Culicidae
Guides
Aedes epactius
Western Rock Pool mosquito
Aedes epactius is a North American mosquito species in the subgenus Georgecraigius, first described in 1908. It exhibits remarkable altitudinal plasticity, occurring from sea level to over 2,500 meters elevation. The species breeds in both natural rock pools and artificial containers including tires, water tanks, and flower pots. It has been studied for potential arbovirus transmission, with laboratory evidence of competence for St. Louis encephalitis and Jamestown Canyon viruses, and field detection of West Nile and Zika virus RNA. Recent research suggests it may compete with invasive Aedes aegypti, potentially limiting its spread in some habitats.
Anopheles
marsh mosquito, nail mosquito
Anopheles is a genus of mosquito comprising approximately 460 recognized species, first described by German entomologist J.W. Meigen in 1818. The genus diverged from other mosquitoes approximately 100 million years ago. While over 100 species can transmit human malaria, only 30–40 commonly transmit Plasmodium parasites that cause human malaria in endemic areas. Anopheles is the sole mosquito genus capable of transmitting human malaria, making it one of the most medically significant insect genera globally.
Anopheles earlei
Anopheles earlei is a small mosquito species distributed throughout North America. Its larvae develop in cold, clear water in ponds and other small water bodies containing vegetation. Adults feed on vertebrate blood including cattle, white-tailed deer, humans, snowshoe hares, and dogs. The species is among the less abundant Anopheles species in surveyed regions of the northern United States.
Anopheles franciscanus
Anopheles franciscanus is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, first described by McCracken in 1904. The species has been documented in southern California and is part of the Anopheles genus, which includes mosquitoes capable of transmitting malaria parasites. Seven subspecies have been described, ranging across Middle America and North America.
Anopheles perplexens
Anopheles perplexens is a native North American mosquito species in the genus Anopheles, first described by Ludlow in 1907. It was documented in Charlotte County, Florida in 2021 during routine public health surveillance, with only a single specimen confirmed to date. As an Anopheles species, it belongs to the group of mosquitoes capable of transmitting Plasmodium parasites, though specific vector competence for this species has not been established. The species was identified through external morphology and confirmed via COI gene sequencing.
Coquillettidia
A genus of mosquitoes erected by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1905, distinguished primarily by unique features of male genitalia. The genus name honors entomologist Daniel William Coquillett. It comprises 57 species in three subgenera: Coquillettidia (primarily Afrotropical with some Asian, Australasian, Palearctic, and one North American species), Austromansonia (restricted to New Zealand), and Rhynchotaenia (confined to the Neotropical Region). Larvae are unique among mosquitoes in attaching to submerged plant roots and stems throughout development using modified respiratory structures.
Culex coronator
Culex coronator is a highly invasive Neotropical mosquito species first described from Trinidad and Tobago in 1906. It was first detected in the United States in Louisiana in 2004 and has since spread rapidly across the southeastern USA, now documented in 14 states and 386 counties. The species has been implicated as a potential vector of West Nile virus and other arboviruses, with laboratory studies confirming vector competence under certain temperature conditions. Its rapid expansion and adaptation to urban environments pose significant public health concerns.
Culex nigripalpus
Florida SLE mosquito
Culex nigripalpus, commonly known as the Florida SLE mosquito, is a medium-sized, dark-colored blood-feeding mosquito and a significant disease vector in subtropical regions. It serves as the primary enzootic vector of Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus to wild birds and the primary epidemic vector to humans in Florida. The species has been demonstrated capable of transmitting West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, dog heartworm, and Avian malaria. Its habit of feeding on both birds and mammals gives it substantial potential for zoonotic transmission from birds to humans.
Culex peccator
Culex peccator is a mosquito species described by Dyar and Knab in 1909, placed in the subgenus Melanoconion within the genus Culex. Records indicate presence in the Caribbean, Middle America, and North America, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in the available literature. The species appears to be rarely collected, with minimal observational data available.
Culiseta
Culiseta is a genus of mosquitoes in the family Culicidae. Most species are cold-adapted and occur in warmer climates primarily during colder seasons or at higher elevations. The genus is distributed worldwide except South America. Several species are significant disease vectors, including C. melanura, the primary vector of eastern equine encephalitis virus in North America. Species exhibit diverse larval habitats ranging from bogs and marshes to tree holes, rock pools, and underground sites.
