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''Aedes africanus'' is a species of mosquito that is found on the continent of
This species lays its eggs in holes in trees, cut bamboo, bamboo stumps, and tree forks. In laboratory settings, it was observed that the larvae hatch best at 27 °C and the quantity of water was not a factor in embryonic development but was most often laid within 2 cm of the water surface.
''Aedes africanus'' adults are crepuscular feeders, meaning they feed from dusk to dawn. Although this species is a vector for many diseases, because it is mainly found in forests, primates are its main source of blood meals. Early studies of its populations suggest that when sampled in forested areas, it made up 95% of the caught species and only 50% in surrounding villages. When populations are high enough, ''Toxorhynchites'' mosquitoes can be brought in as a biological control as they parasitize ''africanus'' larvae in the shared breeding habitat.
This species of mosquito is an essential yellow fever vector in wooded habitats. In addition to being a major vector of yellow fever, ''Aedes africanus'' also vectors pathogens such as dengue virus, Work , IANPHI , Atlanta, GA
/ref> It is also a vector of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
with the exclusion of Madagascar
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
. Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Systematic Catalog of Culicidae, ''Aedes aegypti
''Aedes aegypti'' ( or from Greek 'hateful' and from Latin, meaning 'of Egypt'), sometimes called the Egyptian mosquito, dengue mosquito or yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that spreads diseases like dengue fever, yellow fever, malar ...
'' and ''Aedes africanus'' are the two main yellow fever vector
Vector most often refers to:
* Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction
* Disease vector, an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism
Vector may also refer to:
Mathematics a ...
species in Zambia. ''Aedes africanus'' is mainly found in tropical forests not near wetland
A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...
s.
Identification
This mosquito has distinct white and black stripes along its body which help differentiate the genus from others in this family. Females of this species are ectoparasites and can most often be found on mammals living in the tropical forests of Africa. The ''africanus'' species can be distinguished from other mosquitoes in the genus ''Aedes'' by having white scales on the maxillary palpi, scutum with a patch of large white scales, and 3 large white patches on the mid-femur.Life cycle
This species lays its eggs in holes in trees, cut bamboo, bamboo stumps, and tree forks. In laboratory settings, it was observed that the larvae hatch best at 27 °C and the quantity of water was not a factor in embryonic development but was most often laid within 2 cm of the water surface.
''Aedes africanus'' adults are crepuscular feeders, meaning they feed from dusk to dawn. Although this species is a vector for many diseases, because it is mainly found in forests, primates are its main source of blood meals. Early studies of its populations suggest that when sampled in forested areas, it made up 95% of the caught species and only 50% in surrounding villages. When populations are high enough, ''Toxorhynchites'' mosquitoes can be brought in as a biological control as they parasitize ''africanus'' larvae in the shared breeding habitat.
Medical importance
This species of mosquito is an essential yellow fever vector in wooded habitats. In addition to being a major vector of yellow fever, ''Aedes africanus'' also vectors pathogens such as dengue virus, West Nile virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes West Nile fever. It is a member of the family ''Flaviviridae'', from the genus ''Flavivirus'', which also contains the Zika virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus. The virus ...
, and Rift Valley fever virus./ref> It is also a vector of
Zika virus
Zika virus (ZIKV; pronounced or ) is a member of the virus family ''Flaviviridae''. It is spread by daytime-active ''Aedes'' mosquitoes, such as '' A. aegypti'' and '' A. albopictus''. Its name comes from the Ziika Forest of Uganda, where ...
, the causal agent of Zika fever
Zika fever, also known as Zika virus disease or simply Zika, is an infectious disease caused by the Zika virus. Most cases have no symptoms, but when present they are usually mild and can resemble dengue fever. Symptoms may include fever, conju ...
.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5658733 africanus Insects described in 1901