Culicidae

Definition

The family of true mosquitoes (order Diptera), comprising roughly 3,600 described species in three subfamilies: Anophelinae (anopheline mosquitoes), Culicinae (culicine mosquitoes), and Toxorhynchitinae (predatory mosquitoes). Members are characterized by a single pair of wings, long slender legs, plumose antennae in males, and a piercing-sucking proboscis in females of blood-feeding species. Larvae are aquatic, breathing through a posterior siphon or spiracular plate. Culicidae are among the most medically significant arthropods, serving as vectors for malaria, dengue, yellow fever, Zika, West Nile virus, and numerous other pathogens.

Etymology

From Latin Culex (genus name, meaning 'gnat' or 'mosquito') + -idae (family suffix).

Example

The subfamily Anophelinae within Culicidae contains the genus Anopheles, whose females transmit Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria in humans.

Synonyms

• mosquitoes

Related Terms

• Diptera
• Anophelinae
• Culicinae
• Nematocera
• Culicomorpha
• Vector
• micropredator
• Proboscis
• siphon

Usage Notes

Culicidae is a family name and takes a plural verb in taxonomic usage ('Culicidae are'). The common name 'mosquitoes' applies to the family but is sometimes used more broadly for any small biting fly; in strict entomological usage it refers specifically to members of this family. Distinguish from 'mosquito' in Spanish/Portuguese, where the word means simply 'little fly' and historically included various small dipterans.