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Anopheles (/ ə ˈ n ɒ f ɪ l iː z /) is a genus of mosquito first described by the German entomologist J. W. Meigen in 1818, and are known as nail mosquitoes and marsh mosquitoes. [1] Many such mosquitoes are vectors of the parasite Plasmodium , a genus of protozoans that cause malaria in birds , reptiles , and mammals , including humans.
The classification of this genus began in 1901 with Frederick Vincent Theobald. [1] Despite the passage of time, the taxonomy remains incompletely settled. [2] [3] [4] Classification into species is based on morphological characteristics - wing spots, head anatomy, larval and pupal anatomy, and chromosome structure, and more recently on DNA sequences.
There are 112 genera of mosquitoes, containing approximately 3,500 species. [1]Human malaria is transmitted only by females of the genus Anopheles.Of the approximately 430 Anopheles species, while over 100 are known to be able to transmit malaria to humans, only 30–40 commonly do so in nature.
Anopheles freeborni, commonly known as the western malaria mosquito, is a species of mosquito in the family Culicidae. [1] [2] [3] It is typically found in the western United States and Canada. Adults are brown to black, with yellow-brown hairs and gray-brown stripes on the thorax.
The Anopheles gambiae complex consists of at least seven morphologically indistinguishable species of mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles. The complex was recognised in the 1960s and includes the most important vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly of the most dangerous malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. [2]
Anopheles funestus is a species of mosquito in the Culicidae family. This species was first described in 1900 by Giles. [1] The female is attracted to houses where it seeks out humans in order to feed on their blood, mostly during the night. This mosquito is a major vector of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. [2]
Anopheles sinensis is a species of mosquito that transmits malaria as well as lymphatic filariasis. It is regarded as the most important vector of these human parasitic diseases in Southeast Asia. [1] [2] It is the primary vector of vivax malaria (Plasmodium vivax) in many regions.
Given a specimen in good condition, one of the first things to notice is the length of the maxillary palps. Especially in the female, palps as long as the proboscis are characteristic of anopheline mosquitoes. Culicine females have short palps. Anopheline mosquitoes tend to have dappled or spotted wings, while culicine wings tend to be clear.