Subgenus Danielsia Theobald, 1904
Aedes albotaeniatus (Leicester, 1904) (in Theobald, 1904), original combination: Danielsia albotaeniata.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini, genus Aedes. Subgenus Danielsia includes three species. Subgenus abbreviation – Dan.
Danielsia, like most generic-level taxa of tribe Aedini, is a polythetic taxon that is diagnosed by a unique combination of characters. The following combination of anatomical features is distinctive for Danielsia. Characters that define the Danielsia clade in the phylogenetic analysis of Reinert et al. (2009) are indicated with an asterisk (*). ADULTS – Occiput of head with numerous erect forked scales that may extend slightly onto vertex; eyes contiguous, separated by less than 1 corneal facet; maxillary palpus and proboscis of both sexes dark-scaled; palpus of males about as long as proboscis, slender, palpomeres 4 and 5 short; scutum with narrow falcate scales, patch of pale scales on anterior part of acrostichal area or covering both acrostichal and dorsocentral areas; *antealar area and supraalar area dark-scaled; acrostichal setae, paratergal scales and lower mesepimeral setae absent; ]wing with patch of pale scales at base of costa; mid- and hindtarsi with pale bands on at least tarsomere 1 and *tarsomere 2; fore- and midungues toothed, anterior and posterior unguis of fore- and midlegs in males unequal in size, larger unguis with 2 teeth; abdominal segments VII and VIII of females laterally compressed. FEMALE GENITALIA – Sternum VIII with scales on most of surface; *posterior margin gently sloping anteromesad from posterolateral corners; insula lip-like with 3–5 setae on each side; lower vaginal lip lightly tanned in contrast with more darkly tanned insula; upper vaginal lip small; *posterior margin of postgenital lobe straight. MALE GENITALIA – Tergum IX narrow, broadened laterally, with 1 or 2 short setae inserted on small lobe on each side; gonocoxite with compact basal patch of slender setae on dorsomesal margin, ventromesal surface with patch of large lanceolate scales near mid-length; claspette comprised of columnar stem bearing an apical flattened and post-basally expanded claspette filament; aedeagus simple, somewhat scoop-like with distal 0.25 noticeably narrower; cercal setae present. LARVAE – Antenna relatively short, without spicules; *seta 1-A short, not longer than 3.0 times diameter of antenna at point of insertion; seta 4-C branched, inserted anteromesal to seta 6-C; seta 6-C moderately long, inserted anteromesal to seta 7-C; seta 13-C single; setae 1–3-C on common setal support plate; *seta 5-P longer than seta 6-P; sete 2-T and 6-T single; many thoracic and abdominal setae stellate; seta 6-II,III branched; seta 7-II long, stout, single or double; *seta 8-II branched; seta 12-VII and setae 2,4-VIII single; siphon with attached acus; seta 1-S inserted distal to pecten, with 2–6 branches; distal 1–3 pecten spines more widely spaced; saddle incomplete, with well-developed spicules on posterior margin; seta 1-X long, stout, single (rarely double); seta 2-X double. PUPAE – *Seta 1-CT similar to seta 3-CT (but shorter); seta 4-CT longer than seta 5-CT; seta 6-CT noticeably shorter than seta 7-CT; seta 1-II double, branches slender, inserted mesal to seta 3-II; seta 3-I very long, stout, longer than seta 6-I; seta 3-VI inserted lateral to seta 1-VI; *seta 9-VII shorter than seta 6-VI; seta 9-VIII with 6–12 stout aciculate branches; paddle rounded apically, without fringe of hair-like spicules, midrib complete to apex. See Aedes.
Subgenus Danielsia appears to be most closely related to subgenera Downsiomyia and Finlaya and genus Haemagogus based on the cladistic analysis of extensive morphological data by Reinert et al. (2009) that generated relationships of these genera expressed parenthetically as (Finlaya + Danielsia) + (Downsiomyia + Haemagogus). The genealogical affinities of Danielsia require further study as the character support for its sister relationship with Finlaya was not very strong. However, some degree of affinity with Finlaya is not unlikely as the species of the two subgenera were previously included in subgenus Finlaya. Danielsia was also recovered as the sister of Finlaya in the study of Wilkerson et al. (2015). The only species of Danielsia, Ae. albotaeniatus, included in the maximum likelihood phylogeny of Soghigian et al. (2017) based on seven molecular markers was recovered as the sister of the monobasic subgenus Luius.
The immature stages of Danielsia species are found principally in bamboo habitats (see references in Reinert, 2009), but the type species has been found in tree holes in Malaysia (Macdonald & Traub, 1960) and a freshwater reservoir at an elevation of 2,200 m in Nepal (Darsie et al., 1993). Females of the type species are known to bite humans in forested areas during daylight hours (Macdonald, 1957). Nothing else is known about the ecology and behaviour of members of the subgenus.
Species of subgenus Danielsia are not known to be of medical or economic importance to humans.
Oriental Region: Species of subgenus Danielsia are recorded from localities in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lank and Thailand.
Reinert et al., 2008, 2009 (as genus, morphology, phylogeny); Reinert, 2008 (as genus, female genitalia); Reinert, 2009 (as genus, taxonomy); Rattanarithikul et al., 2010 (as genus, Thailand, keys, bionomics); Wilkerson et al., 2015 (phylogeny, classification); Soghigian et al., 2017 (phylogenetic relationships).
