Aedes canadensis

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Aedes canadensis
Ochlerotatus canadensis CDC15992.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Culicidae
Genus: Aedes
Subgenus: Ochlerotatus
Species:
A. canadensis
Binomial name
Aedes canadensis
(Theobald, 1901)
Synonyms [1]
  • Culex canadensisTheobald, 1901
  • Culex nivitarsis Coquillett, 1904
  • Ochlerotatus canadensis(Theobald, 1901)

Aedes canadensis, the woodland pool mosquito, [2] is an aggressive, day biting mosquito that can be a vector of a number of diseases which is found mainly in eastern North America.

Contents

Taxonomy

Aedes canadensis was originally described as Culex canadensis by the British entomologist Frederick Vincent Theobald in his 1901 monograph entitled A monograph of the Culicidae of the World, published by the British Museum (Natural History), from specimens collected in Ontario. [3] In recent revisions of the genus Aedes it was found that the genus was paraphyletic and workers suggested that the genus be divided into two genera. A. canadensis was placed in the newly raised genus Ochlerotatus by these workers, these studies also placed it in its own monotypic sub-genus Culicada. [4] Two subspecies are recognized.

A. c. canadensis Aedes canadensis canadensis.png
A. c. canadensis

Identification

Aedes canadensis often occurs with con-generic species and to be sure of identification of either adults or larvae a, Identification key and microscope are required. In general the adults of this species have dark, the females often reddish, bodies which have contrasting white banded tarsi with the bands at each end of the segments. [1] [5]

Biology

Female Aedes canadensis gain blood meals from a wide range of large and small animals, birds and reptiles. It is particularly associated with turtles and clouds of this species are frequently observed surrounding turtles crossing roads to lay their eggs during May. [6] Animals fed on by the females includes large and small mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, [4] there is a record of the females feeding on a leopard frog. [1]

The larvae of A. canadensis grow in temporary or semi permanent woodland pools which contain fallen leaves and which tend to be shaded, they are less frequently found in pools in small stream beds or in standing water next to wooded areas. [7] They can also be found in swamps and marshes with emergent vegetation such as reeds and cattails, muskeg pools and peat bogs, and in some areas have been found in open prairie pools with little shade. [1] They overwinter as eggs and in late winter and spring large numbers of larvae hatch. The females are seldom troublesome to humans in eastern North America, even when recently emerged females are extremely abundant, however, in the western part of its range they readily and persistently bite people, especially in areas of shade and throughout most of the day. [7] The presence of larvae in the breeding pools after the Spring suggests that these mosquitoes are either laying non diapausing eggs or that the hatching of the eggs is staggered. [1] The males have been recorded swarming in the early evening [1] and have been recorded as obtaining nectar on orchids. [2]

Distribution

Aedes canadensis occurs in North American from the Yukon Territory and Washington state east to Newfoundland and south to Florida and Texas, [1] south into Mexico. [4]

Medical importance

The viruses which cause Eastern equine encephalitis, California encephalitis and West Nile virus have been detected in samples of Aedes canadensis [4] and it has been shown to be a vector of dog heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis). [7] It has also shown to be a secondary vector for the La Crosse virus in Ohio. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mosquito</span> Family of flies

Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a family of small flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word mosquito is Spanish and Portuguese for little fly. Mosquitoes have a slender segmented body, one pair of wings, three pairs of long hair-like legs, and specialized, highly elongated, piercing-sucking mouthparts. All mosquitoes drink nectar from flowers; females of some species have in addition adapted to drink blood. The group diversified during the Cretaceous period. Evolutionary biologists view mosquitoes as micropredators, small animals that parasitise larger ones by drinking their blood without immediately killing them. Medical parasitologists view mosquitoes instead as vectors of disease, carrying protozoan parasites or bacterial or viral pathogens from one host to another.

<i>Aedes albopictus</i> Species of mosquito

Aedes albopictus, from the mosquito (Culicidae) family, also known as the (Asian) tiger mosquito or forest mosquito, is a mosquito native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia. In the past few centuries, however, this species has spread to many countries through the transport of goods and international travel. It is characterized by the white bands on its legs and body.

<i>Aedes</i> Genus of mosquitoes

Aedes is a genus of mosquitoes originally found in tropical and subtropical zones, but now found on all continents except Antarctica. Some species have been spread by human activity: Aedes albopictus, a particularly invasive species, was spread to the Americas, including the United States, in the 1980s, by the used-tire trade.

<i>Aedes aegypti</i> Species of mosquito

Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika fever, Mayaro and yellow fever viruses, and other disease agents. The mosquito can be recognized by black and white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of its thorax. This mosquito originated in Africa, but is now found in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world.

<i>Culex</i> Genus of mosquitoes

Culex or typical mosquitoes are a genus of mosquitoes, several species of which serve as vectors of one or more important diseases of birds, humans, and other animals. The diseases they vector include arbovirus infections such as West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis, or St. Louis encephalitis, but also filariasis and avian malaria. They occur worldwide except for the extreme northern parts of the temperate zone, and are the most common form of mosquito encountered in some major U.S. cities, such as Los Angeles.

<i>Culex restuans</i> Species of fly

Culex restuans is a species of mosquito known to occur in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Bahamas. It is a disease vector for St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile virus. In 2013 West Nile Virus positive specimens were collected in Southern California.

<i>Aedes vexans</i> Species of fly

Aedes vexans, the inland floodwater mosquito or tomguito, is a cosmopolitan and common pest mosquito.

Ochlerotatus is a genus of mosquito. Until 2000, it was ranked as a subgenus of Aedes, but after Reinert's work, the clade was upgraded to the level of a genus. This change has resulted in the renaming of many subgenus species, and many aedini-related taxa are undergoing taxonomic revisions. Some authors are still using traditional taxonomic names in their publications.

