The malaria causing mosquitoes are known scientifically as Anopheles Quadrimaculatus and are widely distributed across the Indian Sub-continent. Their colour varies from light brown to pale yellow with prominent creamy scales under their wings. Anopheles prefers shallow water to breed in and the hatched larva from the eggs develop as mosquitoes within a week.The bite of the female Anopheles Mosquito is deadly and results in the transmission of Malaria. This species thrives abundantly in rice fields, mangrove swamps, grassy land and sugarcane fields. Malaria can be fatal and the typical symptoms include fever, headache, chills and general flu.
| Common name | Common Malaria Mosquitoes |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | ANOPHELES Quadrimaculatus |
| Size | 2.8 to 4.4mm |
| COLOR | Brown to grey |
| Habitat | Found in fresh or saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, rice fields, grassy ditches, the edge of streams and rivers. |
| Life span | Three to four weeks |
Eggs:The female lays 50 to 200 eggs per oviposition. Eggs are laid singly directly on water and are unique in having floats on either side.
Larva: Anopheles larva lack the respiratory siphons used as breathing tubes as in most mosquitoes. Therefore, the larva lies parallel to the water surface in order to breathe. The larva has a well-developed head with mouth brushes used for feeding, a large thorax and a segmented abdomen. It has no legs. The larva spends most of its time feeding on algae, bacteria and other micro-organisms.
Pupa:The pupa is comma-shaped white or light brown in colour. Pupa must come to the surface frequently to breathe, which they do through a pair of respiratory trumpets.
Adult:Adult Anophelines have slender bodies with 3 sections, head, thorax and the abdomen. The head is specialized for acquiring sensory information and for feeding. Thorax is specialized for locomotion. The three pairs of legs and a pair of wings are attached to the thorax. The abdomen is specialized for food digestion and egg development. The females can survive up to a month but do not live longer than 1 to 2 weeks in nature.
DISEASES CAUSED: Anopheles is different from other types of Mosquitoes as they are specialized in spreading Malaria to humans. Malaria can be fatal. Its typical symptoms are fever, headache, chills and general flu.
