Aedes (Stegomyia) sampi, Yiau-Min Huang, 2004

Yiau-Min Huang, 2004, The subgenus Stegomyia of Aedes in the Afrotropical Region with keys to the species (Diptera: Culicidae), Zootaxa 700, pp. 1-120 : 49-51

Aedes (Stegomyia) sampi New Species

( Fig. 30 A)

FEMALE. Head. Proboscis dark­scaled, without pale scales on ventral surface, as long as forefemur; maxillary palpus 0.23 length of proboscis, dark, with white scales on apical 0.50; pedicel covered with white scales except on dorsal and ventral surfaces; clypeus bare; occiput with few erect forked scales; a row of broad white scales around eye margins; vertex with a median stripe of broad white scales, with broad dark scales on each side interrupted by a lateral stripe of broad white scales, followed ventrally by a patch of broad white scales. Thorax. Scutum with narrow dark scales and a distinct, median white spot of broad scales on anterior promontory, followed by a submedian longitudinal stripe of narrow yellowish scales on each side of midline, reaching to prescutellar area and connecting with prescutellar line of narrow yellowish scales; fossal area with a large patch of broader, crescent­shaped white scales; posterior dorsocentral yellowish lines present, reaching to posterior 0.50 of scutum; a patch of narrow white scales on lateral margin just in front of wing root; acrostichal setae absent; dorsocentral setae present; scutellum with broad white scales on all lobes; antepronotum with broad white scales; postpronotum with a patch of broad white scales and a few narrow dark scales dorsally; paratergite with broad white scales; postspiracular area without scales; hypostigmal area without scales; patches of broad white scales on propleuron, subspiracular area, upper and lower portions of mesokatepisternum, and on mesepimeron; upper mesokatepisternal scale patch not reaching to anterior corner of mesokatepisternum; upper mesepimeral scale patch connecting with lower mesepimeral scale patch; lower mesepimeron without setae; metameron bare. Wing. With dark scales on all veins and without a minute basal spot of white scales on costa; cell R2 2.2 length of R2+3. Halter . With dark scales. Legs ( Fig. 30 A). Coxae with patches of white scales; white knee­spot absent on forefemur, present on mid­ and hindfemora; forefemur anteriorly with a narrow, white longitudinal stripe on ventral surface in basal 0.38; midfemur with a large white spot on anterior surface about 0.60 from base; hindfemur anteriorly with a broad white longitudinal stripe in basal 0.57 that widens 0.24 from base; foretibia anteriorly dark, with a basal white band; mid­ and hindtibiae all dark; foretarsomere 1 with basal 0.16 white on dorsal surface; foretarsomere 2 with basal 0.40 white on dorsal surface; midtarsomere 1 with basal 0.34 white on dorsal surface; midtarsomere 2 with basal 0.40 white on dorsal surface; midtarsomere 3 with basal 0.35 white on dorsal surface; hindtarsus with a basal white band on tarsomeres 1­4, the ratio of length of white band on dorsal surface to the total length of tarsomere is 0.30, 0.36, 0.46, and 0.50; hindtarsomere 5 all white; fore­ and midlegs with tarsal claws equal, all toothed; hindleg with tarsal claws equal, both simple. Abdomen. Tergum I with white scales on laterotergite; terga II­VII each with a basal white band and basolateral

white spots not connecting with basal white band; sterna III­VII each with a basal white band; segment VIII completely retracted.

MALE, PUPA and LARVA. Unknown.

TYPE DATA. Holotype female (MEP Acc. 808/ Matahara, 18­I­68, No. 1131), KENYA, 18­I­1968. Deposited in Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya [ DVBD].

DISTRIBUTION. This species is presently known only from the Type locality Matahara = Mataara (0° 54' S, 36° 53' E), Central Region of Kenya.

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION. Aedes sampi is a member of the simpsoni group. It has the scutum with an anteromedial white spot of broad scales, scutellum with broad white scales on all lobes and hindtarsomere 4 with a basal white band, and can thus be easily distinguished from all other species of the simpsoni group except Ae. subargenteus Edwards. Aedes sampi is extremely similar to Ae. subargenteus with which it has been confused and misidentified, but can be distinguished from Ae. subargenteus by: (1) the hindfemur anteriorly with a broad white stripe in basal 0.57; and (2) the hindtarsomere 5 all white. In Ae. subargenteus , the hindfemur anteriorly has basal 0.33­0.40 white, and has a large white spot about 0.67 from base (the white spot not connecting with the basal white area), and the hindtarsomere 5 has basal 0.40­0.67 white on dorsal surface. BIONOMICS. Unknown.

MEDICAL IMPORTANCE. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 30. Aedes (Stg.) sampi — A, female (Holotype) fore­, mid­ and hindlegs (anterior view); Aedes (Steg.) subargenteus — B, male fore­, mid­ and hindlegs (anterior view); C, female fore­, mid­ and hindlegs (anterior view).