Aedes (Coetzeemyia) fryeri (Theobald)

Huang, Yiau-Min, Mathis, Wayne N. & Wilkerson, Richard C., 2010, Coetzeemyia, a new subgenus of Aedes, and a redescription of the holotype female of Aedes (Coetzeemyia) fryeri (Theobald) (Diptera: Culicidae), Zootaxa 2638, pp. 1-24 : 20-23

Aedes (Coetzeemyia) fryeri (Theobald)

( Figs. 1 A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D)

Culicelsa fryeri Theobald, 1912: 84 [F*].

Ochlerotatus fryeri .─ Edwards 1917: 218, 220 [M*, F; generic combination].

Aedes (Ochlerotatus) fryeri .─ Edwards 1932: 137 [generic combination]; 1941: 116 [M*, F].

Aedes (Ochlerotatus) mombasaensis Mattingly, 1963: 165 [M, F, L*].─ Van Someren 1972: 90 [synonymy].

Aedes (Levua) fryeri .─ Danilov 1981: 87 [subgeneric combination].

Levua fryeri .─ Reinert et al. 2004: 360 [Levua Stone and Bohart, 1944, stat. nov., raised to generic rank]; 2006: 93; 2009: in Appendix 2 [same as Reinert et al. 2004].

Ochlerotatus (Levua) fryeri .─ Reinert et al. 2008: 112 [subgenus Levua Stone and Bohart, 1944, stat. rev.].

Redescription of the type female of Aedes fryeri ( Theobald, 1912) . The description below is based on the type female of Theobald from Aldabra Island in the BMNH. The type female has four labels: (1) Culicelsa fryeri Type female Theo (handwritten), (2) Aldabra. Takamaka. J.C.F. Fryer (handwritten), (3) Seychelles Expd. Pres. by Committee of the Percy Sladen Trust Fund. 1911–99 (printed), and (4) SYN-TYPE (green circular paper, printed).

Female. Head: Proboscis dark-scaled, speckled with pale scales on basal 0.66, with apical 0.33 all dark, about as long as forefemur; maxillary palpus ( Fig. 1 B) about 0.17 length of proboscis, dark, with white scales at tip; antennal pedicel with short, fine setae on mesal surface; flagellomere 1 with few small dark scales on mesal surface; clypeus bare; erect forked scales numerous, not restricted to occiput; vertex largely with white narrow curved scales on middle area, with broad white and dark scales on lateral areas. Thorax: Scutum mottled with light and dark brown, narrow scales; acrostichal setae present; dorsocentral setae present and well developed; scutellum with narrow white scales on all lobes; antepronotum with narrow white curved scales; postpronotum with broad flat dark scales and some narrow curved scales dorsally; paratergite with 2 broad white scales; prespiracular setae absent; postspiracular setae present; postspiracular area with broad white scales; hypostigmal area without scales; subspiracular area without scales; lower prealar scale-patch present; patches of broad white scales on propleuron, upper and lower areas of mesokatepisternum, and mesepimeron; lower mesepimeron without setae; metameron and mesopostnotum bare. Wing: With dark scales, speckled with pale scales; wing membrane not clouded on crossveins r-m and m-cu; remigial setae present; upper calypter fringed with many hair-like setae; alula with a row of fringe scales; vein 1A ending well beyond base of fork of vein Cu; vein R2+3 shorter than R2. Halter: With white scales. Legs: Coxae with patches of white scales; white knee-spot present on all femora; femora, tibiae and tarsomere 1 speckled with pale scales; foreleg (right side) with basal white bands on tarsomeres 1–3 (tarsomeres 4 and 5 missing); (left side) with basal white band on tarsomere 1 (tarsomeres 2–5 are missing); midleg (right side) missing. (left side) with basal white bands on tarsomeres 1–4; hindtarsus with basal white band on tarsomeres 1–5, ratio of length of white band on dorsal surface to total length of tarsomere 0.12–0.13, 0.25, 0.25, 0.33 and 0.50, respectively; midleg with tarsal claws equal, both toothed; hindleg with tarsal claws equal, both simple. Abdomen: Tergum I with large median patch of white scales, and white scales on laterotergite; terga II–VI each with basal white band and sub-basolateral white spots which do not connect with basal white band; terga VI–VII each with row of small white scales along posterior border; tergum VII with basal median patch of white scales; segment VIII completely retracted; cerci long.

The description below is based on a topotypical specimen from Aldabra, Takamaka, in the BMNH: male, with three printed data labels: (1) “At light”, (2) “ALDABRA: South Island, Takamaka Pool, 1–17.ii. 1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson”, (3) “Aldabra Atoll, Royal Society Expedition, 1967-68. B.M. 1968-333.”, with associated genitalia on microscope slide (2009/1).

