Subgenus Dobrotworskyius Reinert, Harbach & Kitching, 2006
Aedes tubbutiensis Dobrotworsky, 1959.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini, genus Aedes. Subgenus Dobrotworskyius includes seven species. Subgenus abbreviation – Dob.
Characters that diagnose subgenus Dobrotworskyius in the phylogeny of Aedini recovered in the study of Reinert et al. (2009) are indicated by an asterisk (*). ADULTS – Vertex with pale and dark narrow decumbent scales, vertex and occiput with numerous erect forked scales; eyes above antennal pedicels contiguous (but separated by approximately width of 3.5 corneal facets in Ae. rubrithorax); antennal pedicels with broad scales on mesal surface, flagellar whorls of males directed dorsally and ventrally; *maxillary palpus of females with pale scales (at apices of palpomeres 3 and 4), maxillary palpus of males comprised of 5 palpomeres, palpomeres 4 and 5 slightly down-turned; proboscis longer than forefemur, dark-scaled (few scattered pale scales in Ae. alboannulatus and Ae. tubbutiensis); scutum with narrow pale and dark scales, pale scales on lateral margins of prescutellar space (Ae. alboannulatus and Ae. milsoni also with few broad pale scales at this location) and paratergite; acrostichal setae (anterior and posterior) and dorsocentral setae (anterior and posterior) present; scutellum with narrow scales on all lobes; *antepronotal scales all narrow; postpronotum with both narrow and broad scales; postspiracular area with scales; broad pale scales on upper proepisternum, subspiracular area, upper and lower mesokatepisternum, lower and upper prealar area, and upper and middle mesepimeron; lower mesepimeral setae absent; wing dark-scaled, sometimes with 1–3 pale scales at base of costa; remigium with 1–3 dorsal setae; upper calypter with setae; alula with row of narrow dark scales on margin; hindtarsomeres 1–4 with broad basal pale bands; both fore-, mid- and *hindungues of females with 1 tooth, fore- and midungues of males unequal, larger unguis with 2 teeth, smaller with 1 tooth, *hindungues each with 1 tooth; laterotergite of abdominal segment I with pale scales; terga dark-scaled with basomesal and basolateral pale areas not forming complete bands. FEMALE GENITALIA – Tergum VIII broadly rounded posteriorly, broad scales on distal half; sternum VIII as long as to slightly longer than wide, caudal margin with emargination separating 2 lobes, broad scales on lateral areas, seta 2-S inserted posterior to seta 1-S; tergum IX comprised of 2 sclerites, setae absent (Ae. milsoni occasionally with 1 seta distally on 1 or both sclerites); postgenital lobe narrower distally and truncate or with minute emargination; lower vaginal sclerite absent; insula lip-like, depressed medially, setae in lateral patches; cercus broadly rounded apically, without scales; 3 spermathecal capsules. MALE GENITALIA – Tergum IX lobes short, each with few setae; sternum IX with posteromedian setae; gonocoxite with small dorsobasal lobe bearing few setae, without dorsoapical lobe, mesal surface membranous, lateral and ventral surfaces with broad scales, gonostylus attached apically, single gonostylar claw at apex; claspette with single columnar stem and long apical claspette filament; aedeagus simple, tube-like. HABITAT OF IMMATURE STAGES – *Fresh-water rock pools. LARVAE – Seta 4-C short, with few branches, inserted mesad to seta 5-C and noticeably posterior to seta 6-C; seta 5-C inserted posteromesal to seta 6-C; seta 6-C inserted at same level or slightly anterior to seta 7-C; seta 7-C inserted anterolateral to seta 5-C; seta 12-C branched, inserted mesal to seta 13-C; seta 13-C single, longer than seta 12-C; seta 14-C single; seta 19-C absent; setae 4,8-P branched; *seta 2-T branched; seta 6-T normally single; *seta 3-II branched; seta 6-I,II long, double, 6-II longer than seta 6-III; seta 7-I long, single; seta 12-I present; setae 7-II short, branched; *seta 1-VII 0.48−0.85 mid-dorsal length of segment X; seta 12-VII normally single; setae 2,4-VIII single or double; comb comprised of numerous scales in patch; siphon with attached acus, pecten with numerous close-set spines, seta 1-S inserted slightly distal to or on level with distal 1 or 2 spines; saddle incomplete ventrally, acus absent, seta 1-X inserted on saddle; ventral brush (seta 4-X) of multiple-branched setae inserted on grid with well-developed transverse and lateral bars, anterior 2 setae shorter and 1 of these occasionally inserted anterior to grid. PUPAE – Setae 1,3-CT similarly developed; seta 11-CT single or double; seta 3-I,II branched, longer than seta 6-I,II respectively; seta 6-I longer than seta 7-I; seta 1-II multiple branched; seta 5-II inserted lateral to seta 4-II; seta 3-III single, longer than seta 5-III; seta 5-V single, longer than following tergum; seta 2-VI inserted mesal to setae 1,3-VI; seta 6-VII inserted posteromesal to seta 9-VII; seta 9-VIII inserted on posterolateral corner of segment; paddle rounded apically, midrib extending to or near apex, without hair-like spicules on margins; seta 1-Pa single. See Aedes.
Dobrotworskyius was recovered in a sister relationship to Georgecraigius + Patmarksia in the phylogenetic studies of Reinert et al. (2006, 2009), and these three taxa were sister to a clade comprised of Tanakaius + (Hulecoeteomyia + (Gilesius + Collessius)) in the latter study. Dobrotworskyius was recovered in a polytomy that included the sister pair Georgecraigius + Patmarksia and four subgenera (Collessius, Gilesius, Hulecoeteomyia and Tanakaius) in an unresolved branch in the study of Wilkerson et al. (2015). Dobrotworskyius was recovered as sister to a clade comprised of Bruceharrisonius + Himalaius in the maximum likelihood phylogeny of Soghigian et al. (2017) based on seven molecular markers. Although their study included species of Georgecraigius (no species of Patmarksia were included), there was no evidence of a relationship with that subgenus.
Larvae are found in rock pools in river and stream beds and occasionally in ground pools. Some species have been found in old wells, collections of water around houses, artificial containers, a rot hole in a tree and cavities in logs. Females bite humans during the day, evening and night.
Species of subgenus Dobrotworskyius are of no known medical or economic importance to humans.
Dobrotworskyius species are found in Australia.
Reinert et al., 2006, 2008, 2009 (as genus, morphology, phylogeny), Reinert, 2008 (as genus, female genitalia); Wilkerson et al., 2015 (phylogeny, classification); Soghigian et al., 2017 (phylogenetic relationships).
