Aedes (Stegomyia) polynesiensis Marks, 1951
New Zealand Status: Not Present
- Invasiveness - slight; seems to be confined to a small area of the South Pacific.
- Biosecurity risk - moderate because of tropical habitat.
Vector and Disease Information
Aedes polynesiensis is a laboratory vector of Ross River virus (Belkin 1962). It is the main Pacific vector of non-periodic filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti) (Lardeux & Cheffort 2001). It has long been suspected as a vector of dengue in French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, and is a suspected vector of Ross River virus in the Cook Islands (Taylor 1998).
Distribution (based on Biogeographic Regions)
Australasian Biogeographic Region
New Zealand
Not present, intercepted
Intercepted at Whangaparaoa in 2004 (New Zealand Ministry of Health).
Australia
Not present
Rest of region
Present, endemic
South Pacific - Cook Islands, Tokelau Islands, Wallis Islands, Futuna Islands, Western Samoa, American Samoa, Fiji, and islands east of here (but not Tonga).
Rest of the World
Not present
Taxonomic Position
This species is placed in Group C (scutellaris) of the subgenus Stegomyia, which includes albopictus and 16 other species from the South Pacific (Belkin 1962). While all the species of the group are similar, Aedes (Stegomyia) pseudoscutellaris is particularly susceptible to confusion with polynesiensis, but may be distinguished using the following characters:
Aedes pseudoscutellaris = lateral scutal fossal scale (SFSL) line always more or less developed, with at least 5 silvery scales at scutal angle (ScA).
Aedes polynesiensis = lateral scutal fossal scale (SFSL) line not developed, with at most 2-3 white scales near scutal angle (ScA).
A recent suggested change in taxonomy (Reinert & Harbach 2005) has elevated the subgenus Stegomyia to generic level, making the new name for this mosquito Stegomyia polynesiensis.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis is the minimum set of characters and states that will separate this taxon from all others in this set of taxa.
| Minimum list of diagnostic characters | State |
| Erect scales of the head | Occiput only |
| Lower mesepimeral setae (one or more) | Present |
| Decumbent scales on the vertex | Mostly broad, scales tapered basally |
| Pale scales on the wings | Present along front veins, on subcosta, or at base of costa |
| Abdominal tergites II-VI dark scaled with | No indication of transverse band, slender lateral patches |
Characteristic Features
Head: proboscis all dark scaled or with some pale scales beneath (Marks 1954). Thorax: median silvery line variable from very narrow to moderate, lateral scutal fossal scale line not developed, with at most 2-3 white scales near scutal angle (ScA) (Belkin 1962).
