They are small insects of 3-10 mm,the body covered with scales,one pair of compound eyes,one pair of long antenne and mouth.
Female are adapted for percing and sucking blood with the blood feeder formed of: uper lip,tongue with salivary duct running along it,one pair of mandibles and one pair of maxille with separrated tips,lower lip (this does not enter the wound of bite when mosquito feeds).The secretion of saliva causes hyperemia and prevent coagulation of blood.
The male suck only and feeds on flower juice (vegetarian) and has no role in disease transmission.
The life cycle takes 2 weeks.Fertilised female need a blood meal for development of eggs and eggs are laid on the surface of water either singly or in group cemented together.It hatches within 3-4 days at the suitable temperature.
The larva lives in water and feeds on organic matter and plants.
Transmission of disease:
By bite the female mosquito can transmit the fallowing diseases:
-human malaria
-tissue namatode (tissue worm)
-viral encephalitis
-rift valley fever virus: viral disease.
-bird malaria
-dengue fever virus: a viral disease similar to influenza characterized by fever,headache,bone aches and severe joint pains that last for about one week.
-yellow fever virus: is a qurantinable viral disease wich is endemic in Tropical africa and South America).
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