Genus Tripteroides Giles, 1904
Runchomyia philippinensis Giles. 1904 [subjective synonym of Tripteroides nitidoventer (Giles, 1904)].
Subfamily Culicinae, tribe Sabethini. Tripteroides is a large genus of 126 species divided between five subgenera: Polylepidomyia (19 species), Rachionotomyia (14 species), Rachisoura (28 species), Tricholeptomyia (9 species) and Tripteroides (56 species). Genus abbreviation – Tp.
Genus Tripteroides is distinguished from all other genera that occur within its distribution based on one or more of the following characters in the adult and larval stages. ADULTS – Erect scales of head restricted to occiput, acrostichal setae absent from median longitudinal area of scutum, scutellum tri-lobed, prespiracular setae present, upper calypter of wing with marginal setae and anal vein ends beyond base of mediocubital crossvein. LARVAE – Seta 3-C ventral, occipital foramen circular with distinct collar, seta 13-P present, comb scales in a single row and the presence of a single pair of seta 4-X. See Sabethini.
When Harbach et al. (2007) included Kimia in the data set of Harbach & Peyton (2000), Tripteroides was paired with the New World Trichoprosopon in a sister relationship with Kimia. Speculation about a close relationship between Tripteroides and Trichoprosopon has existed since Lee (1946) could find no clear distinctions to separate them. However, Tripteroides is a complex and heterogeneous genus that has always been difficult to characterise. Despite the study of Mattingly (1981), the genus remains a confused and apparently polyphyletic assemblage of species (Judd, 1996). Until the included species are sorted into monophyletic groups, it will not be possible to know the affinities of Tripteroides or its subgenera with certainty.
Tripteroides includes domestic and forest species. The larvae inhabit small collections of water in tree holes, bamboo, coconut shells and husks, fallen leaves, leaf axils, flower bracts, pitcher plants and snail shells. A few species occur in artificial containers, and Tr. tasmaniensis has been collected in rock holes. Larvae usually lie upside down on the bottom of the cavity. They feed on arthropods or their remains. Larvae of subgenus Rachisoura are predacious. The adults appear to be active during the daytime. A few species attack and bite humans, but nothing is known about the feeding habits of most species. Among the Oriental species only Tr. aranoides is known to bite humans. Some species have become pests in northwestern Australia where they invade houses.
No species of Tripteroides are known to be involved in the transmission of pathogenic agents, and only a few species in certain locations appear to be pests of humans.
Species of Tripteroides are largely distributed in the Oriental and Australasian Regions. The range of the genus extends from India and Sri Lanka to Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Fiji in the South Pacific and south to Tasmania.
Barraud, 1934 (southern Asia, keys, descriptions, bionomics, distributions); Thurman, 1959 (Thailand, keys, taxonomy, descriptions, bionomics, distributions); Belkin, 1962 (South Pacific, keys, taxonomy, genus, subgenus and descriptions, bionomics, distributions); Tanaka et al., 1979 (Japan, genus, subgenus Tripteroides and Tr. Bambusa descriptions, distributions, bionomics); Mattingly, 1980 (classification); Mattingly, 1981 (Oriental Region, subgenera Rachionotomyia and Tricholeptomyia, keys, species descriptions, distributions, bionomics); Lee et al., 1989 (Australasian Region, genus and subgenus diagnoses, keys, literature and bionomics of species); Harbach & Peyton, 1993 (comparative morphology of larval maxillae); Rattanarithikul et al., 2007 (Thailand, subgenera Rachionotomyia and Tripteroides, keys, bionomics).
Polylepidomyia (see).
Rachionotomyia (see).
Rachisoura (see).
Tricholeptomyia (see).
Tripteroides (see).
