Geoskusea Edwards, 1929

The presence of fine setae on the metameron of Geoskusea adults is a particularly distinctive feature of this subgenus of aedine mosquitoes. Characters that diagnose Geoskusea (as genus) in the phylogenetic analyses of Reinert et al. (2009) are indicated by an asterisk (*).

ADULTS – Vertex with broad decumbent scales; erect scales numerous, scattered over vertex in females, usually concentrated on occiput in males; eyes contiguous above antennal pedicels; antenna of females about as long as proboscis; antenna of males distinctly shorter than proboscis, flagellomeres 12 and 13 together about as long as rest of flagellum; proboscis dark-scaled, about 1.3 length of forefemur; maxillary palpus of females about 0.15 length of proboscis, palpomere 5 minute; maxillary palpus of males 0.2–0.7 length of proboscis; scutum with narrow scales; acrostichal setae and dorsocentral setae strongly developed; scutellum with narrow or broad scales or both; paratergite bare; antepronotum usually without scales; postpronotum with broad or narrow scales; pleural scaling restricted to upper mesokatepisternal and upper mesepimeral patches, latter may extend posteriorly onto lower half of sclerite; lower mesepimeral setae absent but numerous *fine setae borne posteriorly near middle of sclerite; *metameron with fine setae (distinctive feature); wing dark-scaled, alula with fringe of hair-like or moderately broad scales; tarsi dark-scaled, ungues of females simple, fore- and midungues of males toothed, *midungues both toothed, larger one with 1 tooth; tergum I dark-scaled, *laterotergite without scales, other terga entirely dark-scaled, with basolateral pale spots or basal pale bands; lateral abdominal setae of males sparse, short. FEMALE GENITALIA – Segment VIII largely retracted, without scales, *tergum with long setae on lateral margins of proximal 0.40; cercus long, without scales; insula with 2 setae on either side of midline; 1 large and 2 smaller spermathecal capsules. MALE GENITALIA – Segment VIII reduced, tergum with long median sclerotised lobe extending into caudal membrane; tergum IX poorly sclerotised, *some or all setae stout, with *pair of close-set posterior lobes; gonocoxite *without dorsomesal basal lobe, without distinct mesal membrane; *claspette developed as single basal setose plaque, columnar lobe absent; aedeagus small, simple, poorly sclerotised; proctiger small, paraproct with simple short apical spine; cercal setae usually in 2 or 3 pairs. LARVAE – Antenna long, spiculate; seta 1-A branched; palatal brushes filamentous; dorsomentum with numerous narrow denticles; seta 4-C very small, inserted cephalad of seta 6-C; setae 5,6-C very long, single to triple; setae 4–7-C inserted caudad of antennal base; *seta 7-C 0.21–0.38 length of dorsal apotome; seta 8-C long, single; setae 12,13-C widely separated; *seta 19-C present; seta 13-P absent; *seta 7-M as long or longer than seta 5-M; seta 12-I present; comb comprised of small fringed scales in large patch; siphon short, acus present; pecten long, spines evenly spaced; *seta 1-S short, length ≤ 0.40 diameter of siphon, inserted beyond pecten; saddle small, incomplete; seta 1-X not inserted on saddle; seta 2-X multi-branched; ventral brush (seta 4-X) with 6 pairs of setae, all on grid. PUPAE – Seta 8-CT inserted at level of trumpet bases, with numerous delicate terminal branches; setae 2,3-I approximated; seta 9-VI small, similar to seta 9-II–V; seta 5-V very long, single; seta 6-VII very small, single, inserted posterior to seta 7; genital lobe of males very long; paddle short, broadly ovate; seta 1-Pa very long, single. See Aedes.