Aedeomyia furfurea (Enderlein, 1923), original combination: Lepiothauma furfurea.
Subfamily Culicinae, genus Aedeomyia. Subgenus Lepiothauma is monobasic. Subgenus abbreviation – Lpi.
ADULTS - Hindtarsomeres 1–4 with clumps of semi-erect black scales; males with few white scales on proximal (first) flagellomere and one foreunguis with an apically rounded basal tooth. LARVAE - Mesal surface of antenna with numerous filamentous spicules; branches of setae 1,2,5,9,13-I–IV aciculate, apex of branches strongly brush-tipped. PUPAE - Seta 9-II–VIII strongly spiniform, broad and heavily sclerotised. See genus Aedeomyia.
The evolutionary relationships of Lepiothauma have not been investigated.
Larvae mainly inhabit swamps, ponds and borrow pits with aquatic plants, usually Pistia or Potamogeton. They are sometimes found in the margins and backwaters of rivers with floating vegetation, and have been found in rice fields in Madagascar. Females probably feed predominantly on birds, but they are attracted to humans at ground level and especially in tree canopy. They reportedly feed mainly during the early hours of night.
Females of Ad. furfurea may approach and land on humans, but the species is not considered to be of medical importance.
The only known species of subgenus Lepiothauma is widely distributed in the Afrotropical Region, including Madagascar.
Edwards, 1941 (adults); Hopkins, 1952 (larvae); Tyson, 1970 (revision); da Cunha Ramos & Ribeiro, 1975 (larvae); Service, 1990 (Afrotropical Region); Brunhes et al., 2011 (taxonomy).
furfurea (Enderlein, 1923)