CO885-(19-20) — Page 492

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

11883

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE NEW MOSQUITOES COLLECTED BY DR. GRAHAM IN ASHANTI; by FRED. V. THEOBALD, M.A.

NOTE.

Amongst the collection of mosquitoes made by Dr. Graham in Ashanti, I have found no less than 33 new species and eight new genera.

The following are the names proposed for the new genera :-

:- Myxosquamus, Stenoscutus, Bathosomyia, Eumelanomyia, Pectinopalpus, Ñeopecomyia, Protomela- noconion, and Grahamia.

Several of these are of great interest, notably, the quaint Grahamia, which, probably, feeds upon the nectar, &c., collected by ants, and is certainly not a blood- sucking mosquito; and the genus Pectinopalpus, in which the squamose characters of the male palpi are very marked. A very peculiar new species of the genus Hodgesia also occurs, represented by a single specimen. Many of the new species are small and obscure, and can only be definitely identified by dissection and micro- scopic preparations.

Including 15 other species (not mentioned here) collected by Dr. Graham and referred to in his Report (Colonial Office, 1723), there are now known to be 55 species found in Southern and Central Ashanti.

F. V. THEOBALD.

April 5, 1909

Reference :-

885

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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Genus: TOXORHYNCHITES, Theobald. (Mono. Culicididæ, I., p. 244, 1901.) Tororhynchites phytophygus, nov. sp.

Head black with deep green and azure blue scales; palpi and proboscis black, ⚫ the former violet at the apex and with a narrow violet band below; antennæ brown, basal segment with brown and grey scales. Thorax black with bronzy and green scales, and a bright azure blue patch over the roots of the wings; scutellum and basal segment of the abdomen bright green. Abdomen bright violet with basal lateral creamy patches, creamy lateral hairs. two black lateral tufts apically and golden orange ones at the apex. Pleuræ dark with silvery scales. First and second tarsals of the fore legs and the base of third tarsi white in mid legs, also the base of the metatarsi; hind legs with a white band at the base of the metatarsi and most of the first tarsal white, rest of legs violet and black, except the femora, which are golden ventrally.

9 Head black (partly denuded) but with traces of green, bronzy, and azure blue flat scales and black chætæ; clypeus black; palpi bronzy, clothed with black scales, those at the apex violet, a few bright coppery and a narrow band of violet ones at the apex of the penultimate segment; proboscis clothed with black scales with violet reflections in the middle; antennæ dark brown, basal segment black with grey sheen and some flat white and ochreous scales and short chætæ, second segment with flat black scales on its basal half.

Thorax black with coppery and green scales, becoming broad scales in front of the scutellum, green and azure blue and bronzy, a distinct patch of apple green and azure blue large flat scales over the roots of the wings, and long, thick black chate; prothoracic lobes with flat azure blue and bright violet scales (the colours from these are so bright they are reflected in certain lights on to the front scales of the mesonotum); scutellum with large, brilliant apple green scales on the lateral lobes, smaller apple green scales with blue bases on the mid lobe; pleuræ dark brown with a dense coating of flat, silvery white scales, especially posteriorly.

Abdomen with the basal segment clothed with green, pale coppery, yellow, mauve, and azure blue scales, the first predominating: remaining segments with brilliant violet scales and basal lateral creainy ratches; laterally are pale creamy hairs, except on the sixth and seventh segments, where they are black, forming a tail-tuft, the apical segment with brilliant coppery scales and golden-orange hairs:

(19508r-2.) t -G 11. 500, 609. D & S.

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