The importance of the pupal stage of Anophelines in taxonomic studies is highlighted, including a review of some advantages and disadvantages for using this stage, a listing of commonly encountered taxonomic characters found on the pupal stage and their significance, and an indication of the world Anopheline taxa with poorly known pupae. Certain anomalous setae on Anopheline pupae are discussed and illustrated, and homologies are suggested for these setae within the Culicidae and with some other Nematocera.