Aedes (genus)
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Author(s): James Gathany, CDC
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Aedes Meigen, 1818
This is a very large genus of blood feeding mosquitoes with more than 700 species described. Members of this group are important pests and disease vectors. They transmit yellow fever, dengue fever, the West Nile virus, other human viruses, as well as other diseases of humans and animals. Each species has one or several preferred group(s) of hosts like humans, different mammals, birds or other vertebrates. Similarly, some species are, others are not adapted to transmitting certain diseases.
The most important disease vectors are as follows (for other species see the list below):
widespread and/or highly invasive:
A. aegypti, A. albopictus, A. japonicus, A. vexans
regionally important:
A. notoscriptus (Australia, Pacific), A. taeniorhynchus (Americas), A. triseriatus (North America), A. vigilax (Australia, Asia)
For breeding, Aedes prefers accumulations of clear, stagnant water and every species has its fixed environment. This may be:
- natural accumulations like water-filled tree holes, leaf axils or rock pools
- artificial containers in the human environment like water jars or discarded containers
- temporary or more permanent pools or puddles
- rice fields
- salt marshes
The adults often have black and white stripes or patterns on their body and legs. In contrast to other types of mosquitoes, they bite only during the day. The life cycle from egg to adult can be usually completed in 2 to 3 weeks or less. Most species are adapted to warmer climates.
According to some authors, the genus Aedes should be divided into several closely related genera, like Ochlerotatus spp. and Stegomyia spp., according to others these should be treated as subgenera. Ochlerotatus is most often treated as a separate genus, based on taxonomic work in the year 2000. However, the concept of Ochlerotatus, as established in 2000, has been changed repeatedly since then, as it was found to result in a polyphyletic system. For a taxonomic review see Wilkerson et al., 2015.
Synonyms:
Ochlerotatus
Stegomyia
Type species: Aedes cinereus
Currently, the following species have been entered into the system:
- Aedes aegypti
- Aedes africanus
- Aedes albifasciatus
- Aedes albopictus
- Aedes alternans
- Aedes annulipes
- Aedes atlanticus
- Aedes atropalpus
- Aedes australis
- Aedes bromeliae
- Aedes camptorhynchus
- Aedes canadensis
- Aedes cantans
- Aedes caspius
- Aedes cataphylla
- Aedes cinereus
- Aedes circumluteolus
- Aedes communis
- Aedes detritus
- Aedes dorsalis
- Aedes epactius
- Aedes excrucians
- Aedes flavescens
- Aedes fluviatilis
- Aedes fulvus
- Aedes geniculatus
- Aedes hendersoni
- Aedes hensilli
- Aedes infirmatus
- Aedes japonicus
- Aedes koreicus
- Aedes lilii
- Aedes lineatopennis
- Aedes luteocephalus
- Aedes mcintoshi
- Aedes mediovittatus
- Aedes melanimon
- Aedes notoscriptus
- Aedes ochraceus
- Aedes polynesiensis
- Aedes procax
- Aedes punctor
- Aedes rossicus
- Aedes rusticus
- Aedes scapularis
- Aedes serratus
- Aedes sierrensis
- Aedes simpsoni
- Aedes sollicitans
- Aedes sticticus
- Aedes stimulans
- Aedes taeniorhynchus
- Aedes togoi
- Aedes triseriatus
- Aedes trivittatus
- Aedes vexans
- Aedes vigilax
- Aedes vittatus
