REVIEW OF THE SYSTEMATICS AND PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS OF THE SABETHINI (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE)

This paper reviews the historical treatment of the tribe Sabethini and genus-group taxa and examines the unusual life histories associated w ith the group. Although recognized by taxonomists as distinct, the tax onomic position of sabethines has been questioned and their rank withi n the family Culicidae unstable. In order to evaluate the current stat us of the classification of the tribe a cladistic analysis is performe d. Thirty-seven taxa are selected from within the Sabethini and two ou tgroups were chosen from the tribe Aedini. Exemplars are selected from genus-group taxa world-wide and new and traditional character systems examined in larval, pupal and adult life stages. The results firmly e stablish the sabethines as a monophyletic group. However, the genera R unchomyia, Tripteroides and Wyeomyia are not demonstrably monophyletic . In addition, the data support the New World taxa as a monophyletic g roup to a paraphyletic assemblage of Old World taxa. The pattern displ ayed by the cladogram suggests the ability to vector arboviruses has a risen more than once in mosquitoes.