Ochlerotatus (Finlaya) notoscriptus (Skuse, 1889)

New Zealand Status: Introduced

Ochlerotatus notoscriptus readily attacks humans by day in shaded areas, but also feeds during evening, night and early morning. In the South Island it is only present in Nelson, Marlborough and Christchurch.

Vector and Disease Information

Ochlerotatus notoscriptus has no natural vector status in New Zealand as yet, except that it is a laboratory host of Whataroa virus (Holder 1999). In southeastern Australia it is the major domestic pest species, and has been incriminated as an important vector of dog heartworm. In laboratory studies, it has been shown to be able to carry Murray Valley encephalitis, and transmit Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses, but any role as a vector of arboviruses remains unknown (Russell 1993).

Distribution

Australasian Biogeographic Region
PRESENT; INTRODUCED.
New Zealand - Introduced before 1918 (Laird 1995); Northland (Belkin 1968), Auckland (Belkin 1968; Foot 1970), Coromandel (Belkin 1968; Laird 1995), Waikato (Laird 1995), Bay of Plenty (Belkin 1968; Laird 1995), Gisborne (Belkin 1968), Taranaki (Holder & Towler 1994; Laird 1995), Hawkes Bay (Laird 1995), Wellington (Laird & Easton 1994), Marlborough Sounds (PLNZ Collection), Nelson (Belkin 1968), Marlborough (Holder 1999), Mid-Canterbury (PLNZ Collection, UCZNZ Collection, CMNZ Collection).

PRESENT; ENDEMIC.
Australia - New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia; domestic and also sylvan in forested areas with tree-holes and/or rockpools (Russell 1993).

PRESENT; ENDEMIC, INTRODUCED.
Rest of the Region - Indonesia (Irian Jaya, Moluccas), New Caledonia (Loyalty Island & Îles des Pins), Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Archipelago including Admiralty Islands, Papua, New Ireland, New Britain, Fergusson Island, Goodenough Island), Solomon Islands (Bellona Island, Rennell Island) (Brug 1926; Taylor 1934; Miller & Phillipps 1952; King & Hoogstraal 1955; Mattingly & Rageau 1958; Belkin 1962; Spencer 1971; Taylor 1973; Rodhain & Gaxotte 1977; Spencer 1977; Evenhuis & Gon 1989; WRBU 2001).

Rest of the World
NOT PRESENT.

Taxonomic Position

This species is placed in Group E (notoscriptus) of subgenus Finlaya, which also includes the species albilabris, mallochi, plagosus, and quinquelineatus.  Adult females may be confused with Aedes aegypti and Ochlerotatus mallochi because of similar scutal pattern but those species have no band of pale scales on the proboscis.

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

Head: proboscis with a band of pale scales. Thorax: integument dark, silvery-white scales on the scutum in longitudinal lines and forming a lyre-shape. Wing: completely dark scaled. Legs: with distinct bands of pale scales present on some legs (Belkin 1962).