Mosquitoes

 They are winged ecto-parasites of man & animals

 They belong to : Class : Insecta,
Order : Diptera,
Family: Culicidae
 Sexes are separate

 Only female mosquitoes bite & hence females only act as vectors

 There are 4 Genera

1. Anopheles : Anophelini
2. Culex : Culicini
3. Aedes : Culicini
4. Mansonia : Culicini
(Mansonoides)

I. Morphology (Identification Features)

 But for certain differences between mosquitoes, the general appearances are similar
among mosquitoes

 Body segmented into three segments: Head, Thorax & Abdomen

 Head carries

: A pair of compound eyes

: The median structure – Proboscis

: Lateral to the Proboscis are - A pair of Maxillary Palpi

: Still lateral are - A pair of Antennae

 Thorax: Consists of 3 segments. It carries

: Two pairs of Wings - Dorsally

: The second pair is reduced in the form of ‘Balancers’ or ‘Halters’

: Three pairs of legs – Ventrally

 Abdomen : Consists of 10 segments

: Last two segments are modified into ‘Genitalia” (Terminalia)

II. Life Cycle

 Complete metamorphosis

 Consists of :Egg, Larva, Pupa & Adult

 Duration : from 10 to 12days

III. Bionomics

a. Feeding Habits: - Males never bite – Live on Plant juices

- Females require blood meal once in 2 – 3 days for the

development of the eggs (Gonotrophic Cycle)

- Some species prefer human blood (Anthrophilic)

- Eg:- A.fluviatilis

- Some species prefer animal blood (Zoophilic)

- Eg:- A.culicifacies

b. Biting Habits: - In general bite in the evening or in the early part of

the night
- Some may be in Day time: Aedes,
- Midnight: Culex quinquefaciatus, A.culicifacies,
Mansonia

c. Resting Habits - Rest in dark & cool corners in the day time

- Some Rest indoors (Endophilic) Eg:- A.culicifacies, Ae.aegypti

- Some Rest outdoors (Exophilic) Eg:- A.sundaicus, Cx.vishnui

d. Dispersal (Flight Range)

- Active Dispersal – 100 mtrs. (Aedes) to 11 Kms.(Culex)

- Passive Dispersal: - By Air Currents, Transfer through Carriages

- Air Crafts / Ships from Country to Country

e. Breeding Habits
: Anophelines: Clean Water like, Wells, Cisterns, OHTs, Sumps etc.,

: Culex: Dirty & Polluted Water like Drainage, Cesspools, Septic Tanks
etc., : Aedes: Artificial Collections of Water: Discarded tins, tyers, coconut
shells, etc.,
 : Mansonia: Water containing certain types of aquatic plants – Pistia Plant

IV. Longevity : 8 – 34 days

V. Mechanism of disease Transmission

 Biological Transmission

o Propagative

o Cyclo-propagative

o Cyclo-developmental
 Identification features of Immatures of Mosquitoes

I. Eggs

A. Anopheles

 Laid Singly,
 Boat shaped
 Lateral Air Floats present

B. Culex

 Laid in Groups – Egg Raft

 Eggs Cigar / Flask shaped
 Lateral Air Floats Absent
II. Larva – Body - Three segmented: Head, Thorax and Abdomen

A. Anopheles

 Respiratory Apertures
 Palmate Hairs present on the dorsal surface
 Floats Parallel to water surface

B. Culex

 Respiratory Siphon present

 Palmate Hairs absent
 Floats at an angle to water surface
III. Pupa – Head & Thorax united into - Cephalothorax

A. Anopheles

 Abdomen is deeply curved – ‘Deep Comma Shaped’

 Respiratory Tubes –Short & Broad

B. Culex
 Abdomen is curved – ‘Ordinary Comma Shaped’
 Respiratory Tubes –Long / Tubular & Slender