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Name-bearing Type

• Meigen
• 1818:13
• Type Species: Aedes cinereus

Classification

• Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini. Genus Aedes as reflected here is a pre-2000 interpretation. In this classification Aedes includes over 900 species. However, it is currently being reorganized based on the morphological phylogenetic studies of Reinert (2000) and Reinert, Harbach and Kitching (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009). In these author’s proposed classification only 12 species remain in genus Aedes and tribe Aedini now contains 82 genera, instead of the 12 presented on the WRBU site: i.e., Aedes, Armigeres, Ayurakitia, Borichinda, Eretmapodites, Haemagogus, Heizmannia, Opifex, Psorophora, Udaya, Verrallina and Zeugnomyia. Because of the polythetic nature (large number of combinations of characters) of many of these new or re-elevated taxa, and the large number of as yet unplaced species, we retain Aedes in its broader sense for purposes of this website and associated catalog. For more information on the recently proposed classification refer to the Mosquito Taxonomic Inventory content on tribe Aedini Neveu-Lemaire, 1902.

Distribution

• Worldwide distribution, known from all faunal regions.
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Phylogeny

• [Not yet available]

Characteristics

• ADULTS - Vertex of head with narrow curved scales, occiput with broad flat scales; maxillary palpi very short in both sexes, males with 3 palpomeres; scutum concolorousc paratergite with scales, lateral lobes of scutellum with narrow scales; scale-patches of thoracic pleura weakly developed, postspiracular scales present, subspiracular area bare, mesepimeral setae absent; both hindungues toothed in females, simple in males; laterotergite with scales, abdominal terga of males with numerous long apically curved setae; females with distal 0.7 or more of tergum VIII covered with numerous setae. MALE GENITALIA - Phallosome ided into a pair of plates or rods; gonocoxite short and stout, gonostylus bifurcated and attached subapically, gonostylar claw absent; claspette stem and filament absent. LARVAE - Siphon (as in Ochlerotatus subgenus Rusticoidus) with accessory setae in addition to seta 1-S. See Aedini.

Bionomics

• Species of Aedes appear to be univoltine, over wintering in the egg stage and hatching in spring in pools formed by melted snow. One species, Ae. yamadai, is reported to hibernate as adults. The larvae are found in woodland ground pools, ditches, ponds, stream margins, sunlit temporary pools and occasionally in swamps and marshes. Females sometimes bite humans.

Medical

• Aedes includes species which transmit yellow fever, dengue, and other arboviruses. A few species also transmit the helminths that cause Brugian and Bancroftian filariasis. Stegomyia is the most important subgenus of Aedes from a medical point of view. It includes Aedes aegypti, the classical vector of urban yellow fever and dengue fever viruses. Aedes aegypti is widely distributed through the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Other important vectors include Ae. africanus and Ae. bromeliae, which transmit yellow fever virus in Africa, and Ae. albopictus, an important vector of dengue fever virus in the Oriental Region. Recently the latter species has been introduced into the USA, Central America, Brazil, southern Europe (Albania and Italy), and Africa (Nigeria). Other important vectors of dengue fever virus include Ae. scutellaris, Ae. pseudoscutellaris, and Ae. polynesiensis in the Pacific Islands. The latter two species also transmit the helminths which cause Bancroftian filariasis. Aedes vexans of the subgenus Aedimorphus has an extensive distribution in tropical Africa, Central America, Southeast Asia, and temperate regions of the Nearctic and Palaearctic Regions. The adults are annoying and persistent biters which can be involved in the transmission of arboviruses. A few species of the subgenus Finlaya, including Ae. poicilius, Ae. togoi, Ae. kochi, Ae. niveus, and Ae. harinasutai, are important vectors of arboviruses and microfilariae in the Oriental Region. Two species of the subgenus Diceromyia, Ae. taylor and Ae. furcifer, are implicated in the transmission of yellow fever virus and the spread of Chikungunya virus in Africa. A few medically important species belong to the subgenus Ochlerotatus. Aedes vigilax transmits the agents of Bancroftian filariasis in New Caledonia and several viruses (e.g., Ross River virus) in Australia. Ae. sierrensis and Ae. atlanticus are important vectors of dog heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in North America. A few other species transmit various arboviruses, mainly those that cause encephalitis. A single species of the subgenus Protomacleaya, Ae. triseriatus, is an important vector of the California group of encephalitis viruses.

Important References

Reinert 2000g (as subgenus of Aedes; female genitalia) Becker et al., 2003 (as subgenus of Aedes; Europe) Gornostaeva, 2003 (taxonomy) Reinert et al., 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 (phylogeny)

Included Taxa

For more on taxa, see WRBU's Mosquito Catalog
alexandrei Gornostaeva, 2005 cinereus Meigen, 1818 dahuricus Danilov, 1987 dmitryi Gornostaeva, 2005 esoensis Yamada, 1921 geminus Peus, 1970	mubiensis Luh & Shih, 1958 nataliae Gornostaeva, 2005 rossicus Dolbeskin, Gorickaja & Mitrofanova, 1930 sasai Tanaka, Mizusawa & Saugstad, 1975 valeryi Gornostaeva, 2005 yamadai Sasa, Kano & Takahasi, 1950

The materials presented in the Classification, Distribution, Phylogeny, Characteristics, Medical, and Important References sections, and links to subgenera, are reproduced with permission of Mosquito Taxonomic Inventory, moderated by Ralph Harbach on behalf of the contributors who retain copyright. For additional information on reuse parameters, please contact Mosquito Taxonomic Inventory. Images and maps, unless otherwise attributed, and links to the literature are provided by the WRBU.