102. Genus Culex and genus Anopheles: morphological differences. Genus Phlebotomus.

Genus Culex and genus Anopheles: morphological differences. Genus Phlebotomus.

Mosquitoes in General

• Mosquitoes belong to the order Diptera, which means they are true flies.
• They have two wings, slender bodies, and a long mouthpart called a proboscis used for sucking fluids.
• Their bodies and wings are often covered with tiny hair-like scales.
• Male mosquitoes have bushy, feathery antennae and weak mouthparts that cannot pierce skin.
• Both males and females feed on plant nectar, but females also require a blood meal to develop their eggs.
• Water is essential for all mosquito species to lay eggs and for the development of their larvae and pupae.
• Females can live for several weeks to months. Males usually survive only a week or slightly longer.

Genus Culex

• Larvae
• Have a visible breathing tube known as a siphon.
• The siphon is longer than in other genera.
• Larvae do not lie flat on the water surface; instead, they hang down from the surface at an angle.
• Adults
• Adult Culex mosquitoes are yellowish in color.
• They rest with their bodies positioned parallel to the surface they are on.
• Their wings are clear or transparent and marked with fine lines.
• Culex mosquitoes are capable of flying over long distances.
• Eggs
• Eggs are laid in clusters that float on the surface of the water.

Genus Anopheles

• Larvae
• Do not have a siphon for breathing.
• Larvae rest flat and parallel to the surface of the water.
• These features make them easy to identify.
• Adults
• Adult Anopheles mosquitoes are also yellowish in color.
• When resting, their body forms an angle of about forty five degrees relative to the surface.
• Their wings are marked with dark spots.
• They are weak fliers and cannot travel long distances.
• Eggs
• Eggs are laid one by one on the water surface.
• They are arranged horizontally and have small air bubbles that help them stay afloat.
• Disease Role
• Anopheles mosquitoes can carry Wuchereria bancrofti, the parasite that causes lymphatic filariasis or elephantiasis.
• When feeding on a person, the mosquito introduces larval worms into the skin. These larvae enter the lymph system and grow into adult worms.
• The parasite does not reproduce inside the mosquito, so the mosquito acts only as a carrier.

Morphological Differences Between Culex and Anopheles

Genus Phlebotomus (Sand Flies)

• General Features
• Belong to the same fly order as mosquitoes but have several key differences.
• Adults are small, ranging from about one and a half to three millimeters long.