Kitching, Reinert & Harbach & Kitching, 2006, Reinert & Harbach & Kitching, 2006

Reinert, John F., Harbach, Ralph E. & Kitching, Ian J., 2006, Phylogeny and classification of Finlaya and allied taxa (Diptera: Culicidae: Aedini) based on morphological data from all life stages, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 148 (1), pp. 1-101 : 73-74

GILESIUS REINERT, HARBACH & KITCHING ,

GEN. NOV.

Type species: Culex pulchriventer Giles, 1901 .

Females

Head: Vertex with decumbent scales narrow and curved, several broad scales present or absent on anterolateral area; erect forked scales numerous on occiput and vertex; ocular line narrow, with narrow, curved, pale scales; 4 or 5 interocular setae; eyes separated by approximately width of 3 ocular facets; antennal pedicel with small, broad, pale scales on mesal surface; clypeus bare; maxillary palpus dark-scaled, with or without pale scales on subbasal area; proboscis longer than forefemur, dark-scaled.

Thorax: Scutum covered with narrow, curved scales except bare median prescutellar area; scales pale on following: combined anterior acrostichal and anterior dorsocentral areas, moderate stripe on posterior acrostichal area, narrow stripe on posterior dorsocentral area, narrow stripe on outer margins mesad of setae on prescutellar area, and moderate, longitudinal stripe on supraalar area; acrostichal (anterior and posterior) and dorsocentral (anterior and posterior) setae short; prescutellar area with several setae laterally; scutellum with narrow, curved scales on all lobes, median lobe also with or without few broad scales; antepronota widely separated, with broad, pale scales, several setae; postpronotum with scales, few posterior setae; prespiracular setae absent; hypostigmal area with broad, pale scales; postspiracular area with pale scales, several setae; subspiracular area with broad, pale scales; upper proepisternum with broad, pale scales, several setae, lower area bare; paratergite with pale scales; mesokatepisternum with upper and lower patches of broad, pale scales, upper and posterior setae; prealar area with broad, pale scales on upper and lower areas, numerous upper setae; mesepimeron with 2 patches of broad, pale scales, 1 on upper and 1 on middle areas, several upper setae, lower setae absent.

Wing: Dark-scaled, with or without small, pale-scaled patch on anterobasal area of costa; upper calypter with several setae on margin; alula with row of narrow, dark scales on margin; remigium with 2 or 3 setae distally on dorsal surface.

Legs: Femora without subapical pale-scaled bands; midfemur without median, longitudinal white-scaled stripe on anterior surface; hindfemur with apex with white scales; tibiae and tarsi dark-scaled; fore- and midtarsi with 2 equal ungues, each with 1 tooth; hindtarsi with 2 equal ungues, simple.

Abdomen: Tergum I with pale-scaled patch on laterotergite; terga dark-scaled with basal pale-scaled areas; segment VII dorsoventrally flattened.

Genitalia: Tergum VIII with apex broadly rounded, nearly covered with broad scales; sternum VIII sclerotized, width slightly greater than length, apical margin with small, median emargination, several broad scales on lateral areas, seta 2-S inserted posterior to 1-S; tergum IX comprising 2 moderately pigmented, lateral plates connected mesally by lightly pigmented area, several short setae distally on each plate; postgenital lobe relatively long, moderately wide, apex flat, several setae distally; upper vaginal sclerite small to moderate size; lower vaginal sclerite absent; insula liplike, few setae in lateral patches; cercus moderately long, moderately wide throughout length, apex broadly rounded, numerous broad scales on dorsal surface; 3 spermathecal capsules.

Males

Head: Maxillary palpus with 5 palpomeres, shorter than proboscis, palpomeres 4 and 5 slightly downturned; antennal flagellar whorls with numerous long setae directed dorsally and ventrally.

Legs: Fore- and midtarsi with 2 unequal ungues, larger unguis with 2 teeth, smaller unguis with 1 tooth; hindtarsus with 2 equal ungues, simple.

