Plasmodium
Guides
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.