Genus Deinocerites Theobald, 1901
Deinocerites cancer Theobald, 1901.
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Culicini. Deinocerites includes 18 species that are not divided into subgenera. Navarro & Liria (2000) reduced Deinocerites to a subgenus of Culex based on a cladistic analysis of morphological features of larval mouthparts (mandibles and maxillae), but this is not accepted here because the study was based on limited character data. Genus abbreviation – De.
The adults of Deinocerites superficially resemble Culex mosquitoes. They differ in having the antennae much longer than the proboscis, the first flagellomere is remarkably long in most species and the maxillary palpi are very short. Deinocerites larvae are distinguished from other genera as follows: the head capsule is widest at the level of the antennae, the mandibles have a “hairy” lateral lobe that is unique for the genus, the pecten spines are bifid or trifid and the saddle of segment X is represented by widely separated dorsal and ventral sclerites. See Culicini.
Valencia (1973) suggested that Deinocerites, as well as Culex (Carrollia) and the closely related genus Galindomyia, evolved from a primitive stock of subgenus Melanoconion of Culex. In the cladistic analysis of larval mandibles and maxillae conducted by Navarro & Liria (2000), Deinocerites fell within an unresolved polytomy with subgenera Anoedioporpa, Melanoconion and Microculex of Culex. Based on this relationship, Navarro & Liria proposed subgeneric status for Deinocerites in Culex, but this action has not been widely accepted because this group of species is diagnosed by many unique (autapomorphic) features in the immature and adult stages. Autapomorphies are a measure of (often rapid) divergence and adaptive radiation, which traditional taxonomists have intuitively taken into consideration when defining genera. Deinocerites, and Galindomyia as its sister taxon, were recovered as derived members of the New World subgenera of Culex in the phylogenetic analyses of Harbach et al. (2012) based on morphological data. The phylogenetic relationships of the species of Deinocerites have not been investigated.
The larvae of all Deinocerites usually breed in crab holes, but some species have been collected from other habitats, including post holes, rock holes, tree holes and various artificial containers. Adults appear to be active after sundown and rest in crab holes during the daylight hours. The feeding preferences of females are not well known, but some species feed on a variety of hosts, including humans and other mammals, birds, lizards, frogs and toads.
Venezuelan and St. Louis equine encephalitis viruses have been isolated from De. pseudes, and laboratory studies have shown that this species is capable of transmitting these viruses. Nevertheless, species of Deinocerites are not important pests of humans and probably play little if any role in the transmission of pathogens.
Species of Deinocerites are primarily restricted to the Neotropical Region, but a few extend northward into the southern USA.
Belkin & Hogue 1959 (Central America and adjoining areas; genus, groups and species descriptions, keys, bionomics, phylogeny); Belkin et al., 1970 (Jamaica, characterisation, keys; description, bionomics and distribution of De. cancer); Adames, 1971 (revision: taxonomy, distributions, bionomics, descriptions and keys to species).
atlanticus Adames, 1971
barretoi Adames, 1971
belkini Adames, 1971
cancer Theobald, 1901
colombianus Adames, 1971
costaricensis Adames & Hogue, 1970
curiche Adames, 1971
dyari Belkin & Hogue, 1959
epitedeus (Knab, 1907)
howardi Belkin & Hogue, 1959
magnus (Theobald, 1901)
mathesoni Belkin & Hogue, 1959
mcdonaldi Belkin & Hogue, 1959
melanophylum Dyar & Knab, 1907
nicoyae Adames & Hogue, 1970
panamensis Adames, 1971
pseudes Dyar & Knab, 1909
spanius (Dyar & Knab, 1909)
