Mosquitoes in Melanesia — Belkin 
233 
tufts as on thorax, generally with about 30 
or more slender branches. Hairs 6-1-11(3, 2b), 
6-III-VI(2,3b, rarely 1), 7-1-11(2, 3b). Ter- 
minal abdominal segments as in Figure 2. 
Types 
USNM No. 62389 (holotype, paratypes). 
Paratypes to be deposited in BMNH, CU and 
CSIRO (Canberra); also in coll. JNB. 
holotype: Larva (K-784), New Hebrides, 
Espiritu Santo : Bomber 3, Renee River area, 
October 17, 1943, in wild banana axils con- 
taining very small quantities of water (R. L. 
Ingram and J. Laffoon). 
paratypes: (20L, 4P, 10M, 14F), same 
locality and habitat as holotype as follows: 
9L, 2P, IF (K-754), September 5, 1943 (K. 
L. Knight); 5M, 3F (K-771), September 14, 
1943 (R. H. Daggy); 11L, 2P, 5M, 10F 
(K-784), October 17, 1943 (R. L. Ingram and 
J. Laffoon). 
Discussion 
T. folicola appears to be restricted to the 
island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides 
and utilizes for breeding sites only water in 
leaf axils of living plants. I have seen spec- 
imens only from banana, Aiocasia and sago 
palms but it is very likely that the specimens 
reported by Perry (1946: 13) as breeding in 
Pandanus are also this species. 
The larvae from the different habitats are 
remarkably similar and, although there is 
some individual variation in chaetotaxy, there 
is no overlap whatever in diagnostic characters 
with melanesiensis . The fact that larvae from 
three different habitats are so similar strongly 
supports the interpretation that folicola is a 
distinct stabilized species rather than an eco- 
phenotype of melanesiensis. It is also of in- 
terest to note that the parallel ecological 
type in New Caledonia, the "palm-bract” race 
of melanesiensis , has an entirely different larva. 
No other members of the caledonica complex 
have been reported breeding in leaf axils. 
Distribution 
New Hebrides, Espiritu Santo: 21L, 4P, 
10M, 14F (K-754, 771, 784) Renee River 
area, September 5-October 17, 1943, from 
banana leaf axils (K. L. Knight, R. H. Daggy, 
R. L. Ingram and J. Laffoon); 1L, 5M, 6F 
(K-773) Renee River area, September 13, 
1943, from sago palm axils (R. H. Daggy); 
3L (L-E6) Namatasopa, September 3, 1952, 
from leaf axils of Aiocasia sp. (Dr. & Mrs. 
M. L. Laird) [USNM, BMNH, CU, CSIR 
(Canberra), JNB]. 
3. T. (AL) melanesiensis Belkin, new species 
Figs. 3, 4, 5 
1927. Rachionotomyia caledonica. Buxton and 
Hopkins, Res. Polyn. and Melan. I-IV: 
74-78 ( partim ). 
1932. Tripteroides (AL) caledonica. Edwards, 
Genera Insectorum 194: 77 (partim). 
1944. Tripteroides (AL) caledonica. Lee, Atlas 
Mosq. Larv. Australasian Reg. p. 22 
(partim). 
1944. Tripteroides caledonica. Knight, Bohart 
and Bohart. Keys Mosq. Australasian 
Reg. pp. 19, 67 (partim). 
1946. Tripteroides (Af.) caledonica. Lee, Linn. 
Soc. N.S.W., Proc. 70: 265 (partim). 
1946. Tripteroides (AL) caledonica. Perry, Pan- 
Pacific Ent. 22: 13-14 (partim). 
Diagnosis 
adults.— Abdominal tergites with apical 
light bands well developed, poorly developed 
or absent. Supraalar area without broad, api- 
cally rounded dark scales. Lower sternopleural 
bristles present. Cannot be distinguished from 
folicola. 
Typical race: Abdominal tergites with apical 
light bands narrow and often interrupted 
mesally. Lateral light scaling of mesonotum 
not conspicuous. 
Northern atypical races: Abdominal tergites 
with apical light bands narrow, often inter- 
rupted, sometimes completely absent. Lateral 
light scaling of mesonotum not conspicuous. 
