Types of Mosquitoes

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 17 February 2021
Update Date: 26 September 2024
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DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOSQUITOES
Video: DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOSQUITOES

Content

The term mosquito, stilt or worm is used to refer to a group of insects belonging specifically to the order Diptera, a word meaning "two-winged". Although this term does not have a taxonomic classification, its use has become widespread so that its application is common, even in scientific contexts.

Some of these animals have no impact on people's health and are completely harmless. However, there are also dangerous mosquitoes, transmitters of some important diseases that have caused public health problems in various regions of the planet. Here at PeritoAnimal, we present an article about types of mosquitoes, so that you can get to know the most representative of the group and also in which specific countries they may be located. Good reading.


How many types of mosquitoes are there?

As with many others in the animal kingdom, the classification of mosquitoes is not fully established, as phylogenetic studies continue, as well as reviews of entomological materials. However, the number of mosquito species identified currently is close to 3.531[1], but this number is very likely to increase.

Although many types of insects are commonly called gnats, stilts and gnats, true gnats are classified into two subfamilies and specifically as follows:

  • Order: Diptera
  • Suborder: nematocera
  • Infraorder: Culicomorph
  • superfamily: Culicoidea
  • Family: Culicidae
  • Subfamilies: Culicinae and Anophelinae

the subfamily Culicinae in turn is subdivided into 110 genera, While Anophelinae is divided into three genera, which are distributed globally throughout the world, with the exception of Antarctica.


Types of Large Mosquitoes

Within the order of Diptera, there is an infraorder called Tipulomorpha, which corresponds to the Tipulidae family, which has the largest number of species of Diptera that are popularly known as "tipula", "crane flies" or "giant mosquitoes’ [2]. Despite this name, the group does not really correspond to the real mosquitoes, but they are called that because of certain similarities.

These insects have a short life cycle, usually with thin and fragile bodies that measure, without considering the legs, between 3 and more than 60mm. One of the main differences that distinguishes them from true mosquitoes is that tipulid have weak mouthparts that are quite elongated, forming a kind of snout, which they use to feed on nectar and sap, but not on blood like mosquitoes.


Some species that form the Tipulidae family are:

  • Nephrotoma appendiculata
  • brachypremna breviventris
  • auricular tipula
  • Tipula pseudovariipennis
  • Maximum tipula

Types of small mosquitoes

True mosquitoes, also called mosquitoes in some regions, belong to the Culicidae family and are generally characterized by being types of mosquitoes small, with elongated bodies measuring between 3 and 6 mm, with the exception of some species of the genus Toxorhynchites, which reach a length of up to 20 mm. A distinctive feature of several species in the group is the presence of a sucker-chopper mouthpiece, with which some (specifically females) are able to feed on blood by piercing the skin of the host individual.

Females are hematophagic, since for the eggs to mature, specific nutrients that they obtain from the blood are needed. Some do not consume blood and supply their needs with nectar or sap, but it is precisely in this contact with people or certain animals that these insects transmit bacteria, viruses or protozoa that cause important diseases and, in very sensitive people, even strong allergic reactions. In this sense, it is in the group of Culicidae that we find dangerous mosquitoes.

Aedes

One of these small mosquitoes is the genus Aedes, which is perhaps the genus of greater epidemiological importance, because in it we find several species capable of transmitting diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, Zika, chikungunya, canine heartworm, Mayaro virus and filariasis. Although not an absolute characteristic, many species of the genus have white bands and black in the body, including the legs, which can be useful for identification. Most members of the group have a strictly tropical distribution, with only a few species distributed in areas far from the tropics.

Some species of the Aedes genus are:

  • aedes aegypti
  • Aedes african
  • Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito)
  • aedes furcifer
  • Aedes taeniorhynchus

Anopheles

The genus Anopheles has a global distribution in America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania, with particular development in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions. Within the Anopheles we find several dangerous mosquitoes, as several of them can transmit the various parasites that cause malaria. Others cause the disease called lymphatic filariasis and are capable of transporting and infecting people with various types of pathogenic viruses.

Some species of the Anopheles genus are:

  • Anopheles Gambia
  • Anopheles atroparvirus
  • Anopheles albimanus
  • Anopheles introlatus
  • Anopheles quadrimaculatus

culex

Another genus with medical importance within mosquitoes is culex, which has several species that are major disease vectors, such as different types of encephalitis, West Nile virus, filariasis and avian malaria. Members of this genus vary from 4 to 10 mm, so they are considered small to medium. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with about 768 identified species, although the greatest severity of cases is registered in Africa, Asia and South America.

Some examples of the Culex genus are:

  • culex modestus
  • Culex pipiens
  • Culex quinquefasciatus
  • Culex tritaeniorhynchus
  • culex brupt

Types of mosquitoes by country and/or region

Some types of mosquitoes have a very wide distribution, while others are located in a particular way in certain countries. Let's see some cases:

Brazil

Here we will highlight the species of mosquitoes that transmit diseases in the country:

  • aedes aegypti - transmits Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya.
  • Aedes albopictus- transmits Dengue and Yellow Fever.
  • Culex quinquefasciatus - transmits Zika, Elephantiasis and West Nile Fever.
  • Haemagogus and Sabethes - transmit Yellow Fever
  • Anopheles - is a vector of the protozoan Plasmodium, capable of causing Malaria
  • Phlebotome - transmits Leishmaniasis

Spain

We found mosquito species without medical interest, such as, Culex laticinctus, culexhortensis, culexdesert andculex Territans, while others are important from a health point of view for their capacity as vectors. It is the case of the Culex mimeticus, culex modestus, Culex pipiens, Culex theileri, Anopheles claviger, Anopheles plumbeus and Anopheles atroparvirus, between others. It is important to note that these species also have a range of distribution in other European countries.

Mexico

There is 247 mosquito species identified, but few of these have an impact on human health. [3]. Among the species present in this country that are capable of transmitting diseases, we find the aedes aegypti, which is the vector of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika; Anopheles albimanus and Anopheles pseudopunctipennis, who transmits malaria; and there is also the presence of Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus, causing encephalitis.

United States and Canada

It is possible to find some species of mosquitoes, for example: Culex Territans, without medical importance. Malaria was also present in North America due to Anopheles quadrimaculatus. In this region, but limited to certain areas of the United States and below, the aedes aegyptican also have a presence.

South America

In countries such as Colombia and Venezuela, among others, the species Anopheles nuneztovari it is one of the causes of malaria. Likewise, although with a greater range of distribution that includes the north, the Anopheles albimanusalso transmits the latter disease. Undoubtedly, one of the most widely distributed species in the region is the aedes aegypti. We also found one of the 100 most harmful invasive species in the world, capable of transmitting various diseases, the Aedes albopictus.

Asia

Can we mention the species Anopheles introlatus,what causes malaria in apes. Also in this region is the laten anopheles, which is a vector of malaria in humans as well as monkeys and apes. Another example is the anopheles stephensi, also the cause of the mentioned disease.

Africa

In the case of Africa, a region in which various diseases transmitted by mosquito bites are widespread, we can mention the presence of the following species: aedes luteocephalus, aedes aegypti, Aedes african and Aedes vittatus, although the latter also extends to Europe and Asia.

As we've already mentioned, these are just a few of the many examples of mosquito species that exist, as their diversity is quite wide. In many countries, several of these diseases have been controlled and even eradicated, while in others they are still present. A very important aspect is that due to the climate change, different areas have been warming, which has allowed some vectors to increase their distribution radius and therefore transmit several of the above mentioned diseases where they did not exist before.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of Mosquitoes, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.