The subfamily Culicinae contains 38 genera, but as already mentioned (see Chapter 1) some taxonomists recognize many more genera, two of which are Stegomyia and Ochlerotatus. However, in this book all species attributed to these two genera are retained in the genus Aedes, 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 is mainly tropical.

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 six 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 the Coquillettidia species Cq. crassipes is one of the vectors of brugian filariasis.

Characters separating the subfamily Culicinae from the Anophelinae have been outlined in Chapter 1 and are summarized in Table 1.1.

It is not easy to give a reliable and non-technical guide to the identification of the most important culicine genera.