Afroculex was originally proposed as a subgenus of Culex by Danilov (1989), with Pseudohowardina lineata Theobald, 1912 as its type and the only included species. Edwards (1914) transferred Pseudohowardina lineata to genus Culex and gave it the replacement name of pulchrithorax because lineatus was preoccupied by Cx. lineatus von Humboldt, 1819. The species was eventually placed in subgenus Neoculex, but its taxonomic position was open to question (Edwards, 1941). Its provisional placement in Neoculex continued until Sirivanakarn (1971) transferred it to subgenus Maillotia. Danilov (1989) realised that Cx. lineatus von Humboldt is actually a species of genus Psorophora, as recorded by Knight & Stone (1977), reinstated lineatus as the valid name of the species and transferred it to the new subgenus Afroculex based on unique features of the adults and male genitalia. The immature stages remain unknown.