Culiseta (Climacura) species

New Zealand Status: Endemic

Two endemic species with small disjunct distributions occur in New Zealand.

• Culiseta (Climacura) novaezelandiae  Pillai, 1966
• Culiseta (Climacura) tonnoiri  (Edwards, 1925)

Vector and Disease Information

Culiseta tonnoiri is a laboratory vector of Whataroa virus, but it is unknown if this occurs in the natural environment. The vector staus of novaezelandiae is unknown (Holder 1999).

Distribution 

Culiseta (Climacura) novaezelandiae Pillai, 1966

Australasian Biogeographic Region
PRESENT; ENDEMIC.
New Zealand - South East Otago (Pillai 1966, Dumbleton 1968).

Rest of the World
NOT PRESENT.

Culiseta (Climacura) tonnoiri  (Edwards, 1925)

Australasian Biogeographic Region
PRESENT; ENDEMIC.
New Zealand - Waipoua Kauri Forest (Miller & Phillipps 1952); Auckland, Maruia Springs, Westland, Otago, Southland (Belkin  1962, 1968).

Rest of the World
NOT PRESENT.

Taxonomic Position

They are difficult to tell apart as adults, although the larvae are more distinct. There is some thought that these two species are in fact one highly variable species (Belkin 1968).

Diagnosis

A diagnosis is the minimum set of characters and states that will separate this taxon from all others in this set of taxa.

Characteristic Features

Wing: membrane with large dark spots due to the aggregation of dark scales in mid-wing and at the tip of the viens (Pillai 1966).