Subgenus Tricholeptomyia Dyar & Shannon, 1925

Type species: 

Tripteroides nepenthicola (Banks, 1909), original combination: Wyeomyia nepenthicola.

Classification: 

Subfamily Culicinae, genus Tripteroides. Subgenus Tricholeptomyia includes 9 species. Subgenus abbreviation – Tri.

Characteristics: 

ADULTS ‒ Unornamented mosquitoes; vertex of head with broad dark decumbent scales, sometimes with pale scales on midline or posteriorly, ocular scales white or whitish with subdued blue reflections, 1 or 2 ocular setae (usually 2) on either side; maxillary palpus 0.08‒0.15 length of proboscis; scutum with narrow scales (moderately broad in Tp. apoensis); dorsocentral setae present or absent; prescutellar setae present; postpronotal setae present (absent in Tp. barraudi); scales of thoracic pleura white or whitish; subspiracular scales present; wing veins with narrow scales, sometimes somewhat broader distally on veins R2 and R3; all femora with anterior surface entirely dark-scaled, tibiae and some tarsomeres often paler ventrally; hindlegs of both sexes with single unguis (not paired), pale scaling of abdominal terga white or whitish. FEMALE GENITALIA – Postgenital lobe with apical emargination; insula with 3‒10 marginal setae, with 0‒3 basolateral setae on each side; 3 spermathecal capsules. MALE GENITALIA – Small, retracted or exposed; ninth tergal lobes with relatively long slender attenuated setae (spine-like in Tp. christophersi); gonostylus rather stout, clubbed distally; lateral plate of aedeagus without sternal lobe. LARVAE – Maxilla with short apical tooth and typical maxillary brush; hypostomal suture unapparent; seta 15-C inserted approximately midway between collar and anterior margin of labiogula; setae 6-M and 7-T single, very stout and rigid (6-M relatively long and sender in Tp. delpilari and Tp. nepenthicola); seta 8-M,T very small, minute or absent; seta 14-I‒VI minute; siphon with minute lateral seta, usually branched. PUPAE – Seta 1-CT short; seta 1-I weakly developed, often single (except in Tp. delpilari); other abdominal setae short and slender or longer and relatively stout; punctures present on terga III‒V; seta 9-VII,VIII usually well developed (small in Tp. apoensis and Tp. barraudi); paddle with spiculate margins. See genus Tripteroides.

Phylogenetic relationships: 

The phylogenetic relationships of Tricholeptomyia and its species have not been investigated.

Bionomics and disease relations: 

Little is known about the bionomics of species of Tricholeptomyia. The immature stages develop in pitcher plants. Nothing is known about the biology of the adults. Females are not known to bite humans and are unlikely to be vectors of pathogenic agents.

Distribution: 

Philippines.

Principal references: 

Mattingly, 1981 (keys, taxonomy, descriptions, distributions, bionomics).

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith