ARS | Publication request: Development and taxonomic value of dorsal tertiary fringe scales of the adult mosquito wing (Diptera: Culicidae)

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 1, 2007
Publication Date: October 5, 2007
Repository URL: http://apt.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-toc&issn=0013-8797&volume=109&issue=4
Citation: Reinert, J.F. 2007. Development and taxonomic value of dorsal tertiary fringe scales of the adult mosquito wing (Diptera: Culicidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington.

Interpretive Summary: The importance of a character, the Dorsal Tertiary Fringe Scales (DTFS), found on adult mosquito wings and its usefulness for identifying species, species groups and generic-level taxa of Culicidae is discussed. The condition of the DTFS is noted for both females and males of numerous species of mosquitoes. This character previously has been very rarely mentioned in taxonomic descriptions of species or higher-level taxa of Culicidae. Use of this character will provide an additional morphological character for entomologists and other mosquito control personnel to identify mosquitoes involved in pathogen transmission to humans and their domesticated animals. This work was conducted at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida. The article will be published in the Proceedings of the Washington Entomological Society.

Technical Abstract: The condition of dorsal tertiary fringe scales on the wings of females and males for numerous species of tribe Aedini and representative species of other culicid tribes is noted. With few exceptions the presence or absence of these scales appears to be consistent for species included in well-defined generic-level taxa.