Deinocerites cancer Theobald, 1901c.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Culicini. Deinocerites includes 18 species that are not divided into subgenera. Navarro & Liria (2000) reduced Deinocerites to a subgenus of genus Culex based on a cladistic analysis of morphological features of larval mouthparts (mandibles and maxillae), but this is not accepted here because the study was based on limited character data.
The adults of Deinocerites superficially resemble Culex mosquitoes. They differ in having the antennae much longer than the proboscis, the first flagellomere is remarkably long in most species and the maxillary palpi are very short. Deinocerites larvae are distinguished from other genera as follows: the head capsule is widest at the level of the antennae, the mandibles have a “hairy” lateral lobe that is unique for the genus, the pecten spines are bifid or trifid and the saddle of segment X is represented by widely separated dorsal and ventral sclerites. See Culicini.
The larvae of all Deinocerites usually breed in crab-holes, but some species have been collected from other habitats, including post-holes, rock-holes, tree-holes and various artificial containers. Adults appear to be active after sundown and rest in crab-holes during the daylight hours. The feeding preferences of females are not well known, but some species feed on a variety of hosts, including humans and other mammals, birds, lizards, frogs and toads.
Species of Deinocerites are primarily restricted to the Neotropical Region, but a few extend northward into the southern USA.
Belkin et al., 1970 (Jamaica); Adames, 1971 (revision).
atlanticus Adames, 1971
barretoi Adames, 1971
belkini Adames, 1971
cancer Theobald, 1901
colombianus Adames, 1971
costaricensis Adames & Hogue, 1970
curiche Adames, 1971
dyari Belkin & Hogue, 1959
epitedeus (Knab, 1907)
howardi Belkin & Hogue, 1959
magnus (Theobald, 1901)
mathesoni Belkin & Hogue, 1959
mcdonaldi Belkin & Hogue, 1959
melanophylum Dyar & Knab, 1907
nicoyae Adames & Hogue, 1970
panamensis Adames, 1971
pseudes Dyar & Knab, 1909
spanius (Dyar & Knab, 1909)