How many species of Culex are there?

How many species of Culex are there?

Culex
Tribe:	Culicini
Genus:	Culex Linnaeus, 1758
Diversity
Over 1,000 species

What is significant about the Culex species?

Culex species are the most widespread mosquito species across the world [1]. They are known to be highly opportunistic feeding on both humans and animals, a behaviour which increases their potential to transmit zoonotic diseases and makes them important threat to public health [2].

What is the common name of Culex?

Culex pipiens, commonly referred to as the common house mosquito, is a species of mosquito….

Culex pipiens
Subgenus:	Culex
Species:	C. pipiens
Binomial name
Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758

What are the characteristics of Culex mosquito?

Culex Mosquito Identification

• Color. Varies; mostly gray with white, silver, green or iridescent blue scales.
• Legs.
• Shape. Narrow, oval.
• Size. 1/4 – 3/8 inch long.
• Antennae. Yes.
• Region. Found throughout U.S.

Which is the order of Culex?

FlyCulex / Order

What is the difference between Culex and Anopheles?

The main difference between Culex and Anopheles is that Culex serves as the intermediate host of West Nile virus and filarial nematodes whereas Anopheles serves as the intermediate host of Malaria parasite.

Which disease is caused by Culex?

Culex. Culex, a large group of mosquitoes also known as common house mosquitoes, are the principal vectors that spread the viruses that cause West Nile fever, St. Louis encephalitis, and Japanese encephalitis, as well as viral diseases of birds and horses.

What is female Culex?

Eggs stick together to form a raft. Adult, female mosquitoes lay eggs on the surface of fresh or stagnant water. Water sources can include barrels, horse troughs, ornamental ponds, unmaintained swimming pools, puddles, creeks, ditches, and marshy areas. A female Culex mosquito lays eggs one at a time.

How do you identify Culex quinquefasciatus?

Adults: Adult Culex quinquefasciatus vary from 3.96 to 4.25 mm in length (Lima et al. 2003). The mosquito is brown with the proboscis, thorax, wings, and tarsi darker than the rest of the body. The head is light brown with the lightest portion in the center.

How do you identify a Culex mosquito larvae?

Larvae: The larvae of Culex pilosus have a broad head and long antennae with a large tuft at the ends. On the ventral side of the larval head, an oval gill is inserted at the base of the antennae (Carpenter and LaCasse 1955). They have an upcurved siphon and a curved preapical spine at the end of the siphon.

What is the difference between Aedes and Culex?

The key difference between Aedes Anopheles and Culex mosquito is that Aedes is the insect vector that spreads dengue fever, whereas Anopheles is the insect vector that spreads malaria fever, and Culex is the insect vector that spreads Japanese encephalitis.

How can you tell Culex and Anopheles?

Culex and Anopheles are yellow-ish, but you can identify them by observing their resting position. Anopheles mosquitoes have a ~45 degree angle, while Culex stay parallel to the surface. Microscopically, look for antena morphology and wings. To identify instars, just look at the size and the color of the larvae.

How do you identify Culex pipiens?

Culex pipiens can morphologically be accurately differentiated from its sibling species Cx. torrentium only by examination of the male genitalia. Thus, only molecular tools allow females of these species to be identified with certainty [8,9].

How do you identify Culex Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes?

Now Aedes mosquitoes are the easiest to identify. They are black and have white patches. Culex and Anopheles are yellow-ish, but you can identify them by observing their resting position. Anopheles mosquitoes have a ~45 degree angle, while Culex stay parallel to the surface.

Does Culex cause elephantiasis?

Investigations in Guyana in 1961-63 showed that Wuchereria bancrofti was the only filarial parasite causing elephantiasis and that Culex pipiens fatigans was the primary vector.

What is Culex pupa?

Pupa. Pupae live in water. Pupae do not have external mouthparts and do not feed during this stage. An adult mosquito emerges from a pupa and flies away.

Does Culex mosquito cause malaria?

Human malaria is known to be transmitted strictly by anopheline mosquitoes. Culicine mosquitoes such as Aedes spp. and Culex spp. are important vectors of other human pathogens including viruses and filarial worms, but have never been observed to transmit mammalian malarias.