Subgenus Isoaedes Reinert, 1979
Aedes cavaticus Reinert, 1979.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini, genus Aedes. Subgenus Isoaedes is monobasic. Subgenus abbreviation – Isa.
The following salient anatomical differences distinguish Isoaedes from other generic-level taxa of Aedini in the Oriental Region, particularly the morphologically similar subgenera Borichinda and Ayurakitia. Characters that diagnose Isoaedes in the phylogenetic analysis of Reinert et al. (2009) are indicated with an asterisk (*). ADULTS – Decumbent scales of vertex and ocular scales narrow; interocular space narrow, interocular setae present; eyes contiguous; maxillary palpus of males straight, with *palpomere 5 ≤ 0.55 length of palpomere 4; *scutal scales all pale; scutal fossal scales *sparse, *contrasting with surrounding scales; paratergite bare; *scales on *mid- and *lateral lobes of scutellum all narrow; antepronotal scales and postpronotal scales present; *subspiracular scales and postspiracular scales absent; postspiracular setae present; lower anterior mesepimeral setae present; remigial setae present; hindtarsomere 1 without pale-scaled area; both foreungues and both midungues of males toothed; abdominal terga of males with relatively few relatively short lateral setae. FEMALE GENITALIA – Upper vaginal sclerite present; insula tongue-like, insular setae absent; 3 spermathecal capsules. MALE GENITALIA – Tergum IX with setae; sternum IX relatively short, without setae; gonostylus long, cylindrical; claspette with narrow apex and few setae; aedeagus comprised of 2 lateral plates, plates apparently fused distally but each with numerous long stout curved teeth laterally and apically; *proctiger with sternal arm; *paraproct with apical teeth. LARVAE – Antenna moderately long to long, ≥ 0.42 median length of dorsal apotome; *length of seta 1-A ≤ 3.0 times width of antenna at point of attachment; seta 4-C short, with 3–6 branches; setae 5,6-8,13,14-C single; *seta 7-C single (rarely double); cervical sclerite present; seta 1-P single, longer than seta 2-P; setae 3,5-P single; seta 5-T small, single; seta 2-I–VII small, single, near seta 1; seta 11-I small, single or double; seta 12-I absent; seta 5-II–VI small, single; seta 7-II long, single or double; seta 9-II–VI near seta 7; seta 10-II–V lateral to setae 11 and 12; *setae 6-III single; seta 13-III–V single; seta 5-VII small, single or double; *seta 1-VIII also single; comb scales scale-like, in patch; siphon acus present, pecten with distal spine more widely spaced; seta 1-X small, single; *seta 2-X single or double (rarely triple); ventral brush (seta 4-X) with 5 pairs of setae on grid, *precratal setae absent. PUPAE – *Seta 1-CT weakly developed, considerably shorter than seta 3-CT; *seta 5-CT >1.3 length of seta 4-CT; seta 7-CT longer than seta 6-CT; *seta 3-I, *seta 3-III and *seta 6-III branched; seta 3-II as long as or shorter than seta 6-II; seta 6-VII inserted posterior to seta 9; seta 9-IV–VI posterior to seta 8; apex of paddle produced. See Aedes.
Based on the parsimony analysis of Harbach et al. (2007), subgenus Isoaedes appears to be more closely related to subgenus Borichinda than to other generic-level taxa of Aedini. This is also reflected in the relationships of generic-level taxa recovered in the cladistic analysis of more extensive morphological data by Reinert et al. (2009): Fredwardsius + (Isoaedes + (Borichinda + other generic-level taxa)).
Subgenus Isoaedes is a cavernicolous taxon. The immature stages are found in shallow temporary cold-water pools in complete darkness. Nothing is known about the bionomics of the adults.
The only known species of subgenus Isoaedes is of no medical or economic importance to humans.
Thailand.
Reinert, 1979 (taxonomy); Reinert, 2000 (female genitalia); Reinert et al., 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 (as genus, morphology, phylogeny); Harbach et al., 2007 (as genus, morphology); Rattanarithikul et al., 2010 (as genus, Thailand, keys, bionomics); Wilkerson et al., 2015 (phylogeny, classification).
