Aedes dendrophilus Edwards, 1921.
Subfamily Culicinae, genus Aedes, subgenus Stegomyia. The Dendrophilus Group includes 14 species.
Species of the Dendrophilus Group are distinguished from other species and groups of subgenus Stegomyia by the following combination of characters (adapted from Huang, 1997, 2004). ADULTS ‒ Maxillary palpus with pale scaling; scutum with crescent-shaped patch of broadened pale falcate scales on scutal fossa, dorsocentral setae present; scutellum with broad pale scales on all lobes; paratergite with broad pale scales; subspiracular area with broad pale scales; subspiracular area with broad pale scales; postspiracular scales absent; mid- and hindfemur each with knee spot, forefemur without knee spot, midfemur without pale spot on anterior surface; foretibia with basal pale band, hindtibia dark anteriorly, with or without postbasal pale stripe; hindtarsomeres 1 and 2 with basal pale bands, hindtarsomere 3 with or without basal pale band, hindtarsomere 4 with basal pale band or entirely pale. MALE GENITALIA ‒ Group characters not evident. LARVAE and PUPAE ‒ Not studied in detail; group characters unknown. See subgenus Stegomyia.
Without a thorough review of subgenus Stegomyia, it is difficult to determine the affinities of the Dendrophilus Group. Huang (1997), however, stated that adults of the Dendrophilus Group show “strongest affinities with the Poweri Group” but are distinguished by the absence of a pale spot on the anterior surface of the midfemur. She also noted that pupae of all the species of the group except Ae. amaltheus resemble those of the Poweri Group in having denticulate paddle margins (Ae. amaltheus resembles pupae of the Africanus and Scutellaris Groups in having paddle margins with a fringe of hair-like spicules), and the larvae resemble those of the Poweri and Simpsoni Groups in having comb scales in a single row, inconspicuous spicules of the margin of the saddle and the ventral brush (seta 4-X) with 4 pairs of setae.
The immature stages of species of the Dendrophilus Group are known to develop in tree holes, stump holes, rot holes, crotches of trees, bamboo pots, cut bamboo, bored bamboos, leaf axils, tree ferns, rock holes and artificial containers. Females of all species of the group except Ae. heischi, Ae. muroafcete and Ae. njombiensis are known to bite humans.
Species of the Dendrophilus Group are not known to be of medical importance but females of several species avidly bite humans and may be capable of transmitting arboviruses.
Species of the Dendrophilus Group are occur in sub-Saharan Africa, but are absent from Madagascar.
Hopkins, 1952 (larvae of Ae. amaltheus, Ae. bambusae, Ae. demeilloni, Ae. dendrophilus, Ae. keniensis ‒ descriptions, bionomics); Huang, 1994 (diagnosis based on adults; Ae. mattinglyorum ‒ adults, larva, pupa, distribution, bionomics); Huang, 1997 (diagnosis based on adults, bionomics, medical importance, keys, species descriptions); Huang 2004 (diagnosis based on adults, bionomics, medical importance, keys).
amaltheus de Meillon & Lavoipierre, 1944
bambusae Edwards, 1935
deboeri Edwards, 1926a
demeilloni Edwards, 1936
dendrophilus Edwards, 1921
hansfordi Huang, 1997
heischi van Someren, 1951
keniensis van Someren, 1946
kenyae van Someren, 1946
masseyi Edwards, 1923
mattinglyorum Huang, 1994
muroafcete Huang, 1997
njombiensis Huang, 1997
segermanae Huang, 1997