Mosquitoes

Characteristics

Classification

  • Order: Diptera

  • Sub-order: Nematocera

  • Family: Culicidae

  • Sub-family: Anophelinae, Culicinae, Toxorhynchitinae

  • Tribe: Anophelini, Culicini/Sabethini, Toxorhynchitinae

  • Genus: Anopheles/Bironella/Chagasia..., Aedes/Culex/Mansonia..., Sabetes, Wyeomyia...

  • Species: e.g. Anopheles gambiae

Anopheles

  • Anophelinae (sub-family) > Anophelini (tribe) > Anopheles (genus) > An. gambiae, An. funestus, An, arabiensis + many more (species)

  • Mosquito appearance: black and white wings

  • Larvae is flat (surface feeders), siphon not developed

  • Eggs: boat-shaped, laid singly on water surface, with floats

  • Night biting

  • Vector of: malaria (30-40 species transit malaria)

Aedes

  • Aegypti

  • Albopictus

  • Appearance

  • Larvae faces down (bottom feeders)

  • Eggs: ovoid-shaped, laid singly on beyond water line of substrates, resistant to desiccation (dry tolerance)

  • Day bite ...

  • Vector of dengue, albopictus (in Japan), bit less of a vector for flavirus / aegypti (not in Japan) primary vector for flavivirus...

Dorsal view of the female mosquito Ae. aegypti

Culex

  • appearance,,,,

  • Larvae faces down (bottom feeders)

  • Eggs: ovoid-shaped, laid stuck in 'egg rafts' on water surface

  • Day or night bite

  • Vector of.....Japanese encephalitis