Aedes
| Aedes | |
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| Aedes aegypti | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Culicidae |
| Subfamily: | Culicinae |
| Genus: | Aedes Meigen, 1818 |
| Species | |
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See List of Aedes species |
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Aedes is a genus of mosquito originally found in tropical and subtropical zones, but now found on all continents excluding Antarctica. Some species have been spread by human activity. Aedes albopictus, a most invasive species was recently spread to the New World, including the U.S., by the used tire trade. First described and named by Meigen in 1818, the name comes from the Ancient Greek αήδής, aēdēs, meaning "unpleasant" or "odious". Some species of this genus transmit serious diseases, including dengue fever and yellow fever. In Polynesia, the species Aedes polynesiensis is responsible for the transmission of human lymphatic filariasis.
Aedes can be detected and monitored by ovitraps.
The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) genome is being sequenced by the Broad Institute and The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR). The initial assembly was released in August 2005; a draft sequence of the genome and preliminary analysis was published in June 2007.[1] Annotation of the sequence is being undertaken by VectorBase and TIGR.
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Characteristics [edit]
Aedes species are typical small mosquitoes. They usually have black and white stripe markings on their body and legs.They usually bite only during the day time.
Feeding Habits [edit]
Aedes bite during the day.
As a vector [edit]
The Aedes genus is known to act as a vector for a number of viral pathogens, for example Dengue hemorrhagic fever (aegyptis and possibly albopictus) and alpha viruses that cause diseases with similar symptoms. Dengue currently stands as the fastest emerging vector bourne disease as of 2012 with 50 million people currently infected.
Systematics and phylogeny [edit]
The genus was named by Johann Wilhelm Meigen in 1818. As historically defined, the genus contains over 700 species (see the list of Aedes species). The genus has been divided into several subgenera (Aedes, Diceromyia, Finlaya, Stegomyia etc.).
References [edit]
- ^ Nene V, Wortman JR, Lawson D, et al. (2007). "Genome sequence of Aedes aegypti, a major arbovirus vector". Science 316 (5832): 1718–23. doi:10.1126/science.1138878. PMC 2868357. PMID 17510324.
