Trypanosome-vector

Guides

• Corethrella

  frog-biting midges

  Corethrella is the sole genus in the family Corethrellidae, comprising 132 extant and 10 fossil species. These midges are unique among Diptera in using acoustic cues to locate hosts. Adult females are hematophagous and feed on frog blood, while larvae are aquatic predators. The genus has a predominantly pantropical distribution with fossil records extending to the Lower Cretaceous.

  phonotaxishematophagyacoustic-parasitismtrypanosome-vectorautogenypantropicalfossil-recordCretaceous

• Culex territans

  Northern Frog-biting Mosquito

  Culex territans, commonly known as the Northern Frog-biting Mosquito, is a mosquito species with a nearly exclusive feeding relationship with amphibians, particularly frogs. Adult females are strongly attracted to frog vocalizations and exhibit temporal and spatial synchrony with their amphibian hosts. The species is a confirmed vector for multiple amphibian pathogens, including Giant Anuran Trypanosomes, Hepatozoon species, and potentially Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Unlike many Culex species, it poses minimal direct threat to human health due to its host preferences, though it has been found infected with West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus.

  mosquitovectoramphibian-parasitephonotaxisfrog-bitingtrypanosome-vectorHepatozoon-vectorBd-transmissioncave-overwinteringwetland-speciesectothermic-host-specialistdisease-ecologyamphibian-declinehost-synchronyacoustic-orientationCulex-(Neoculex)