Anopheline mosquito

A general term for mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles , which belong to the suborder Culicidae, order Diptera, class Insecta. Named after the markings on their wings, the genus is also pronounced Anopheles. Includes mosquitoes that transmit malaria. The rear edge of the scutella is semi-lunate, the abdomen is almost completely devoid of scales, and when at rest, most of them stand upside down at an angle with their tails raised. The female's maxillae are almost as long as the proboscis. The larvae have no respiratory tube and lie parallel to the water surface, breathing through their trachea. The eggs have a pair of swim bladders and are laid randomly on the water's surface. Over 300 species are known across five genera. Of these, nine species, including A. ( Anopheles ) sinensis , belong to the Anopheles subgenus, and two species, including A. ( Cellia ) minimus , belong to the Anopheles subgenus, and are found in Japan. A. (Anopheles) sinensis is the most common Anopheles in Japan, and has four white rings on the maxillae and a group of black scales on the ventral surface of the seventh abdominal segment. It overwinters as an adult and emerges in early spring to suck blood from large mammals, especially cattle and humans. The larvae are found in rice paddies, marshes, ponds, drainage ditches, and aquariums. It transmits P. vivax malaria. It is distributed from Hokkaido to the Ryukyu Islands, China, and Southeast Asia. A. (Cellia) minimus is a small Anopheles mosquito with four or more black spots on its wings and lacks yellow-white spots on its legs. This mosquito is an important vector of malaria in Southeast Asia, transmitting Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium quartanum. This species played a role in the past malaria epidemics in the Yaeyama and Miyako islands. The larvae develop in stagnant streams and running water tanks, and the adults rest in the grass on the banks, invading houses at night to suck human blood. It is distributed in the Ryukyu Islands, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea.

[Hiroshi Kurahashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱双翅(そうし)目糸角(しかく)亜目カ科に属するハマダラカ属Anophelesのカの総称。はねに斑紋(はんもん)をもつのでこの名があり、属名を読んでアノフェレスともいう。マラリアを媒介するカを含む。小楯板(しょうじゅんばん)の後縁は半円月状、腹部には鱗片(りんぺん)をほとんど欠き、静止時に多くは尾端をあげて斜めに逆立ちした姿勢をとる。雌の小顎肢(しょうがくし)は口吻(こうふん)とほぼ同長。幼虫は呼吸管をもたず、水面に平行に位置して気管呼吸をする。卵は1対の浮嚢(ふのう)をもち、水面にばらばらに産卵される。5属300種以上知られている。このうち、日本にはハマダラカ亜属のシナハマダラカA. (Anopheles) sinensisなど9種と、タテンハマダラカ亜属のコガタハマダラカA. (Cellia) minimusなど2種を産する。シナハマダラカが日本でもっとも普通のハマダラカであり、小顎肢に4個の白輪をもち、腹部第7節の腹面に黒色鱗片群をもつ。成虫で越冬し、早春より出現し、大形の哺乳(ほにゅう)類、とくにウシやヒトなどから吸血する。幼虫は、水田、湿原、池沼、排水溝、水槽などに発生する。三日熱マラリアを媒介する。北海道から琉球(りゅうきゅう)諸島、中国、東南アジアに分布する。コガタハマダラカははねに4個以上の黒色斑点部をもつ小形のハマダラカで、脚(あし)に黄白色の斑点を欠く。東南アジアでは重要なマラリアを媒介するカで、熱帯熱マラリア、三日熱マラリア、四日熱マラリアを媒介する。八重山(やえやま)列島、宮古(みやこ)列島でのかつてのマラリア流行では本種が媒介の役を演じた。幼虫は渓流のよどみ、流水槽に発生し、成虫は土手の草むらに休息し、夜間家屋に侵入してヒトを吸血する。琉球諸島、東南アジア、ニューギニア島に分布する。

［倉橋　弘］

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