Genitalia: Tergum IX with median part relatively narrow with bilobed, pincushion-like structure bearing numerous, short to moderately long, very slen- der, curved setae, lateral area developed as large, oblong lobe projecting cephalad; gonocoxite moderately long, dorsal surface without apical and basal lobes on mesal surface, middle part of dorsal surface wide with mesal area broad, curved, projecting ventrally with row of short, stout, closely set, comblike setae on mesal margin, much of dorsal surface covered with short to moderately long, very slender setae, ventral surface with elongate patch of numerous, long, moderately wide, fusiform scales on most of distal 0.50 of mesal margin, mesal surface membranous, lateral, outer part of dorsal and most of ventral surfaces with broad scales; gonostylus attached at apex of gonocoxite, long, narrow but proximal part somewhat thicker, somewhat sigmoidshaped, single gonostylar claw short, curved, spiniform; aedeagus simple, tubelike; proctiger with few tiny, cercal setae; claspette with single, short to moderately long, narrow, columnar stem with small subapical lobe, claspette filament attached apically, long, curved, relatively slender throughout length, apex pointed; sternum IX with few setae ( Gi. pulchriventer also with 2 or 3 broad scales) on posteromesal area.

Pupae

Cephalothorax: Setae 1,3-CT similarly developed; 11-CT single, longer than 10-CT.

Abdomen: Seta 3-I, II single, longer than 6-I, II; 6-I shorter than 7-I; 1- II long, with 3 branches; 5- II inserted lateral to 4- II; 3- III relatively short, single, approximately equal to 5- III length; 5- V moderately long, stout, single, shorter than tergum VI median length; 2- VI inserted mesal to 1,3- VI; 6- VII single, inserted slightly posterior and mesal to 9- VII; 9- VII with 3 branches; 9-VIII inserted on posterolateral corner, with multiple branches.

Paddle: Apical margin rounded; midrib extends to apex of paddle; without hairlike spicules on margin; seta 1-Pa short, single.

Fourth-instar larvae

Head: Seta 1-C slender, single, apex attenuate; 4-C short, with few slender branches, inserted mesal and slightly posterior to 6-C; 5-C moderately long, stout, lightly aciculate, with several branches, inserted mesal to 6-C; 6-C moderately long, stout, with 3 or 4 aciculate branches, inserted lateral and approximately same level to 5-C; 4–6-C inserted noticeably anterior to 7-C; 7-C moderately long, moderately stout, lightly aciculate, with 4 or 5 branches; 12-C short, with 2 or 3 slender branches, inserted mesal to 13-C; 13-C single, longer than 12-C; 14-C short, moderately stout, single or 2-branched; 19-C absent; antenna moderately long, narrow, with several small spicules, seta 1-A moderately long, with 3 or 4 (rarely 2) slender branches.

Thorax: Setae 1–3-P on common setal support plate, 3-P multiple-branched; 4-P relatively long; 5-P long, stout, with 2 or 3 aciculate branches; 8-P short, stellate, with 5 or 6 branches, shorter than 4-P; 4-M single; 5-M longer than 7-M; 2,6- T single.

Abdomen: Seta 6-I, II long, stout, aciculate, with 2 branches, 6- II longer than 6- III; 7-I, II long, stout, aciculate, single; 12-I present; 8- II short, with 2 branches; 1- VII long, stout, aciculate, single; 12- VII single; 2,4-VIII single; segment VIII with comb comprising numerous scales in patch; segment X with moderate saddle, incomplete ventrally, with numerous stout spicules on posterior margin dorsal to seta 1-X, acus absent, 1-X moderately long to long, stout, aciculate, single, inserted on saddle, ventral brush with several long, 2–5-branched setae with long stems, attached to grid with both transverse and lateral bars, anterior few setae somewhat shorter.

Siphon: With attached acus; pecten with numerous closely set spines; seta 1-S relatively long with several aciculate branches, inserted very slightly distal to pecten.

Included species

Gilesius alius (Lien) and Gi. pulchriventer (Giles) .

Distribution

China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Taiwan.

Bionomics

Immature stages inhabit rock pools and treeholes but also have been collected in fresh water ground pools, a seepage pool, mud pools, barrels, tree stump holes, and holes in a fallen tree. Females of Gi. pulchriventer have been collected from humans at dusk.

Discussion

See Lien (1968b: figs 1, 6) for illustrations of the male genitalia, pupa and fourth-instar larva of Gi. alius .

Etymology

Gilesius is named in honour of Dr (Lt-Col) George Michael James Giles in recognition of his contributions to the taxonomy of mosquitoes, primarily of India and surrounding areas. The generic name is masculine, formed from his surname and the masculine Latin suffix ‘- ius ’. Recommended abbreviation = Gi.