Subgenus Bohartius Reinert, Harbach & Kitching, 2009
Stegomyia pandani (Stone, 1939), original combination: Aedes (Stegomyia) pandani.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini, genus Stegomyia. Subgenus Bohartius includes the five species included in Group F (Pandani Group) of Bohart (1957), the Pandani Assemblage of Reinert (2000). Subgenus abbreviation – Boh.
Species of subgenus Bohartius exhibit several interesting morphological features. The scutum is ornamented with pale scaling, including anarrow median line and a lateral line of narrow scales extending from the base of the wing at least the scutal angle. The gonostylus of the male genitalia is stout and blade-like with the gonostylar claw near the apex. Larvae have seta1-C forked or divided, seta 3-P multiple branched, seta 3-X with 4 or more branches and the pecten in a curved row. Pupae have a strongly developed seta 1-II, seta 9-VII with 5 or more branches and a paddle fringe that extendsapically from near the base of the outer margin.
The following combination of characters, which diagnoses the Bohartius clade in the phylogeny of tribe Aedini generated by Reinert et al. (2009), distinguishes Bohartius (based on St. pandani and St. saipanensis) from the other subgenera of genus Stegomyia. ADULTS – Antenna of males with flagellar whorls comprised of several moderately long to long setae; proboscis with pale scaling; posterior dorsocentral area of scutum without pale-scaled stripe; scutal fossa with contrasting lines or small patches of pale scales on margin; scales on anterior part of antealar area all pale; dorsal tertiary fringe scales absent from proximal 0.5 of wing in males; base of abdominal tergum III with median pale-scaled area. FEMALE GENITALIA – Tergum VIII with convex posterior margin; posterior margin of sternum VIII with median emargination separating broadly rounded lateral lobes; ventral index of postgenital lobe 1.65–2.81. MALE GENITALIA – Posterior margin oftergum IX with 2 moderately broad to broad lobes; proximal part of gonostylus broad (stout); gonostylar claw a moderately broad spiniform with bluntly pointed apex; aedeagus with teeth on distal 0.68. LARVAE – Seta 1-C forked orbranched, proximal part stout; seta 13-C branched; seta 5-P equal or shorter than seta 6-P; seta 8-P ≥1.2 length of seta 4-P; seta 7-II similar to seta 7-I; seta 2-X ≥0.90 length of seta 3-X. PUPAE – Seta 9-VIII inserted slightly anterior or mesal to posterolateral corner of segment; seta 1-Pa ≥0.80 length of paddle. See genus Stegomyia.
Bohart (1957) provided a description of the type species and other species of the subgenus. Reinert (2000) illustrated the female genitalia of St.pandani and provided a generic description of the female genitalia (as Pandani Assemblage). Stone (1945) provided descriptive information for St. pandani and St. saipanensis.
Subgenus Bohartius was recovered as sister to subgenus Zoromorphus in the phylogeny of tribe Aedini in the cladistic analyses of Reinert et al. (2009) based on extensive morphological data. Bohart (1957) maintained that Bohartius (his Pandani Group) is a "superspecies without close relatives" and suggested a possible relationship with St. scutoscripta of the Scutellaris Group based on somewhat similar thoracic markings of the adults and the slightly curved pecten of the larvae (see below).
The immature stages are of Bohartius species are commonly found in the axils of Pandanus, and all but those of St. agrihanensis and St. rotana have also been found in the axils of taro. Larvae of St. saipanensis have been collected from tree holes of banyan, breadfruit and coconut, as well as coconut shells and artificial containers. Larvae of St. agrihanensis and St. rotana have also been found in tree holes, and the latter species also in artificial containers. Females of St. pandani viciously bite humans from dawn through dusk in sun and shade. They will enter buildings to feed and are known to bite dimly lit rooms well into the evening hours. They are also reported to feed on dogs, rabbits, mice, cows and horses. Females of St. neopandani and St. saipanensis also bite humans during daylight hours, but are less of a nuisance than St. pandani. Nothing is known about the adult habits of St. agrihanensis and St. rotana (Bohart, 1957; Stone, 1945; Yamaguti & LaCasse, 1950).
The adults have been reported to feed on man, dog, rabbit, mouse, cow, and horse. Because of these habits it is a potential disease vector.
The species of subgenus Bohartius are only known to occur in Micronesia (Mariana Islands).
Bohart, 1957 (Pandani Group, taxonomy, keys); Reinert, 2000 (Pandani Assemblage, female genitalia); Reinert et al., 2009 (subgeneric status, morphology, phylogeny).
agrihanensis (Bohart, 1957) neopandani (Bohart, 1957) pandani (Stone, 1939) rotana (Bohart & Ingram, 1946) saipanensis (Stone, 1945)
