Conservatively the subfamily Culicinae contains 40 genera, but as already mentioned (see Chapter 1) some taxonomists recognize many more genera, two of which are Stegomyia and Ochlerotatus, resulting in two medically important species being named Stegomyia aegypti and Ochlerotatus albopictus. However, in this book all species attributed to these two new genera are retained in the genus Aedes, such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, with Stegomyia and Ochlerotatus recognized as subgenera.

The medically most important genera are Culex, Aedes, Haemagogus, Sabethes and Mansonia, while Coquillettidia and Psorophora are of lesser importance. Species of Culex, Aedes and Coquillettidia are found in both temperate and tropical regions, whereas Psorophora species occur only in North, Central and South America. Haemagogus and Sabethes mosquitoes are restricted to Central and South America. Mansonia occurs mainly in the tropics.

Certain Aedes mosquitoes are vectors of yellow fever in Africa, and Aedes, Haemagogus and Sabethes are yellow fever vectors in Central and South America. Aedes species are also vectors of the classical and haemorrhagic forms of dengue. All seven genera of culicine mosquitoes mentioned here, as well as some others, can transmit a variety of other arboviruses. Some Culex, Aedes and Mansonia species are important vectors of filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti or Brugia malayi). Psorophora species are mainly pest mosquitoes but a few transmit arboviruses, while Coquillettidia crassipes can also be a vector of brugian filariasis.