Subgenus Dodecamyia Dyar, 1919
Wyeomyia aphobema Dyar, 1919.
Subfamily Culicinae, genus Wyeomyia. Subgenus Dodecamyia is monobasic. Subgenus abbreviation – Dod.
It is likely that this currently monobasic subgenus is actually a group of closely related, morphologically similar species; however, the following combinations of characters should distinguish the group from the other subgenera of Wyeomyia. ADULTS ‒ Proboscis short, slightly shorter than forefemur, turned downward, expanded distally; scutum dark-scaled; mesopostnotum without scales and setae; paratergite bare; upper calypter of wing without marginal setae. MALE GENITALIA ‒ Tergum IX lobes not produced, each delineated by row of 4 or 5 stout setae; gonocoxite without long setae, with single stout mesal seta and prominent close-set row of 7‒9 similar setae (homologous with tergal triad); gonostylus attached to apex of gonocoxite, elongate, slender, simple, without expanded distal lobes; aedeagus broad, lateral plates each with series of posterolateral peg-like projections proximal to narrow distal extension (leaf-like in lateral view), apical tergal arms not fused; proctiger normal, paraproct with several apical teeth; cercal setae present. LARVAE ‒ Seta 1-A single, inserted near apex of antenna; maxilla broad, without apical tooth, seta 4-Mx single, stout, brush-tipped, much longer than maxillary brush, hypostomal sclerite not fused with maxillary body or palpus; seta 14-C strongly developed, significantly longer than seta 15-C, inserted on level with or posterior to seta 15-C; seta 4-P not fan-like; seta 11-P,M,T single, not spine-like; seta 13-III,IV inserted anterior to seta 12; comb plate absent, comb scales in several rows (patch); siphon with 2 posterolateral rows of pecten spines on proximal 0.75, seta 1-S branched, inserted near base of siphon, setae 1a,2a-S numerous, not in distinctly straight rows; saddle without posterolateral spicules; seta 2-X single; seta 4-X much shorter than setae 1‒3-X, multi-branched. PUPAE ‒ Cephalothorax and abdomen without spots; seta 2-V inserted mesal to seta 1; seta 6-II single, long, reaching well beyond posterior margin of tergum III, seta 6-VII inserted on tergum posterior to seta 9; seta 9-VI hair-like; paddle relatively long, length 1.5 times length of tergum VIII, apex without spicules. See genus Wyeomyia.
Wyeomyia aphobema was recovered as the sister to Wy. (Nunezia) bicornis + (Phoniomyia + an undescribed species of Dendromyia) in the study of Judd (1996) based on phylogenetic analyses of 59 morphological characters of larvae, pupae and adults. In contrast, the phylogenetic analyses of Motta et al. (2007) based on 88 characters from the three life stages indicated a closer relationship of Dodecamyia with Exallomyia than to other subgenera of Wyeomyia. Some features of Wy. aphobema, e.g. the simple gonostylus of the male genitalia, indicate that Dodecamyia is a more primitive taxon of Wyeomyia, but the phylogenetic relationships of the subgenus must remain uncertain until most species of Wyeomyia are better known in all life stages.
Larvae of Wy. aphobema inhabit epiphytic and terrestrial bromeliads (Heinemann & Belkin, 1978; Peyton et al., 1983; Linton et al., 2013), and have been found at the bases of leaves of pineapple (Edwards, 1922). Nothing is known about the bionomics of the adults.
Wyeomyia aphobema is known only from South America, with collections reported from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru and Suriname.
Judd, 1996 (morphology, phylogenetic relationships); Motta & Lourenço-de-Oliveira, 2005 (comparative morphology); Motta et al., 2007 (morphology, phylogenetic relationships).
aphobema Dyar, 1919
