Subgenus Zoromorphus Reinert, Harbach & Kitching, 2009
Stegomyia futunae (Belkin, 1962), original combination: Aedes (Stegomyia) futunae.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini, genus Stegomyia. Subgenus Zoromorphus is monobasic. Subgenus abbreviation – Zor.
Subgenus Zoromorphus is distinguished from other subgenera of Stegomyia by the following combination of characters. The characters that diagnose the subgenus in the phylogenetic study of Reinert et al. (2009) are indicated with an asterisk (*).ADULTS – Vertex with narrow median silvery line reaching erect scales, ocular silvery line not developed, lateral silvery line broad, not expanded caudad; proboscis dark-scaled; maxillary palpus with apical palpomere usually silvery on more than distal half; scutum with narrow median silvery line and more or less complete supraalar silvery line of narrow scales; median lobe of scutellum without dark scales; pleural scaling in streaks, forming distinct diagonal lines; subspiracular scales absent; forecoxa with wide median band of dark scales; midcoxa with large apical patch of dark scales; hindfemur with an indefinite narrow pale line extending distad about halfway to apical silvery patch; foretarsus and midtarsus with very small silvery markings on tarsomeres 1 and 2; hindtarsomere 4 silvery in basal half, hindtarsomere 5 entirely silvery; both ungues of *fore-, *mid- and *hindlegs toothed; costa with only 2 or 3 silvery scales at base; terga II–VI with large basolateral silvery patches, with dorsal submedian prolongation on terga V and VI, tergum VII with a more or less complete broad transverse submedian silvery band connecting larger lateral silvery patches, other terga without transverse bands. FEMALE GENITALIA – Not studied. MALE GENITALIA – Tergum IX rounded in middle, posterior margin with 2 small, relatively narrow lobes; gonocoxite without dorsomesal basal lobe; gonostylus strongly expanded distally, with numerous long conspicuous setae particularly at tip; *gonostylar claw subapical; claspette with expanded apex bearing a simple mesal tergal projection, lateral expanded portion with densely packed setae and patch of longer setae at tergomesal angle; *aedeagus widest in proximal 0.67. LARVAE – Antenna unusually long and slender; thoracic and abdominal setae and tubercles very strongly pigmented, setae conspicuously barbed; *seta 5-C branched; *seta 6-II equal or longer than seta 6-III; *seta 3-V ≥1.8 length of seta 5-V; *seta 1-VIII ≥1.1 length of seta 2-VIII; comb scales with distal portion narrowed then expanded into broad blade; siphon with distinct subapical constriction; pecten with about 20 close-set spines, distal ones frayed apically; *seta 1-X inserted posterior to saddle; saddle very narrowly incomplete. PUPAE – Cephalothorax and abdomen moderately to brightly pigmented; *seta 13-CT present; *seta 3-I shorter than seta 6-I; *seta 3-II inserted lateral to seta 2-II; *seta 9-VIII 2-branched; paddle broad, inner and outer margins fringed with filamentous spicules. See genus Stegomyia.
Subgenus Zoromorphus was recovered as sister to subgenus Bohartius in the phylogeny of tribe Aedini in the cladistic analyses of Reinert et al. (2009) based on extensive morphological data. Subgenus Actinothrix was recovered as sister to Zoromorphus + Bohartius. Stegomyia futunae exhibits distinctive features in all life stages. However, Belkin (1962) noted that the species appears to have affinities with St. aobae and St. pernotata, but the reduced line of silvery scales on the supraalar area of the scutum is shared with St. gurneyi and the male genitalia closely resemble those of St. quasiscutellaris, species that are currently not assigned to a subgenus of Stegomyia.
The immature stages of St. futunae have only been found in a tree hole in forest Females attack humans in forest during the day (Belkin, 1962).
Stegomyia futunae is not known to be of medical importance, but Belkin (1962) suggested it may be the main vector of filariasis in the Futuna group of islands due to its abundance.
The single species of subgenus Zoromorphus is only known to occur on Alofi Island of the Hoorn Islands in the South Pacific, but it probably also occurs on Futuna Island, which is only a couple of miles from Alofi (Belkin, 1962).
As subgenus of Aedes: Belkin, 1962, 1965 (Hoorn Islands, morphology, taxonomy, bionomics, distribution); Lee et al., 1987 (Hoorn Islands, literature, biology, distribution). As genus Stegomyia: Reinert et al., 2009 (subgeneric status, morphology, phylogeny).
futunae (Belkin, 1962)
