Subgenus Pseudoskusea Theobald, 1907

Species of subgenus Pseudoskusea are characterised and distinguished from other species of genus Aedes by the following combinations of characters. Characters that diagnose subgenus Pseudoskusea in the phylogenetic anal-yses of Reinert et al. (2009), based on features observed in Ae. bancroftianus and Ae. postspiraculosus, are indicat-ed by an asterisk (*).

ADULTS – Dark mosquitoes without obvious ornamentation; eyes wholly or partly separated above antennal pedi-cels, interocular scales present; vertex with broad decumbent scales, sometimes few narrow decumbent scales on occiput, erect scales numerous on occiput, sparse on vertex; antenna of males shorter than proboscis, flagellar whorls with setae mainly directed dorsally and ventrally; maxillary palpus with 5 palpomeres, palpus of females about 0.16 length of proboscis, palpus of males more or less same length as proboscis, palpomere 4 and apex of palpomere 3 slightly swollen, bearing long setae; proboscis dark-scaled, distinctly longer than forefemur; scutum with narrow dark or golden scales; acrostichal setae and dorsocentral setae moderately developed; scutellum with narrow scales on all lobes; antepronotum without scales; postpronotum with narrow scales, usually sparse, sometimes with some broad scales; upper proepisternum, subspiracular area and postspiracular area with or without scales, *lower prealar area without scales; scale-patches present on mesokatepisternum (*single large patch) and upper mesepimeron; lower mesepimeral setae and scales absent; metameron with or without short fine setae; wing]/no-lexicon] dark-scaled; tarsi dark-scaled, fore- and midungues of females equal, with or without [no-lexicon]tooth, fore- and midungues of males unequal, toothed; tergum I of abdomen with median patch of dark or pale scales, terga II–VI with either complete basal pale bands or basolateral patches with or without basomedian pale scaling; segment VIII of fe-males usually completely retracted into segment VII. FEMALE GENITALIA – Tergum VIII and sternum VIII normally without scales, tergum with 1 long basolateral seta, *sternum with seta 2-S inserted more or less directly lateral to seta 1-S; cercus long, slender, sharply rounded apically, without scales; *upper vaginal sclerite present. MALE GENITALIA – Ninth tergal lobes distinct, with setae; gonocoxite long and narrow, with basal dorsomesal patch of setae, dorsomesal apical lobe indistinct, *dorsomesal basal lobe absent; gonostylus long, simple, with long apical gonostylar claw and several long preapical setae; claspette a *single basal setose plaque, *with few incon-spicuous setae, columnar lobe absent; aedeagus simple, scoop-like; paraproct with apical spine. LARVAE – Strongly differentiated; antenna spiculate; seta 1-A branched; *labiogula wider than long; *seta 1-C single, thin, attenuate distally; *seta 4-C inserted anterior to seta 6-C; *seta 5-C ≥ 0.90 length of dorsal apotome; seta 6-C very long, single or double, *≥ 0.90 length of dorsal apotome; *seta 7-C 0.41–0.81 length of dorsal apotome; *seta 13-C branched; *2 or 3 of seta 1–3-P inserted on common setal support plate; *seta 2-T, *seta 3-I, *seta 3-II, *seta 8-II and *seta 3-VII all single; *seta 7-II developed like seta 7-I; *seta 3-VIII ≥ 0.94 length of segment X; comb of segment VIII comprised of fringed scales in large patch; siphon short or long; pecten spines evenly spaced; seta 1-S inserted beyond pecten, *≥ 2.17 width of siphon at point of attachment; *seta 9-S stout, hook-like; saddle of seg-ment X incomplete; seta 1-X single; ventral brush (seta 4-X) with 6 pairs of setae on grid. PUPAE – Not studied in detail, apparently without characters of subgeneric significance. See genus Aedes.