Revision of Subgenus Lophoceraomyia Theobald, 1905 from Wed, 2018-03-21 14:54

ADULTS – Small to medium-sized mosquitoes; vertex usually with more or less distinct orbital line of broad decumbent scales; eyes contiguous above antennae; frontal tuft not developed; antenna distinctly longer than (females) or about as long (males) as proboscis, pedicel without distinct scales; pedicel of males with or without blunt prominence on mesal side, flagellum of males with specialised tufts of scales and setae on flagellomeres 5–9 or 10, sometimes restricted to flagellomeres 7 and 8, rarely entirely absent; proboscis, maxillary palpus, wing and tarsi dark-scaled; proboscis very slender, particularly at base; proboscis of males with or without false joint, dorsal surface with or without double row of setae, ventral surface usually with a few rows of short setae, sometimes with a group of long setae at mid-length; maxillary palpus of females with 3 palpomeres; palpus of males with 5 palpomeres, variable in length, usually slightly longer than proboscis, sometimes reduced to 0.5 of proboscis length, palpomere 1 with or without 2 pairs of finger-like slender processes on lateral and ventral surfaces, palpomere 3 with 1 or 2 ventral rows of short setae, palpomeres 4 and 5 with few to numerous setae; acrostichal setae usually absent, rarely present; scutal scales sparse, narrow and dark; pleural scaling practically absent, sometimes a few scales on postpronotum and along mesokatepisternal setae, lower mesepimeral seta usually present; wing cell R2 longer than vein R2+3; ungues of females small, equal and simple; fore- and midungues enlarged in males, with basal denticles; pulvilli well developed; abdominal terga dark-scaled or with basolateral pale spots or basal pale bands. MALE GENITALIA – Small and inconspicuous, withdrawn into segment VIII; ninth tergal lobes poorly defined, widely separated, with 3–5 setae; gonocoxite small, without scales; subapical lobe prominent, not clearly divided, setae densely packed but proximal and distal groups discernible, proximal group usually with 3 rod-like setae (a-c), distal group with mesal subgroup usually comprised of a foliform seta and 4–6 variously developed setae (d-f) and a lateral subgroup with 1 foliform seta (g?) and an accessory seta (h); gonostylus relatively simple; gonostylar claw small, subapical; phallosome simple, broad and bulbous at base in dorsal aspect and with a rather broad basal tergal bridge, lateral plate varied in development, with strong sternal process and with or without a smaller tergal process; paraproct with crown comprised of variable number of small to large spicules, basal sternal process absent; cercal setae present. LARVAE - Head usually broader than long; ocular bulge usually prominent; antenna shorter than head, seta 1-A distinctly beyond middle, setae 2,3-A usually removed from apex; seta 1-C moderately thickened, with or without lateral spicules; seta 2-C absent; seta 3-P much shorter than 1,2-P; seta 7-I large, developed similar to seta 6-I, seta 7-II usually small and developed like seta 7-III–VI, sometimes developed like seta 7-I; comb comprised of numerous fringed scales in patch; siphon usually long and slender; pecten well developed, spines evenly fringed or spiculate on ventral margin; seta 1-S with 3–8 pairs of weak elements distad of pecten; saddle complete, without acus, caudolateral margin lightly to strongly spiculate; seta 1-X usually short and weak; seta 2-X with strong primary stem and l–4 weaker basal branches; ventral brush (seta 4-X) with 5 or 6 pairs of setae on grid. PUPAE – Trumpet usually long and narrow, pinna small, with or without slit extending to meatus; seta 5-IV–VI strong, 1–2 times as long as following tergum; seta 9-VIII well removed cephalad from caudolateral angle; paddle large, generally ovoid, outer margin smooth or minutely spiculate basally; seta 1-Pa and seta 2-Pa usually present, minute. See genus Culex.