Culiseta incidens
Cool Weather Mosquito, Cold Weather Mosquito
Culiseta incidens, commonly known as the cool weather mosquito, is a species of mosquito in the family Culicidae. It is notable for its activity during cooler periods, distinguishing it from many warm-weather mosquito species. The species has been documented as a host for the microsporidian parasite Amblyospora campbelli, which exhibits a complex two-host life cycle involving an obligatory intermediate copepod host. Research has demonstrated that larvae and pupae of this species exhibit circadian rhythms in spontaneous locomotor activity, with peak activity occurring during the light phase.
Culiseta inornata
Winter Marsh Mosquito, Unadorned American Cool Weather Mosquito
Culiseta inornata, commonly known as the winter marsh mosquito, is a species of mosquito in the family Culicidae. It has been extensively studied for its sensory physiology, mating behavior, and osmoregulatory adaptations to brackish water habitats. The species exhibits complex behavioral mechanisms for processing conflicting sensory stimuli and has been documented in central and southern California, where it occurs in marsh and brackish water environments.
Culiseta particeps
Culiseta particeps is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae. It is distributed along the western coast of North America, from Alaska and British Columbia south through Washington, Oregon, and California to Arizona, and extends into Mexico and Guatemala. The species is not known to vector human pathogens. First Canadian records from British Columbia were documented in 2011, extending the known northern range of the species.
Mansonia
Mansonia mosquito
Mansonia is a genus of mosquitoes in the family Culicidae. Adults are large, dark-colored mosquitoes with distinctive iridescent scaling on wings and legs. The genus is notable for its unique larval and pupal biology: immature stages attach to submerged rootlets of aquatic plants using modified siphons to obtain oxygen, rather than surfacing to breathe. Several species serve as vectors of human and animal pathogens, including filarial worms and arboviruses. The genus has a global distribution, with particular abundance in tropical and subtropical regions associated with permanent freshwater habitats.
Mansonia titillans
Mansonia titillans is a neotropical mosquito species in the tribe Mansoniini. It is the most abundant Mansoniini species in central Florida phosphate regions and has shown recent northern range expansion into South Carolina. The species is distinguished by its unique underwater oviposition behavior, where females deposit eggs on the undersurfaces of aquatic plant leaves. Larval development occurs in association with floating vegetation, particularly water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes).
Ochlerotatus campestris
Campestris mosquito
Ochlerotatus campestris is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, originally described as Aedes campestris by Dyar & Knab in 1907. The species is currently classified under the genus Ochlerotatus, though taxonomic placement of this group remains subject to revision. It occurs in North America and Middle America based on distribution records. Like other Ochlerotatus species, females require blood meals for egg development while males feed on nectar.
Ochlerotatus canadensis
Canadian mosquito
Ochlerotatus canadensis is a mosquito species native to North America, with documented presence in the Caribbean, Middle America, and North America including Vermont. The species was originally described as Culex canadensis by Theobald in 1901 and has since been reclassified within the genus Ochlerotatus, though it is also recognized as Aedes canadensis in some taxonomic treatments. It belongs to the Ochlerotatus Group of mosquitoes within the family Culicidae.
Ochlerotatus diantaeus
Ochlerotatus diantaeus is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, originally described as Aedes diantaeus in 1913. The species has undergone taxonomic reclassification, now placed in the genus Ochlerotatus. It occurs across parts of Europe, northern Asia, and North America. Like other members of its genus, females require blood meals for egg production.
Ochlerotatus dorsalis
Salt Marsh Mosquito
Ochlerotatus dorsalis is a Holarctic mosquito species with a transcontinental distribution spanning the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. Genetic studies have identified two highly distinctive COI mtDNA phylogroups corresponding to these regions, suggesting Pleistocene vicariance of an ancestral range due to geographical barriers and climatic changes. The species is epidemiologically relevant as a potential pathogen vector.
Ochlerotatus excrucians
Ochlerotatus excrucians is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, originally described as Culex excrucians by Walker in 1856. The species has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some authorities now placing it in the genus Aedes as Aedes excrucians. It occurs across North America and parts of Europe and Northern Asia. Like other Ochlerotatus species, it is presumed to have a typical mosquito life cycle with aquatic larval and pupal stages and terrestrial adults.
