DIPTERA 



FAM. CULICIDA 



by Fred. V. THEOBALD 



WITH 2 COLOURED PLATES 





.he family Culicida until recently was limited to a few genera and but comparatively few 

 species were known, but owing to the important part they play in the spread of certain 

 diseases (malaria, yellow fever, filariasis, etc.) great numbers have been collected during 

 the last few years in all parts of the world. 



These great collections have necessitated the formation of many new genera and the employment 

 of more definite characters for the old genera. 



Culicida? are known under a great variety of popular names, such as : Gnats, Mosquitoes, Galli- 

 nippers, in Anglo-Saxon tongue; Moustiques, Cousin, Maringouin, in France; Zanzare and Zanzaroni, in 

 Italy; in Germany, Stechmiicken ; Zancudos and Mosquitos, in South America; Mutchers, in India, etc. 



Linnaeus (i735j merely refers to the genus Culex (Syst. Nat.) and upon this genus with its type 

 Cidex pipiens the family characters are founded. 



Meigen, in 1804 (Classs. und Beschr. der Europ. zweifliiglichen Insekten), separated the Mosquitoes off 

 as Tipularitz culiciformes . 



Later Latreille (i825) grouped them under the name Culicides, which term was also employed 

 by Macquart and Zetterstedt. So far only three genera were known, namely Anopheles, Culex and Acdes. 



In 1827, Robineau-Desvoidy, in his Essai stir la tribu des Culicides, added three more genera : 

 Megarhinus, Sabethes and Psorophora. 



Stephens, in 1829 (Syst. Cat. Brit. Ins.), placed these insects in the family Culicida and since 

 that date all Mosquitoes have been included under that name. 



The chief writings dealing with Culicida;, irrespective of the general works on Diptera are 



