; Trinidad. 



Trinidad, West Indies (F. W. Urich). Eeported also from Bahia, Brazil 

 (Wiedemann, Bourroul) . 



Megarhimis violaceus has been wrongly identified by modern authors, the 

 M. purpureus of Theobald having been mistaken for this species. The error 

 appears to have originated with Theobald. Dr. Adolf Lutz has informed us that 

 Megarhinus iris Knab is a synonym of violaceus, and we accept this opinion. 

 Knab considered as specific the difference in the coloration of the caudal tuft, 

 that of violaceus being described as golden yellow and black, while that of his 

 specimen was creamy yellow and black; also the presence of the large whitish 

 lateral spots of the abdomen, not mentioned in connection with Wiedemann's 

 species. It now seems probable that these differences are sexual rather than 

 specific. 



MEGARHINUS GRANDIOSA Williston. 



Megarrhina grandlosa Williston, Biol. Centr. Amer., Dipt., i, 224, 1900. 



Megarhinus grandiosa Howard, Mosquitoes, 240, 1901. 



Megarhinus (f Toxorhyrichites) grandiosus Theobald, Mon. Culic, iii, 113, 1903. 



Megarhinus grandiosus Blanchard, Les Moust., 625, 1905. 



Megarhinus grandiosa Dyar & Knab, Smiths. Misc. Colls., quart. Iss., xlviii, 248, 258, 



1906. 

 Megarhinus grandiosus Theobald, Mon. Culic, v, 94, 1910. 



Oeiqinal Descbiption of Megaeehina qeandiosa: 



5. Antennae brown. Proboscis black. Palpi black, covered with black and violet 

 tomentum. Face somewhat reddish. Occiput black above, and covered with green 

 and yellow tomentum. Thorax deep red, the ground-colour of the mesonotum mostly 

 concealed beneath a metallic-green tomentum, that of the pleurae more silvery or 

 yellowish-white. Abdomen brown or yellowish-brown, the dorsum concealed be- 

 neath green tomentum, like that of the mesonotum. Legs yellow; dorsal surface 

 of the femora blackish, with green and violet tomentum; base and extreme tip of 

 the hind tibiae brown, the remaining portion with yellow hair; dorsal surface of the 

 front tibiae blackish, with violet tomentum; front metatarsi, except the tip, blackish, 

 the remainder of the front tarsi light yellow; hind tarsi blackish, the tip of the third 

 joint, and the fourth and fifth wholly, nearly white ; inner side of the hind metatarsi 

 yellow. Wings tinged with yellowish, the scales dark brown. Length 10 millim., 

 inclusive of proboscis 18-20 millim. 



Hal). Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero, 8000 feet (H. H. Smith). 



One specimen. Distinguishable from M. rutila, Coq., by the colour of the legs. 



There are no specimens of this species in the collection of the U. S. National 

 Museum. 



The male and larva are unknown; the life history and habits are also un- 

 known. 



Reported from Mexico (Williston). 



MEGARHINUS LONGIPES Theobald. 



Megarhinus longipes Theobald, Mon. Culic, i, 241, 1901. 



Megarhina longipes Giles, Handb. Gnats or Mosq., 2 ed., 277, 1902. 



Megarhinus longipes Blanchard, Les Moust., 226, 1905. 



Megarhinus longipes Dyar & Knab, Smiths. Misc. Colls., quart, iss., xlviii, 248, 1906. 



Megarhinus longipes Theobald, Mon. Culic, iv, 128, 1907. 



Megarhinus longipes Theobald, Mon. Culic, v, 92, 1910. 



Oeiqinal Dbsckiption or Megaehinus longipes: 



Thorax brown, with small bronzy and green scales, the green ones lateral. Abdo- 

 men covered with metallic olive-green scales; venter golden; first segment pale blue; 

 apex yellow, with yellow hairs. Legs long and rather thick, iridescent, dull yellow- 

 ish and brownish-black. 