Ochlerotatus fitchii
Ochlerotatus fitchii is a mosquito species first described in 1904, originally placed in genus Culex before reclassification to Ochlerotatus. The species is present in both North America and Europe/Northern Asia. Like other members of its genus, it likely exhibits typical floodwater mosquito biology with eggs deposited in dry areas that hatch upon flooding.
Ochlerotatus fulvus pallens
Ochlerotatus fulvus pallens is a mosquito subspecies described by Ross in 1943, originally classified under Aedes. It belongs to the Ochlerotatus Group within Culicidae. The subspecies has been documented across Caribbean, Middle America, and North America. Taxonomic status varies by source: GBIF lists it as a synonym of Aedes fulvus, while NCBI maintains it under Ochlerotatus.
Ochlerotatus hendersoni
Ochlerotatus hendersoni is a mosquito species closely related to Ochlerotatus triseriatus, with which it can produce viable interspecific hybrids. Unlike its congener O. triseriatus, which is an efficient vector for La Crosse virus, O. hendersoni transmits this virus only at very low rates. Genetic studies have identified quantitative trait loci associated with this refractory vector competence, with some regions containing genes from O. hendersoni that paradoxically increase transmission ability in hybrid offspring, likely due to epistatic interactions. The species is present in North America, including the northeastern United States.
Ochlerotatus nigromaculis
Ochlerotatus nigromaculis is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, originally described by Ludlow in 1906 as Grabhamia nigromaculis. The species has been used in research on population genetics and insecticide resistance testing. It is currently classified under the genus Ochlerotatus, though it has also been placed in the genus Aedes in various taxonomic treatments. The species is present in North America and Middle America according to distribution records.
Ochlerotatus pullatus
Ochlerotatus pullatus is a boreoalpine mosquito species with a discontinuous Holarctic distribution. In eastern North America, it has been recorded from alpine and subalpine habitats, with a notable range extension documented in the Chic-Chocs mountains of eastern Québec. The species develops in temporary snowmelt pools at elevations around 1000 m, where it can be locally dominant. Its presence in disjunct mountain populations has been discussed in relation to postglacial dispersal patterns.
Ochlerotatus punctor
Ochlerotatus punctor is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, originally described from Europe but now recognized as having a broader distribution including North America. The species has been the subject of taxonomic study, with a notable record of a bilateral gynandromorph specimen from Germany. Like other members of the genus, it undergoes complete metamorphosis with aquatic larval stages.
Ochlerotatus sierrensis
Ochlerotatus sierrensis is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, first described by Lynch-Arribalzaga in 1891. The species belongs to the genus Ochlerotatus, a group of floodwater mosquitoes whose taxonomy has undergone revision from formerly being classified within Aedes. As with other Ochlerotatus species, females require blood meals for egg development while males feed on nectar.
Ochlerotatus squamiger
Ochlerotatus squamiger is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, originally described as Culex squamiger by Coquillett in 1902. The species has undergone taxonomic reclassification, now placed in the genus Ochlerotatus, though it is also recognized as a synonym of Aedes squamiger in some taxonomic databases. It occurs in North America and Middle America. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be a blood-feeding mosquito with females requiring blood meals for egg development, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Ochlerotatus stimulans
Woodland Floodwater Mosquito
Ochlerotatus stimulans is a floodwater mosquito species found across North America and parts of Africa. Females are aggressive biters of humans and other mammals, with activity peaking following rainfall events that flood their breeding habitats. The species is associated with woodland and forest edge environments where temporary pools form after precipitation. Taxonomic placement has shifted historically, with the species now generally classified in genus Ochlerotatus though sometimes retained in Aedes depending on classification system used.
Ochlerotatus thibaulti
Ochlerotatus thibaulti is a mosquito species first described by Dyar and Knab in 1910. The species was originally placed in the genus Aedes and is now classified in the genus Ochlerotatus, a group of floodwater mosquitoes. Records indicate its presence in both Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China) and North America. Like other members of the genus, it likely breeds in temporary water sources such as floodplains and snowmelt pools.
