''Aedes palmarum'' is a

mosquito Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a Family (biology), family of small Diptera, flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by ''Musca (fly), mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mos ...

species in the genus ''

Aedes ''Aedes'' (also known as the tiger mosquito) 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'', ...

'', subgenus ''Patmarksia''. It is primarily found in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, particularly in

Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...

, Queensland, where it inhabits container habitats in peridomestic settings. Little is known about its broader distribution or its role in disease transmission, though it has been associated with

Ross River virus Ross River virus (RRV) is a small encapsulated single-strand RNA '' Alphavirus'' endemic to Australia, Papua New Guinea and other islands in the South Pacific. It is responsible for a type of mosquito-borne, non-lethal but extremely debilitati ...

in some studies.

Distribution

''Aedes palmarum'' is predominantly distributed in

, with specific records indicating its presence in

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

. It breeds in container habitats, such as water-holding objects near human dwellings, suggesting a peridomestic lifestyle. Its exact geographic range remains poorly documented, and it may be less widespread than other ''Aedes'' species.

Behavior and ecology

''Aedes palmarum'' primarily inhabits palm forests in temperate and tropical regions, with a strong association to natural container habitats such as fallen palm fronds filled with water. Larvae are also occasionally found in artificial containers and backyard environments, particularly where palm debris accumulates. A distinguishing feature of the larvae is a small, distinct hump on the second-last abdominal segment. This species is typically not abundant, and although no specific data exist regarding its flight range, it is suspected that ''A. palmarum'' remains close to its larval habitat. Unlike some well-studied ''Aedes'' mosquitoes, detailed information on its feeding behavior and broader ecological role remains limited.

Medical significance

There is no strong evidence that ''Aedes palmarum'' serves as a major vector for diseases such as

dengue Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by dengue virus, prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. Asymptomatic infections are uncommon, mild cases happen frequently; if symptoms appear, they typically begin 3 to 14 days after ...

Zika 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 ...

, or

chikungunya Chikungunya is an infection caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The disease was first identified in 1952 in Tanzania and named based on the Kimakonde words for "to become contorted". Chikungunya has become a global health concern due to ...

. However, it has been identified among mosquito isolates for

in Cairns, Queensland, suggesting a potential minor role in its transmission.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q14573419 palmarum Insects of Australia Insects described in 1924