Anopheles quadrimaculatus

Anopheles quadrimaculatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Culicidae
Genus: Anopheles
Subgenus: Anopheles
Species:
A. quadrimaculatus
Binomial name
Anopheles quadrimaculatus
Say, 1824

Anopheles quadrimaculatus, also known as the common malaria mosquito, is a species of mosquito mainly found in the eastern United States. The species is a main vector of malaria.[1]

Distribution

The common malaria mosquito is common across the southeastern United States, especially along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.[2]

Life cycle

Mosquitoes lay their eggs on still bodies of freshwater, where they float on the surface. Larvae take 2 to 3 days to hatch; these larvae lack breathing siphons, and so they rest parallel to the surface to breathe. The larvae take between 5 days and 2 weeks to mature depending on the environmental conditions. Adult mosquitoes typically live for approximately 2 weeks.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, 1824 | Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU)". www.wrbu.si.edu. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  2. ^ "Exploring Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes". www.wrbu.si.edu. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  3. ^ "Exploring Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes". www.wrbu.si.edu. Retrieved February 19, 2026.