<i>Aedes triseriatus</i> Species of mosquito

Aedes triseriatus is a member of the true fly order. It is called the eastern treehole mosquito due to its predilection towards breeding in stagnant water that is found in natural holding containers such as tree holes. It is native to the eastern United States and southern Canada and favors hardwood habitats. It has been found as far south as the Florida Keys, as far west as Idaho and Utah, and as far north as Quebec and Ontario. This species has not yet been found in Europe, but it has the potential to spread through international trade. In 2004, it was found in a shipment of tires travelling from Louisiana to France, but it was identified and targeted with insecticides that truncated its spread. It is a known vector of La Crosse encephalitis and canine heartworm disease. In the laboratory, it has been found to vector several other viruses including yellow fever, eastern encephalitis, Venezuelan encephalitis, and western encephalitis. Because of its potential for international spread and its proclivity for transmitting disease, monitoring the distribution of this species is essential.

<i>Aedes pembaensis</i> Species of fly

Aedes pembaensis is a mosquito.

<i>Psorophora ciliata</i> Species of fly

Psorophora ciliata is a species of large mosquito indigenous to North America east of the continental divide. It is one of thirteen species of the genus that reside in the continental United States. The mosquito has been referred to as the “gallinipper” or “shaggy-legged gallinipper” due to its tendency for aggressive behavior.

Aedes africanus is a species of mosquito that is found on the continent of Africa with the exclusion of Madagascar. Aedes aegypti and Aedes africanus are the two main yellow fever vector species in Zambia. Aedes africanus is mainly found in tropical forests not near wetlands.

<i>Coquillettidia</i> Genus of flies

Coquillettidia is a mosquito genus erected by entomologist Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1904 based primarily on unique features of its "peculiar" male genitalia. The specific epithet honors Dyar's colleague Daniel William Coquillett.

Aedes bahamensis, also known as Howardina bahamensis, is a mosquito native to the Caribbean and Bahamas, which was first discovered in two counties of southern Florida in 1986. The females of the species do not require a blood meal to produce eggs, although they will bite if starved of nectar or in order to produce a second brood. They are thought to be capable of transmitting St. Louis encephalitis.

<i>Aedes japonicus</i> Species of fly

Aedes japonicus, commonly known as the Asian bush mosquito or the Asian rock pool mosquito, was first described by Theobald in 1901 from Tokyo, Japan. They are competent arbovirus vectors known to transmit the West Nile virus as well as Japanese and St. Louis encephalitis. They are listed as an invasive species by the Global Invasive Species Database.

<i>Psorophora ferox</i> Species of fly

Psorophora ferox is a medium-sized mosquito native to much of North and South America. It inhabits wet woodlands, laying its eggs in temporary pools filled with rainwater. Larvae develop during summer in North America. They are aggressive feeders and give painful bites. The mosquito is reported to be active during both day and night.

Aedes (Neomelaniconion) lineatopennis is a species complex of zoophilic mosquito belonging to the genus Aedes. It is found in Oriental Regions such as India, Sri Lanka, and also in Eastern & Southern Africa, Nigeria, Japan, Malaysia, and Australia. Female has a wing length of 4 to 5mm. Head scales golden, curved and narrow. Male with tentacles over long beak, distal with wool.

<i>Culex gelidus</i> Species of mosquito

Culex (Culex) gelidus is a species of mosquito belonging to the genus Culex. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea (Island); Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. In 1976, it was identified as a major vector of Japanese encephalitis virus, in India. From an experiment, it was evident that aqueous solution of Calotropis gigantea leaves possess larvicidal activity, mosquito repellent activity and ovicidal activity against Culex gelidus.

<i>Culex nigripalpus</i> Species of mosquito

Culex nigripalpus is a species of medium-sized, dark, blood-feeding mosquito of the family Culicidae.

<i>Toxorhynchites rutilus</i> Species of fly

Toxorhynchites rutilus, also known as the elephant mosquito or treehole predatory mosquito, is a species of mosquito in the family Culicidae. Unlike most species in the genus that populate the tropics, Tx. rutilus is endemic to temperate regions. As their name suggests, these mosquitoes commonly lay their eggs in treeholes where their larvae are predators on a variety of arthropods. As with other mosquitoes, they also inhabit other bodies of stagnant water such as in a tire or artificial containers. but not large bodies of water like ponds and ground pools. Females are able to strategically locate breeding sites that already contain prey to oviposit in.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D.M. Wood; P.T. Dang; R.A. Ellis (1979). The Insects and Arachnids of Canada Part 6 The Mosquitoes of Canada Diptera:Culicidae. Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1979. pp. 144–147. ISBN   0-660-10402-4.
  2. 1 2 "Woodland Pool Mosquito". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  3. F.V. Vincent (1901). A monograph of the Culicidae of the World (PDF). British Museum (Natural History).
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ralph Harbach. "Culicada Felt, 1904". Mosquito Taxonomic Inventory. Mosquito Taxonomic Inventory.
  5. William F. Lyon (1995). "Mosquito Pest Management Bulletin 641" (PDF). The Ohio State University Extension Bulletin. Ohio State University . Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  6. "Aedes canadensis canadensis (Theobald)". Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey . Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit. "Aedes (Och.) canadensis". Smithsonian Institution . Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  8. R.L. Berry; RM.A. Parsons; B.J. Lalonde-Weigert; et al. (1986). "Aedes canadensis: A vector of Lacrosse virus (California Serogroup) in Ohio" (PDF). Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 2 (1): 74–78.

Further reading