The term mosquito or mosquito is used to refer to a group of insects belonging specifically to the order of Diptera, a word that means “two-winged”. Although it does not have a taxonomic rank, 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 he alth, as they are completely harmless. Meanwhile, there are also dangerous mosquitoes, which are transmitters of certain important diseases that have even caused public he alth problems in various regions of the planet. From our site we present an article on types of mosquitoes,so that you know the most representative of the group and also, in which specific countries they can be located. Keep reading!
How many types of mosquitoes are there?
The classification of mosquitoes, as occurs with many others in the animal kingdom, is not absolutely established, since phylogenetic studies continue, as well as reviews of entomological materials. However, the number of mosquito species identified is 3,531 [1], but most likely this number will increase.
Although various types of insects are commonly referred to as mosquitoes or gnats, true insects are classified into two subfamilies and specifically as follows:
- Order: Diptera
- Suborder: Nematocera
- Underorder: Culicomorpha
- Superfamily: Culicoidea
- Family: Culicidae
- Subfamilies: Culicinae and Anophelinae
The subfamily Culicinae is further subdivided into 110 genera, while Anophelinae into three genera,which are distributed globally in the world, with the exception of the Antarctic.
Types of large mosquitoes
There is within the order of Diptera, an infraorder called Tipulomorpha, which corresponds to the Tipulidae family, which has the largest number of species of Diptera and is commonly known as “típulas”, “crane flies”, “giant midges” or “giant mosquitoes” [2]Despite this denomination, the group does not really correspond to the true mosquitoes, but due to certain similarities they are named in this way.
These insects have a short life cycle, generally with thin and fragile bodies that measure without considering the legs, between 3 to more than 60 millimeters. One of the main differences that distinguishes them from true mosquitoes is that the tipúlidos have weak and quite elongated mouthparts, which form a kind of snout, which they use to feed on nectar and sap, but not of blood like real mosquitoes do.
Some species that make up the Tipulidae family are:
- Nephrotoma appendiculata
- Brachypremna breviventris
- Tipula auricularis
- Tipula pseudovariipennis
- Tipula maxima
Types of small mosquitoes
True mosquitoes, also called mosquitoes in some regions, belong to the Culicidae family and are characterized by generally being small types of mosquitoes, with elongated bodies, ranging from 3 and 6 mm, with the exception of some species of the genus Toxorhynchites that measure up to 20 mm in length. A distinctive aspect of several species of the group is the presence of a biting-sucking mouthparts,with which some (specifically the females) manage to feed on blood by piercing the skin of the host individual.
The females are hematophagous, since they require specific nutrients for the maturation of the eggs to be possible and they obtain these from the blood. Some do not consume blood and supply their requirements 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 serious illnesses and even, in very sensitive people, strong allergic reactions. In this sense, it is in the culicidae group where we find the dangerous mosquitoes.
Aedes
One of these small mosquitoes is the genus Aedes, it is perhaps the one with greatest epidemiological importance, since several species are found in it capable of transmitting diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, Zika, chikungunya, canine dirofilariasis, Mayaro virus and filariasis. Although it is not an absolute feature, many species of the genus have black and white bands on the body, including the legs, which can be useful for identification. Most of the members of the group have a strictly tropical distribution, only a few species are distributed in areas far from the tropics.
Some species of the genus Aedes are:
- Aedes aegypti
- Aedes africanus
- 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 various dangerous mosquitoes, since several of them can transmit the different 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 genus Anopheles are:
- Anopheles gambiae
- Anopheles atroparvus
- Anopheles albimanus
- Anopheles introlatus
- Anopheles quadrimaculatus
Culex
Another of the genera of medical importance within mosquitoes is the Culex, which has various species that arevectors of important diseases such as the different types of encephalitis, West Nile virus, filariasis and avian malaria. Members of this genus range from 4 to 10 mm, so they are considered small to medium. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with some 768 identified species, although the greatest severity of cases is recorded in Africa, Asia and South America.
Some examples of the genus Culex are:
- Culex modestus
- Culex pipiens
- Culex quinquefasciatus
- Culex tritaeniorhynchus
- Culex brumpt
Types of mosquitoes by country
Mosquitoes have a fairly wide distribution, while others are located in a particular way in certain countries, let us know some cases:
Spain
We found mosquito species of no medical interest, such as: Culex laticinctus, Culex hortensis, Culex deserticola and Culex territans While others are important from the he alth point of view due to their capacity as vectors, such as: Culex mimeticus, Culex modestus, Culex pipiens, Culex theileri, Anopheles claviger, Anopheles plumbeus and Anopheles atroparvus, among other. It is important to note that these species also have a range in other European countries.
Mexico
247 mosquito species have been identified, but there are really few that have an impact on human he alth[3] Among the species present in this country capable of transmitting diseases we find: Aedes aegypti , which is the vector of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika. Anopheles albimanus and Anopheles pseudopunctipennis , which transmit malaria. There is also the presence of Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus , which causes encephalitis.
United States and Canada
Some species of mosquitoes can be found, for example: Culex territans, without medical importance. Malaria has also been present in North America due to Anopheles quadrimaculatus. In this region, but limited to certain areas of the United States below, Aedes aegypti. may also be present
South America
In countries such as Colombia and Venezuela, among others, the species Anopheles nuneztovari, is one of the causes of malaria. Similarly, although with a greater distribution range that includes the north, Anopheles albimanus, also transmits the latter disease. Undoubtedly, one of the most widely distributed species in the region is Aedes aegypti. We also found one of the 100 most harmful invasive species in the world, capable of transmitting various diseases, Aedes albopictus.
Asia
We can mention the species Anopheles introlatus, which causes malaria in apes. Also in this region is found Anopheles latens, which is a vector for malaria in humans as well as macaques and apes. Another example is found in Anopheles stephensi, also causing the aforementioned disease.
Africa
In the case of Africa, a region in which various diseases caused by the transmission of mosquito bites spread quite widely, we can mention the presence of the following species: Aedes luteocephalus, Aedes aegypti, Aedes africanus and Aedes vittatus , although the latter also extends to Europe and Asia.
As we have mentioned, these are just some of the many examples of mosquito species that exist, since 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 climate change, different areas have been warming up, which has made it possible for some vectors to expand their distribution range and therefore transmit several of the aforementioned diseases where they did not exist before.