Ochlerotatus tormentor
Ochlerotatus tormentor is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, originally described as Aedes tormentor by Dyar and Knab in 1906. It belongs to the Ochlerotatus Group, a complex of related mosquito species within the Aedini tribe. The species has been documented in North America and Middle America based on distribution records. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to have aquatic larval stages and terrestrial adult stages, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Ochlerotatus triseriatus
eastern treehole mosquito, treehole mosquito
Ochlerotatus triseriatus, the eastern treehole mosquito, is a container-breeding mosquito native to North America. It is the primary enzootic vector of La Crosse virus, the leading cause of arboviral encephalitis in children in the United States. Larvae develop in natural tree holes and artificial water-holding containers, feeding on microbial communities associated with decaying organic matter. The species exhibits strong density-dependent survival, with larval crowding significantly reducing per-capita survival rates—a trait that has important implications for mosquito control strategies.
Ochlerotatus trivittatus
Ochlerotatus trivittatus is a mosquito species in the Culicidae family, originally described by Coquillett in 1902 as Culex trivittatus. It belongs to the Ochlerotatus Group, a clade of related mosquitoes found in the Americas. The species has been documented across North America, Middle America, and South America. Genetic studies have examined its relationship to other Ochlerotatus Group species to clarify species boundaries within this taxonomically complex group.
Orthopodomyia
tree hole mosquito, ornate mosquito
A genus of wild mosquitoes comprising 36 species distributed primarily in tropical and temperate regions. Adults are predominantly nocturnal and essentially wild in habit. Most species are not recognized as epidemiologically important vectors due to limited bionomic knowledge. The genus is phylogenetically close to tribe Mansoniini based on molecular evidence.
Psorophora
gallinipper
Psorophora is a genus of large mosquitoes in the subfamily Culicinae, tribe Aedini, described by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1827. The genus comprises approximately 50 species distributed across the Americas, with three recognized subgenera: Psorophora, Janthinosoma, and Grabhamia. Several species, notably Psorophora ciliata and P. ferox, are among the largest mosquitoes in the world and are known for aggressive biting behavior. Larvae of some species are obligate predators with specialized anatomical adaptations for capturing prey.
Psorophora cyanescens
Psorophora cyanescens is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, first described by Coquillett in 1902. The species belongs to the genus Psorophora, which includes several predatory mosquito species whose larvae feed on other aquatic insects. Adults are found across a broad geographic range spanning the Caribbean, Middle America, North America, and South America. Specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in the available literature.
Psorophora longipalpus
Psorophora longipalpus is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, first described by Randolph and O'Neill in 1944. It belongs to the genus Psorophora, which includes some of the largest and most aggressive mosquitoes in North America. The genus is known for containing predatory species whose larvae feed on other aquatic insects.
Psorophora mathesoni
Matheson's Mosquito
Psorophora mathesoni is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, first described by Belkin and Heinemann in 1975. It belongs to the subgenus Janthinosoma within the genus Psorophora. The species was first recorded in Kansas in 2007, representing a westward range expansion from its previously known distribution in the eastern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with floodplain habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Psorophora signipennis
Mottled Mosquito
Psorophora signipennis, commonly known as the Mottled Mosquito, is a species of mosquito in the family Culicidae. The species is distributed across Middle America and North America. Like other members of the genus Psorophora, it is presumed to be a predatory mosquito with larvae that feed on other mosquito larvae, though specific behavioral studies for this species have not been documented. Adult females are blood-feeders, while both sexes consume nectar for flight energy.
Psorophora varipes
Psorophora varipes is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, belonging to the genus Psorophora, which includes some of the largest and most aggressive mosquitoes in the world. The genus is notable for containing predatory species whose larvae feed on other insect larvae. Adults are robust and capable of delivering painful bites. The species occurs across the Americas, from North America through the Caribbean to South America.
Uranotaenia lowii
Pale-footed Uranotaenia
Uranotaenia lowii is a frog-biting mosquito distributed across the Americas. The species exhibits a unique phonotactic behavior: females are attracted to the acoustic calls of male frogs, specifically the barking tree frog (Hyla gratiosa). This represents the first documented case of a female mosquito being attracted to host sound rather than visual or chemical cues. The species inhabits lowland environments and has been documented using 450 Hz frequency detection via antennae to locate hosts.
Wyeomyia vanduzeei
Bromeliad Mosquito
Wyeomyia vanduzeei is a mosquito species in the family Culicidae, first described by Dyar and Knab in 1906. It is commonly known as the bromeliad mosquito, reflecting its association with bromeliad plants. The species has been demonstrated experimentally to serve as a host for Plasmodium hermani, a malaria parasite of wild turkeys. Its distribution includes the Caribbean and North America.