68 R. NEWSTEAD—THE PAPATACI FLIES (PHLEBOTOMUS) 
Synopsis of Maltese species of Phiebotomus. 
A. Abdominal hairs recumbent. 
(a) Integument black. Large species. Palpi with second segment slightly 
longer than the third. nigerrimus, Sp. ., p. 68. 
(b) Integument ochreous, Small species. Palpi with second segment 
one half the length of the third. minutus, Rond., p. 69. 
B. Abdominal hairs more or less erect. 
(a) Legs in both sexes relatively short, average length of hind leg, 3 mm. 
Terminal segment of superior clasper of male slightly longer than 
the inferior clasper. perniciosus, Sp. D., p. 70. 
(b) Legs in both sexes relatively long ; average length of hind leg, 4 mm. 
Terminal segment of superior clasper of male scarcely half as long 
as the inferior clasper. papatasii, Scop., p. 73. 
Phlebotomus nigerrimus, sp. n. 
FrmMALE.—Colour. Head, thorax, and abdomen brownish black ; hairs bright 
ochreous buff, those on the thorax being slightly paler and erect, those on the 
abdomen recumbent. Basal segment of antennae dark brown. Palpi pale to 
dark brown, hairs similar in colour to those on the body. Legs pale ochreous 
buff, with ochreous white, not silvery white, refulgence. Wings ochreous buff or 
dull golden in some lights. 
Head. Proboscis long; eyes black, deeply emarginate in front. Palp: and 
antennae very like those of P. papatasii. Legs very long, femur of hind pair 
nearly as long as the abdomen; tibia one and one-third times the length of the 
femur; tarsi longer than the tibia by about one-sixth, or nearly as long as the 
wing ; ungues simple. Wings (fig. 5, p. 62) with the hind margin strongly 
arched ; sixth longitudinal vein short, terminating near the centre of the hind 
margin, the length equal to the distance, in a straight line, from its tip to the 
tip of the third longitudinal vein; the anterior branch of the second longitudinal 
vein twice the length of the distance between the two forks. 
Length, 2°50 mm. 
The black or brownish black colour of the integument of this insect will serve 
as a ready means of distinguishing it from any of its allies. It may also be 
separated from P. papatasii, to which it is closely related in its morphological 
characters, by the shape of the wing and the shorter sixth longitudinal vein. 
The only two examples which were secured were taken by Captain P. J. Marett ; 
both are females, one of which bears the data: “Black species, Gozo, 
20. X. 10;” the other, “ P. papatasii, dark variety, 17. VI. 10. F.” 
Captain Marett had evidently therefore noted the black or dark colour of this 
insect in life ; and when questioned regarding this he was absolutely certain that 
the colour was not due to post mortem changes, It is undoubtedly a rare insect 
in the Maltese Islands, otherwise more specimens would have been secured. We 
trust that Captain Marett will be able to obtain examples of the males so that 
the characters of the armature may be examined and described. 
