228 Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature CULEX LOEWI GIEBEL, 1862 (INSECTA: DIPTERA: CULICIDAE): REQUEST FOR SUPPRESSION UNDER THE PLENARY POWERS SO AS TO CONSERVE TOXORHYNCHITES BREVIPALPIS THEOBALD, 1901 (OFFICIAL LIST OF GENERIC NAMES No., 1341; OFFICIAL LIST OF SPECIFIC NAMES, NO. 1615). Z.N.(S.) 2173. By G.B. White {Department of Entomology, British Museum {Natural History), London, SW7 5BD) Opinion 548 of the international Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (Op/77. Decl. int. Commn zool. Nom., vol. 20: 167-173) ruled in 1959 that the name Toxor/jy/7c/7/7es Theobald, July 1901, is valid and that T. brevipalpis Theobald, November 1901 , is the type-species of that genus, by subsequent monotypy. The name Toxorhynchites Howard, June 1901 , ex Theobald MS, was suppressed simultaneously under the plenary powers for purposes both of the Law of Priority and of the Law of Homonymy. 2. At present the genus Toxorhynchites Theobald is generally regarded as forming a monobasic subfamily of the CULICIDAE, for which the name TOXORHYNCHITINAE Theobald, 1905: 5, has priority. As type-species of the nominate subgenus of Toxorhynchites, T. brevipalpis is pivotal to the definition of the whole subfamily TOXORHYNCHITINAE. Most workers divide the genus Toxorhynchites into three subgenera: Ankylorhynchus Lutz, 1904, and Lynchiella Lahille, 1904, in the New World and Toxorhynchites sensu stricto in the Old World. A minority of authors follow Lima, Guiton & Ferreira, 1962, in maintaining generic rank for each of these three groups. Latest summaries of information on the TOXORHYNCHITINAE are the biosystematical review by Steffan (1975) and relevant entries in the revised edition of "A synoptic catalog of mosquitoes of the world" by Knight & Stone (in press). 3. T. brevipalpis is an ornate, conspicuous but non-biting mosquito species with a natural range covering most of the Ethiopian faunal region. The holotype female is deposited in the Department of Entomology, British Museum (Natural History), London, U.K. Since the work of Edwards (1941) it has been accepted that the nominate form of brevipalpis inhabits eastern and southern Africa, Zanzibar and Malagasy, while subspecies conradti Grunberg, 1907, has darker adults and occupies western and central Africa. One or other subspecies of T. brevipalpis has been reported from at least 29 of the 38 mainland countries in the Ethiopian region. 4. The carnivorous behaviour of Toxorhynchites larvae has repeatedly attracted the interest of applied entomologists seeking agents of biological control. In this capacity T. brevipalpis, which breeds in fJooded tree-holes, motor-car tyres and so forth, is regarded as an important predator of certain medically important mosquito species in the genus Aeofes Meigen, 1818. For Bull. zool. Nomencl. vol. 33, parts 3/4, March 1977
Culex Lowi Giebel, 1862 (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae): request for suppression under the plenary powers so as to conserve Toxorhynchites brevipalpis Theobald, 1901 (Official List of Generic Names No., 1241; Official List of Species Names, No. 1615. Z.N.(S.) 2173
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