Culicidae

Mosquitoes

Justin Long
University of Georgia, Athens

Anopheles gambiae biting man
Culex quinquefasciatus biting man
Image served from Wikipedia

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Overview

There are 166 species of mosquitoes identified and classified in North America, north of Mexico. Research in the family Culicidae is widespread and currently ongoing, with a new mosquito having been identified and classified as recently as 1992 (Nearctica). Mosquitoes are vectors to a plethera of diseases and, therefore, it becomes very important that people are aware of the mosquito species surrounding them and attempt to understand whether the mosquitoes closest to them pose any kind of threat. The medical community is constantly looking at vector control as a way to stop the spread of diseases such as Malaria or the West Nile Virus. The guide on this site has been developed to enable the average citizen with a microscope and some time to capture a mosquito and identify it; perhaps even report that species presence to our site. Thank you for taking the time to explore and understand the world around us.

Index

Phylogeny

Taxonomic Category Scientific Name Common Name
Phylum Arthropoda Arthropods
Class Insecta Insects
Order Diptera Flies
Family Culicidae Mosquitoes

Index

Natural history

Diseases, Hosts, and their Mosquito Vectors
AgentDiseaseHostsVectors References
Cache Valley VirusEncephalitisHumans; Mammals Aedes triseriatus; Aedes aegypti; Culex pipiens National Center for Biotechnology Information; University of Notre Dame
California Encephalitis VirusEncephalitisHumans; Rodents; Rabbits; Chipmunks; Squirrels Aedes dorsalis; Aedes melanimon Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit; University of Florida
Eastern Equine Encephalitis VirusEncephalitisHumans; Horses; Birds 4 Aedes; 2 Culex; Culiseta melanurus; Coquillettidia perturbans Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit; University of Florida
Flavivirus dengueDengueHumans Aedes aegypti; Aedes albopictus Center for Disease Control, Taiwan; Centers for Disease Control
Jamestown Canyon VirusEncephalitis; MeningitisHumans; Deer10 Aedes Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit; Centers for Disease Control; Jeff Rense Program
La Crosse VirusEncephalitisHumans; Chipmunks; SquirrelsAedes triseriatus Centers for Disease Control
Plasmodium falciparumMalariaHumansabout 60 Anopheles worldwide Carlo Denegri Foundation; University of Florida
Plasmodium malariaeMalariaHumansabout 60 Anopheles worldwide Carlo Denegri Foundation; University of Florida
Plasmodium vivaxMalariaHumansabout 60 Anopheles worldwide Carlo Denegri Foundation; University of Florida
MicrofilariaDog HeartwormCats; Dogs Aedes deserticola; Aedes monticola; Aedes sierrensis; Aedes varipalpus Los Angeles County West Vector Control District
Saint Louis Encephalitis VirusEncephalitisHumans; Birds 6 Culex Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit; University of Florida
West Nile Virus
Humans; Horses; Birds36 species Centers for Disease Control
Western Equine Encephalitis VirusEncephalitisHumans; Horses; Birds Aedes melanimon; Culex tarsalis; Culiseta inornata Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit; University of Florida
Wuchereria bancroftiFilariasisHumans Aedes polynesiensis; Aedes scapularis; Aedes pseudoscutellaris; Anopheles gambiae; Culex quinquefasciatus University of Florida; Health Canada
Yellow Fever VirusYellow feverHumans; Monkeys; other animals Aedes aegypti; Aedes africanus; Aedes bromeliae; Aedes furcifer-taylori; Aedes kiteocephalus; Aedes simpsoni; Haemogogus University of Florida; Health Canada

Index

Links to other sites

Index

References

Index

Acknowledgements

I thank John Pickering for his supervision, guidance, and technical support with all aspects of the production of this page and associated guides. I thank Cecil Smith of the Georgia Museum of Natural History for loaning the specimen needed for this project. I thank Darold Batzer and his lab for their help with literature and advice.

I thank Denise Lim for her help with technical support on this page.

Discover Life | All Living Things | Insecta | Diptera | Culicidae