Which mosquitoes carry malaria?
There are around 3500 known species of mosquito globally. However, not all of these species are capable of spreading malaria and infecting humans. It is believed that only those mosquitoes that belong to the genus Anopheles are able to transmit disease. Anopheles contains roughly 430 species but of these, only the females of 30-40 species of Anopheles are actually vectors. Such species include Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles quadrimaculatus.
Anopheles mosquitoes are easy to distinguish from other mosquito genera as they rest on flat surfaces with their head down and their abdomen slanted upwards (Connelly et al. 2011). Other mosquitoes rest with their body relatively parallel to the resting surface. Figure 7 compares the two resting positions. Anopheles mosquitoes also differ in that they have three long protruding mouthparts, while other mosquitoes have one long and two short.
Mosquitoes belonging to the Anopheles genus are found on every continent except Antarctica. Vectors for the disease are found especially in areas with high temperatures and humidity. This is because higher temperatures accelerate Plasmodium growth (CDC 2012). For this reason, malaria bearing Anopheles are found especially along the equator. Figure 8 shows a map of Anopheles distribution.
Anopheles mosquitoes are easy to distinguish from other mosquito genera as they rest on flat surfaces with their head down and their abdomen slanted upwards (Connelly et al. 2011). Other mosquitoes rest with their body relatively parallel to the resting surface. Figure 7 compares the two resting positions. Anopheles mosquitoes also differ in that they have three long protruding mouthparts, while other mosquitoes have one long and two short.
Mosquitoes belonging to the Anopheles genus are found on every continent except Antarctica. Vectors for the disease are found especially in areas with high temperatures and humidity. This is because higher temperatures accelerate Plasmodium growth (CDC 2012). For this reason, malaria bearing Anopheles are found especially along the equator. Figure 8 shows a map of Anopheles distribution.