W-albus Group

Species of the W-albus Group are distinguished from other species and groups of subgenus Stegomyia by the following combination of characters (adapted principally from Huang, 1977, 1979). ADULTS ‒ Maxillary palpus with pale scaling; ornamentation of scutum varied, species have different patterns of pale patches and longitudinal pale stripes; prescutellar area with or without broad dark scales on either side of bare space; dorsocentral setae absent; scaling of scutellum varied, with broad dark scales on midlobe and broad pale scales on lateral lobes or broad pale scales on midlobe and broad dark scales, or dark and pale scales, on lateral lobes; paratergite with broad pale scales; subspiracular area and postspiracular area with broad pale scales; mid- and hindfemora each with knee spot, absent on forefemur, forefemur dark-scaled anteriorly or with basoventral line of pale scales, midfemur with or without anterior pale spot near mid-length; anterior surface of hindtibia entirely dark-scaled or with long basoventral basal pale stripe; hindtarsomeres 1 and 2 with basal pale bands, hindtarsomere 3 with or without basal pale band, hindtarsomere 3 entirely dark-scaled, hindtarsomeres 4 and 5 all pale, all dark or with basal pale bands; both ungues of fore- and midlegs toothed in both sexes, equal in females, unequal in males. FEMALE GENITALIA – Caudal margin of sternum VIII with a deep median U-shaped notch; tergum IX varied, slightly to much broader than long to slightly longer than broad, with well-developed posterolateral lobes, each with 3‒6 setae. MALE GENITALIA ‒ Caudal margin of tergum IX concave, more or less straight or produced as a large lobe; gonostylussimple and elongate or complex with swollen based and bifurcated distally; gonostylar claw spiniform; paraproct with or without ventral arms. LARVAE ‒ Comb plate present or absent, comb scales borne in a single row; saddle with inconspicuous or long stout spicules on posterior margin; ventral bush (seta 4-X) with 4 pairs of setae. PUPAE ‒ Paddle with fringe of filiform spicules on inner and outer margins, apex evenly rounded or produced, seta 1-Pa single. See subgenus Stegomyia.