Woodius Group  

Species of the Woodius Group are characterised and distinguished from other species of subgenus Ochlerotatus by the following combinations of characters. Characters that diagnose the Woodius Group (as subgenus Woodius) in the phylogenetic analyses of Reinert et al. (2009) are indicated by an asterisk (*).

ADULTS – Vertex of head with narrow decumbent scales, numerous erect forked scales on occiput and vertex; eyes separated above antennal pedicels by diameter of 3 or 4 corneal facets; antennal pedicel with few broad scales on mesal surface; antennal flagellum of males with palpomeres 12 and 13 disproportionately long and setae of flagellar whorls mainly directed dorsally and ventrally; maxillary palpus of females dark-scaled (Ae. intrudens occasionally with few pale scales), palpus of males dark-scaled, as long or longer than proboscis, palpomeres 4 and 5 downturned, these and distal part of palpomere 3 with numerous ventrolateral setae; proboscis dark-scaled, longer than forefemur; scutum with narrow pale and dark scales, pale scales covering scutal fossa, antealar area, much of supraalar area, narrow strip (usually) on acrostichal area and lateral margins of prescutellar area; scutellum with narrow scales on all lobes; anterior and posterior acrostichal setae and anterior and posterior dorsocentral setae present; antepronotum with pale scales; postpronotum with narrow scales dorsally, broad scales ventrally; broad scales on upper proepisternum, subspiracular area, postspiracular area, prealar area, upper and lower mesokatepisternal areas, large upper area of mesepimeron and metameron; lower mesepimeral setae usually absent, sometimes present in Ae. intrudens; wing dark-scaled; upper calypter with numerous marginal setae; femora each with knee spot; tarsi dark-scaled, ungues equal in females, each with 1 tooth, fore- an midungues of males unequal, hindungues equal, all with 1 tooth; laterotergite of abdominal segment I with broad pale scales; terga of males with numerous lateral setae; segment VII dorsoventrally flattened in females. FEMALE GENITALIA – Intersegmental membrane between segments VII and VIII very long; *tergum VIII wider than long, *without long setae on proximal 0.40 of lateral margin, with or without scattered scales, sternum VIII also wider than long, with shallow median posterior emargination and moderate number of scales; cercus long, narrow, with 1–3 scales; upper and lower vaginal sclerites absent; insula lip-like, with 2 or 3 setae on either side of midline; 3 spermathecal capsules. MALE GENITLIA – Gonocoxite with large dorsomesal apical lobe bearing few setae and small dorsomesal basal lobe bearing 1 long and few short setae, mesal area of ventral surface with patch of long lanceolate setae, scales on dorsal, lateral and ventral surfaces, mesal surface membranous; gonostylus attached at apex of gonocoxite, with gonostylar claw attached at apex; *claspette comprised of 2 lobes, outer lobe with 2 long apical setae, inner columnar lobe with apical flattened claspette filament and *subapical thumb-like projection bearing 1 short seta; aedeagus tube-like, broadest in proximal 0.67; proctiger with pointed apex; cercal setae present. LARVAE – Antenna spiculate, seta 1-A with 3–5 branches; seta 4-C branched, inserted more or less directly mesal to seta 6-C; seta 5-C and seta 6-C branched, seta 5-C inserted posteromesal to seta 6-C, seta 6-C inserted posteromesal to seta 7-C; *seta 7-C 0.41–0.81 length of dorsal apotome; seta 12-C branched, inserted mesal to seta 13-C; seta 13-C with 1–3 branches, longer than seta 12-C; seta 14-C single; seta 19-C present; setae 1–3-P not inserted on common setal support plate, seta 3-P double or triple; seta 4-P single (rarely double); seta 6-I–V and seta 7-I single; seta 12-I present; *seta 1-VII 0.48–0.85 dorsal length of segment X; seta 1-VIII branched, noticeably longer than unbranched seta 2-VIII (rarely double in Ae. diantaeus); comb scales in single row; siphon with *2 or 3 distal pecten spines more widely spaced; seta 1-S inserted distal to pecten (rarely at level of distal pecten spine in Ae. intrudens); saddle incomplete ventrally, acus present; seta 1-X single, inserted on saddle; ventral brush (seta 4-X) with 3 or 4 precratal setae and primary setae inserted on grid with well-developed transverse and lateral bars. PUPAE – Trumpet  with weakly developed tracheoid area; setae 1,3-CT similarly developed, normally double; setae 4,5-CT similarly developed; seta 11-CT normally single (rarely double in Oc. intrudens); seta 6-I longer than setae 3,7-I; *seta 3-I single, rarely split apically, seta 3-II single or double, seta 3-III normally single, longer than seta 5-III; seta 1-IV,V with 1–4 branches; seta 5-IV,V with 1–3-branches, longer than following tergum; seta 9-VIII with 3–9 (normally 3–5) apically forked branches; paddle rounded apically, without hair-like marginal spicules; seta 1-Pa single, rarely double. See subgenus Ochlerotatus.