Aedes pulchriventer (Giles, 1901), original combination: Culex pulchriventer.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini, genus Aedes. Subgenus Gilesius includes two species. Subgenus abbreviation – Gil.
Characters that diagnosesubgenus Gilesius (as genus, based on Gi. pulchriventer) in the phylogeny of Aedini recovered in the study of Reinert et al. (2009) are indicated by an asterisk (*). ADULTS – Vertex with narrow decumbent scales, broad scales present or absent anterolaterally; erect forked scales numerous on occiput and vertex; eyes narrowly separated; flagellar whorls of males directed dorsally and ventrally; maxillary palpus of females with or without post-basal pale scales, *maxillary palpus of males 0.48–0.80 length of proboscis, palpomeres 4 and 5 slightly down-turned; proboscis longer than forefemur, dark-scaled; scutum with narrow falcate scales, scales pale on combined anterior acrostichal and anterior dorsocentral areas (*anterior acrostichal area and *anterior dorsocentral area without pale-scaled stripe), separately on posterior acrostichal and posterior dorsocentral areas, lateral margins of prescutellar area and stripe on supraalar area; *scales present medially on prescutellar area; acrostichal (anterior and posterior) and dorsocentral (anterior and posterior) setae present; scutellum with narrow curved scales on all lobes, median lobe with or without few broad scales; paratergite with pale scales; *antepronotal scales both narrow and broad; thoracic pleura with broad pale scales on *hypostigmal area, postspiracular area, subspiracular area, upper proepisternum, upper and lower mesokatepisternal areas, upper and lower prealar areas and upper and middle areas of mesepimeron; lower mesepimeral setae absent; wing dark-scaled, with or without small pale spot at base of costa; alula with narrow dark scales on margin; upper calypter with several setae on margin; remigium with 2 or 3 dorsal setae; legs mainly dark-scaled (*hindtibia, *hindtarsomere 1 and *hindtarsomere 2 without pale scales), hindfemur with knee spot, both fore- and midungues of females with 1 tooth, larger fore- and midunguis of males with 2 teeth, smaller unguis with 1 tooth, hindungues equal and simple in both sexes; laterotergite of abdominal segment I with pale scales, terga with basal pale areas, segment VII dorsoventrally flattened in females. FEMALE GENITALIA – Tergum VIII nearly covered with broad scales, *setae on posterior 0.70 or more; sternum VIII slightly wider than long, posterior margin with small median emargination, several broad scales on lateral areas, seta 2-S inserted posterior to seta 1-S; tergum IX comprised of 2 sclerites, each with several distal setae; lower vaginal sclerite absent; insula lip-like, few setae on either side of midline; 3 spermathecal capsules. MALE GENITALIA – Tergum IX with median bi-lobed pincushion-like structure bearing numerous setae, lateral area developed as large oblong lobe projecting cephalad; *sternum IX with setae and scales; gonocoxite without apical and basal lobes on mesal surface, with row of stout close-set comb-like setae on mesal margin of dorsal surface, *ventral surface with patch of numerous fusiform scales on distal 0.50 of mesal margin, mesal surface membranous, lateral and ventral surfaces with broad scales; gonostylus attached apically, *broad proximally, *median part noticeably narrower, with single *moderately broad spiniform gonostylar claw, *apex bluntly pointed; claspette comprised of narrow columnar stem with small subapical lobe and long curved apical claspette filament; aedeagus simple, tube-like; *paraproct with apical teeth. LARVAE – Antennal seta 1-A with 3 or 4 (rarely 2) branches; seta 4-C branched, *inserted posterior to seta 6-C; seta 6-C inserted more or less directly lateral to seta 5-C; setae 4–6-C inserted noticeably anterior to seta 7-C; seta 12-C inserted mesal to seta 13-C; seta 13-C single, longer than 12-C; seta 19-C absent; setae 1–3-P on common setal support plate, seta 3-P multiple branched; seta 8-P stellate, shorter than seta 4-P; *seta 1-II ≥ 3 branches, stellate; seta 6-I,II long, double, seta 6-II longer than seta 6-III; seta 7-I,II long, single; seta 12-I present; seta 1-VII long, single; *seta 1-VIII ≥ 1.10 length of seta 2; 12-VII single; comb scales in patch; siphon with attached acus; pecten spines numerous, close-set; seta 1-S inserted very slightly distal to pecten; saddle incomplete, with numerous stout spicules on posterior margin dorsal to seta 1-X, acus absent; seta 1-X single, inserted on saddle; ventral brush (seta 4-X) comprised of 6 pairs of setae attached to grid with both transverse and lateral bars. PUPAE – Setae 1,3-CT similarly developed; seta 11-CT single, longer than seta 10-CT; seta 3-I,II single, longer than seta 6; seta 6-I shorter than seta 7-I; seta 1-II long, with 3 branches; seta 5-II inserted lateral to seta 4; seta 3-III single, about as long as seta 5-III; seta 5-V single, shorter than following tergum; seta 2-VI inserted mesal to setae 1 and 3; seta 6-VII single, inserted slightly posterior and mesal to seta 9-VII; seta 9-VIII inserted on posterolateral corner of segment; paddle without hair-like spicules on margin; seta 1-Pa short, single. See genus Aedes.
Gilesius was recovered as sister to subgenus Collessius (as genus) in the cladistic analysis of Reinert et al. (2009) based on extensive morphological data of tribe Aedini. These subgenera were the terminal taxa in a clade of subgenera parenthetically expressed as Tanakaius + (Hulecoeteomyia + (Gilesius + Collessius)). Gilesius and subgenera Collessius, Hulecoeteomyia and Tanakaius comprised a polyphyletic clade in the phylogeny of Wilkerson et al. (2015).
The immature stages of Gilesius species commonly inhabit rock pools and tree holes but are also found in freshwater ground pools, seepage pools, mud pools, barrels, stump holes, holes in fallen trees and artificial containers. The larvae of Ae. alius can survive under ice. Females of Ae. pulchriventer have been collected landing on humans at dusk.
Species of subgenus Gilesius are not known to be of medical importance to humans.
China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Taiwan.
Reinert et al., 2006, 2008, 2009 (as genus, morphology, phylogeny); Reinert, 2009 (as genus, female genitalia); Rattanarithikul et al., 2010 (as genus, Thailand, keys, bionomics); Wilkerson et al., 2015 (phylogeny, classification).