Culiseta
Creators: name: Azari-Hamidian, Shahyad
name: Harbach, Ralf E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Culicidae
Culiseta

description: Key to subgenera, species, and subspecies of genus Culiseta: fourth-instar larvae
(key characters are illustrated in Figs 5 and 6)
1. Siphon index (SI) usually less than 2.5 (1.4–2.4); antenna very short, with antennal index (ratio of length of antenna, without apical setae and appendages, to length of head) 0.3–0.4; saddle (dorsal plate) incomplete, covers abdominal segment X (anal segment) only dorsolaterally; antenna smooth; seta 1-A (antennal tuft) with 1–4 simple branches, not longer than 2.0 width of antenna; pecten spines large, distal spine near apex of siphon (pecten about 0.75 length of siphon); dorsal pair of anal papillae (gills) slightly longer than ventral pair; at least some scales of comb spiniform; setae 5,6-C (inner and median frontal setae) single [siphonal trachea broad, ribbon-like; PTF 3:1:3:6:3:1:6] (subgenus Allotheobaldia) ............................................................................. Cs. longiareolata
- SI usually more than 2.5; antennal index usually more than 0.4; saddle complete, encircling segment X; antenna spiculate; seta 1-A with more than 4 branches, longer than 2.0 width of antenna; pecten spines fine, distal spine never near apex of siphon; anal papillae of more or less equal length; all comb scales evenly fringed at sides and apex, not spine-like; setae 5,6-C multiple branched ................................................................................................ 2
2(1). Siphon index (SI) more than 4.0 (4.3–7.0); antenna very long with index 1.0 or more; seta 1-A with more than 15 (16–30) long branches, extending well beyond apex of antenna; pecten without distal filamentous spines; pecten not extending beyond basal 0.3 of siphon; antenna with distinct thick proximal and narrow distal sections; seta 5- C (inner frontal seta) with 1–4 branches; siphonal trachea narrow, rounded; seta 1-X (saddle seta) more than 0.5 length of saddle, single; 5–9 precratal setae present [PTF 1:1:2:1-2:1:1:2–3] (subgenus Culicella) ......................... ............................................................................................................................................ Cs. morsitans (Note 39)
- SI at most 4.0; antenna short with index less than 0.7 (usually less than 0.5); seta 1-A with no more than 15 short branches, not reaching or extending only slightly beyond apex of antenna; pecten with distal filamentous spines; pecten extending beyond basal 0.3 of siphon; antenna without 2 distinct sections; seta 5-C usually with more than 4 branches; siphonal trachea broad, ribbon-like; seta 1-X about 0.5 or less length of saddle, with 2 or 3 branches; 2–5 precratal setae present (subgenus Culiseta) (Note 38)....................................................................................... 3
3(2). Seta 4-X (ventral brush) usually with 4 (3–5) precratal setae, at least 2 perforating saddle; comb scales narrow, elongate with parallel margins; pecten extends to 0.75 length of siphon; siphon index (SI) at most 3.0 (2.7; 2.4–3.0), siphon slightly tapered apically; anal papillae (gills) bluntly rounded at apex [PTF 1:1:2–3:3–4:1:1:4–6] (Cs. alaskaensis) (Note 40) ...................................................................................................................................... 4
- Seta 4-X usually with 2 (2 or 3) precratal setae, 1, rarely 2, perforating saddle; comb scales short, distinctly broader at base, narrowed medially; pecten extends to 0.67 length of siphon; SI usually more than 3.0 (2.4–4.0), siphon markedly tapered apically; anal papillae tapered [PTF 1:1:3–6:3–6:1:1:3–5] (Note 41) ............................5
4(3). Seta 4-C (postclypeal seta) with 3, very rarely 4, branches; head and siphon very dark, often almost black............ ..................................................................................................................................... Cs. alaskaensis alaskaensis *
- Seta 4-C with 3–7 (usually 5 or 6) branches; head and siphon pale-brown, sometimes yellowish brown ............... ............................................................................................................................................... Cs. alaskaensis indica
5(3). Seta 4-C (postclypeal seta) inserted in line with (directly anterior) to seta 5-C (inner frontal seta) (index 0.8–1.2, average 1); head and siphon dark brown [SI 3.6–4.0] .......................................................................... Cs. annulata
- Seta 4-C inserted anteromesad of seta 5-C, i.e. closer to midline than in Cx. annulata (index 1.2–1.6, average 1.5); head and siphon pale-brown or dark ochreous [SI 3.3–3.6] .............................................................. Cs. subochrea
description: Published as part of Azari-Hamidian, Shahyad & Harbach, Ralf E., 2009, Keys to the adult females and fourth-instar larvae of the mosquitoes of Iran (Diptera: Culicidae), pp. 1-33 in Zootaxa 2078 on page 24, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.187282