The larval habitat of Verrallina lugubris (Barraud) is defined based upon collection of 648 larvae from swamp pools from January to March 1998 in Pichavaram mangrove forest, and 125 larvae during September 1997 in Maravakadu mangrove forest in the eastern coast of South India. Salinity of the larval habitat ranged from 12,150 to 24,500 mg/liter in Pichavaram and from 11,600 to 13,000 mg/liter in Maravakadu. Associated mosquito species were Culex sitiens Wiedemann, Ochlerotatus portonovoensis (Tewari and Hiriyan), and Anopheles subpictus Grassi. The chaetotaxy of field-collected larvae of Ve. lugubris is presented.