Aedes (Stegomyia) mpusiensis, 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 : 47-49

Aedes (Stegomyia) mpusiensis New Species

( Figs. 18 A; 40B)

MALE. Head. Proboscis dark­scaled, without pale scales on ventral surface, longer than forefemur; maxillary palpus 5­segmented, slightly longer than proboscis, predominantly dark, with a white band at base of palpomeres 2–5, those on palpomeres 4,5 dorsally incomplete; palpomeres 4,5 subequal, slender, dorsally curved and with only a few short setae; antenna plumose, shorter than proboscis; pedicel covered with white scales except on dorsal surface; 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 lateral stripe of broad white scales, followed ventrally by a patch of broad white scales. Thorax. Scutal markings as in Aedes angustus Edwards except most of the scales on the right hand side area rubbed off; scutum with narrow dark scales, and a distinct median longitudinal stripe of narrow pale yellow scales, median pale yellow stripe from anterior promontory, tapering posteriorly and reaching to prescutellar area; prescutellar line well developed, with narrow pale yellow scales, connecting with median longitudinal stripe at anterior margin of prescutellar area; a large (crescent­shaped) patch of pale yellow scales on fossal area, fossal pale yellow patch with anterior end extending along scutal margin towards the median pale yellow stripe; posterior dorsocentral pale yellow line of narrow scales present, reaching forward to the posterior end of fossal pale yellow patch; a patch of narrow pale scales on lateral margin just in front of wing root; acrostichal setae absent; dorsocentral setae present; scutellum with broad white scales on all lobes and with a few broad dark scales at apex of midlobe; antepronotum with broad white scales; postpronotum with a patch of broad white scales posteriorly, and with some dark narrow scales dorsally; paratergite with broad white scales; hypostigmal area with broad white 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 and mesopostnotum bare.

Wing. With dark scales on all veins except for a minute basal spot of pale scales on costa; cell R2 about 3.0 length of vein R2+3. Halter . With white scales. Legs ( Fig. 18 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 0.44; midfemur with a large, white spot on anterior surface about 0.61 from base; hindfemur anteriorly with a broad, white longitudinal stripe in basal 0.6 that widens about 0.27 from base; foretibia anteriorly dark with a basal white band; midtibia anteriorly dark, with a distinct white longitudinal stripe on ventral surface in basal 0.16; hindtibia anteriorly dark, with a white longitudinal stripe on ventral surface in basal 0.27; foretarsus with a basal white band on tarsomere 1; midtarsus with a basal white band on tarsomeres 1, 2; foretarsomere 1 with basal 0.11 white on dorsal surface; midtarsomere 1 with basal 0.27 white on dorsal surface; midtarsomere 2 with basal 0.47 white on dorsal surface; hindtarsus with a basal white band on tarsomeres 1–3, the ratio of length of white band on dorsal surface to the total length of tarsomere is 0.27, 0.19 and 0.2; hindtarsomere 4 all white except at extreme apex; hindtarsomere 5 all white except at apex on ventral surface; fore­ and midlegs with tarsal claws unequal, all simple; hindlegs with tarsal claws equal, simple. Abdomen. Tergum I with white scales on laterotergite; terga II­VII with basolateral white spots only; sternum VIII with basolateral white spots. Genitalia ( Fig. 40 B). Gonocoxite 2.5 times as long as wide (width measured 0.5 from base); claspette rather small, with distal expanded portion rounded in dorsal aspect, with numerous simple setae on the expanded distal portion and bearing 5 strong, basally widened spine­like setae on the apical margin; gonostylus simple, elongate, about 0.71 length of gonocoxite, with a short, stout claw process at apex; paraproct with a sternal arm; cercal setae absent; apical margin of tergum IX deeply concave medially with 7 median size setae on each lateral lobe; sternum IX without setae.

FEMALE, PUPA and LARVA. Unknown.

TYPE DATA. Holotype male (MEP Acc. 725/ Mont Mpuse, 20­V­52, L&N No. 1, Wolfs), with genitalia on slide (MEP Acc. 725, 97/53), Mont. Mpuse, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO ( Zaire), 20­V­1952 (J. Wolfs). Deposited in the Department of Zoologie, Section d’Entomologie, Musee Royale de l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium [CMT].

DISTRIBUTION. This species is known only from Democratic Republic of the Congo ( Zaire).

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION. Aedes mpusiensis , a member of the poweri group, has the scutum with a large (crescent­shaped) patch of pale yellow scales on fossal area, fossal pale yellow patch with anterior end extending along scutal margin towards the median pale yellow stripe, midtibia with a white stripe on ventral surface in basal area, hindtibia with a white stripe on ventral surface in basal area, hindtarsomere 4 all white except at extreme apex, and hindtarsomere 5 all white except at apex on ventral surface. It can thus be easily distinguished from all other species of the poweri group except Ae. angustus .

The adult male of Ae. mpusiensis is extremely similar to that of Ae. angustus with which it has been confused and misidentified. Aedes mpusiensis can be distinguished from Ae. angustus by the white knee­spot present and well developed on the hindfemur. In Ae. angustus , the white knee­spot is absent on the hindfemur.

The adult male of Ae. mpusiensis is also very similar to that of Ae. usambara in having the midtibia with a white stripe on ventral surface in basal area, the hindtibia with a white stripe on ventral surface in basal area, the hindtarsomere 4 almost all white and hindtarsomere 5 all white on dorsal surface. However, Ae. mpusiensis can be distinguished from Ae. usambara by the fossal pale yellow patch with anterior end extending along scutal margin towards the median pale yellow stripe. In Ae. usambara , the fossal white patch has no anterior end extending along scutal margin towards the anterior median white spot.

The male genitalia of Ae. mpusiensis are easily differentiated from all other species in the poweri group by the claspette, which has the distal expanded portion rather small rounded, lobe­like in dorsal aspect, with numerous simple setae on the expanded distal portion and bearing 5 strong, basally widened, spine­like setae on the apical margin, and by the apical margin of tergum IX, which is deeply concave medially and has 7 median size setae on each lateral lobe.

The male genitalia of Ae. mpusiensis are extremely similar to those of Ae. angustus in having the claspette with distal expanded portion rounded, lobe­like in dorsal aspect, but can be distinguished from those of Ae. angustus by the claspette with 5 strong, basally widened, spine­like setae on the apical margin. In Ae. angustus , the claspette has no strong, basally widened, spine­like seta.

Aedes mpusiensis is apparently an East African montane forest species.

BIONOMICS. Unknown.

MEDICAL IMPORTANCE. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Aedes (Stg.) mpusiensis — A, male (Holotype) fore­, mid­ and hindlegs (anterior view); Aedes (Stg.) ethiopiensis — B, male (Holotype) fore­, mid­ and hindlegs (anterior view); Aedes (Stg.) hogsbackensis — C, male (Holotype) fore­, mid­ and hindlegs (anterior view).

FIGURE 40. Aedes (Stg.) angustus — A, male genitalia. Aedes (Stg.) mpusiensis — B, male genitalia;