[7] Aedes mosquitoes are visually distinctive because they have noticeable black and white markings on their bodies and legs.

[8][9] The genus contains 28 species that are not placed in a further subgenus:[10] Members of the genus Aedes are known vectors for numerous viral infections, including dengue fever, yellow fever, the Zika virus,[11] and chikungunya, which are transmitted by species in the subgenus Stegomyia such as A. aegypti and A.

[12] Infections with these viruses are typically accompanied by a fever, and in some cases, encephalitis, which can lead to death.

[13] In Polynesia, the species Aedes polynesiensis is responsible for the transmission of human lymphatic filariasis.

The initial assembly was released in August 2005; a draft sequence of the genome and preliminary analysis was published in June 2007.