Male. Genitalia ( Fig. 2 ): Gonocoxite rather stout, with large, distinct basal dorsomesal lobe but no apical dorsomesal lobe; basal dorsomesal lobe attached basally to mesal surface (not forming part of the tergal part of the gonocoxite as does the basal lobe in most Ochlerotatus ), expanded portion with numerous setae; mesal membrane not reaching the apex. Claspette present, stem slender, with short, stout seta at its tip. Gonostylus short and stout, gradually narrowed to apex, with several setae on dorsal and ventral surfaces, with pair of short, stout, pointed gonostylar claws inserted under a hood (apically). Aedeagus simple, rather long, slightly broadened in middle. Paraproct with 2 or 3 blunt teeth at tip, with 6 cercal setae on each side. Tergum IX lobes prominent, strongly developed, with 8 or 9 slender setae on dorsal and ventral surfaces; sternum IX short, with 7 setae.

Type data. Culicelsa fryeri Theobald , syntype female ( Culicelsa fryeri type female of Theobald (handwritten)/Aldabra Takamaka J.C.F. Fryer (handwritten)/ Seychelles Expd. Pres. by Committee of the Percy Sladen Trust Fund. 1911–99.), in BMNH; type locality: Aldabra Island, Takamaka, SEYCHELLES. Aedes (Ochlerotatus) mombasaensis Mattingly , holotype male, Kenya, Mombasa, 3.V.1916 (J.O. Shircore), in BMNH; type locality: Mombasa, KENYA. Four paratypes (2 males and 2 females): paratype male (Brit. E. Africa, Mombasa, 3.V.1916, Dr. J.O. Shircore (handwritten)/ Pres. by Imp. Bur. Ent. 1919. 140/ with genitalia on a plastic plate); paratype female (Brit. E. Africa, Mombasa, In house, 24.IV.1916, Dr. J.O. Shircore (handwritten)/ Pres. by Imp. Bur. Ent. 1919. 140)/ Ae. (Ochl) m ombasaensis Mattingly (handwritten)); paratype male (Gede, Kenya, March 1954, J.O. Harper/ Salt water pools, Batch 1. T. no. 4 (handwritten)/ Ae. (Ochl) mombasaensis Mattingly (handwritten)); paratype female (Brit. E. Africa, Magogongi Swamp, near Witu. 29 Feb. 1912, S.A. Neave/ Pres. by Ent. Res. Committee, 1912. 396/ Ae. (Ochl) mombasaensis Mattingly (handwritten)), all in BMNH.

Other material examined. ALDABRA: 1 male and 1 female (at light/ Aldabra: South Island, Takamaka Pool, 1–17. ii. 1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson/ Aldabra Atoll, Royal Society Expedition, 1967–68. B.M. 1968– 333)/ with associated male genitalia on slide (2009/1) and female genitalia on slide (2009/2)); 1 male and 1 female (at light/ Aldabra: South Island, Cinq Cases, 23–29. i. 1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson/ Aldabra Atoll, Royal Society Expedition, 1967–68. B.M. 1968-333); 1 pinned male (Aldabra, S. Island, Takamaka, well, 3: X: 1966, C.A. Wright (handwritten)/ terminalia on slide (handwritten)); 1 male genitalia slide (Aldabra, South Island, Takamaka, 1–17. ii. 1968, B. Cogan & A. Hutson, B.M. 1968-333); all in BMNH.

Distribution. We examined specimens from the Seychelles (Aldabra: Takamaka, Cinq Cases) and Kenya ( Mombasa, Gede, Magogongi Swamp, near Witu).

Taxonomic discussion. The adult male and female of Ae. fryeri are very similar to that of Ae. (Och.) breedensis Muspratt (= ‘ Ochlerotatus ’ breedensis of Reinert et al. 2008), in having the proboscis, wing, femora, and tibiae speckled with pale scales. Males and females of Ae. fryeri can easily be distinguished from Ae. (Och.) breedensis and all other African Ochlerotatus species by the absence of subspiracular scales, and a basal white band on hindtarsomeres 1–5. The female of Ae. fryeri can be distinguished from females of Ochlerotatus species by having few short, fine setae on the mesal surface of the antennal pedicel.

The maxillary palpus of Ae. fryeri male (see Fig. 1 A) is slightly shorter than the proboscis, with conspicuous long setae on about the distal half, and the last two palpomeres subequal in length and with white bands at base. This condition differs from all the known species in these two subgenera, as well as from other subgenera of Aedes .

The male genitalia of Ae. fryeri (see Fig. 2 ) are strikingly different from all the known species in these two subgenera, as well as from other subgenera of Aedes (see the description of the male genitalia of Ae. fryeri ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Maxillary palpus and proboscis, lateral view. A, Aedes (Coetzeemyia) fryeri (Theobald), male. B, Aedes (Coetzeemyia) fryeri (Theobald), female. C, Aedes (Ochlerotatus) harrisoni Muspratt, male. D, Aedes (Levua) geoskusea (Amos), male. Scales = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 2. Aedes (Coetzeemyia) fryeri (Theobald). A, Tergal aspect of the male genitalia. B, Claspettes. C, Proctiger and aedeagus. D, Sternum IX. Scales = 0.1 mm.