Aedes albopictus

For a mosquito of similar appearance, see Aedes aegypti.

Aedes albopictus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Culicidae
Genus: Aedes
Subgenus: Stegomyia
Species:
A. albopictus
Binomial name
Aedes albopictus
(Skuse, 1894)
Synonyms[1]
  • Culex albopictus Skuse, 1894
  • Stegomyia albopicta (Skuse, 1894)
  • Stegomyia nigritia Ludlow, 1910
  • Stegomyia quasinigritia Ludlow, 1911
  • Stegomyia samarensis Ludlow, 1903

Aedes albopictus (synonym Stegomyia albopicta), from the mosquito (Culicidae) family, also known as the (Asian) tiger mosquito or forest mosquito, is a mosquito native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia. In the past few centuries, however, this species has spread to many countries through the transport of goods and international travel.[2] It is characterized by the white bands on its legs and body.

This mosquito has become a significant pest in many communities because it closely associates with humans (rather than living in wetlands), and typically flies and feeds in the daytime in addition to at dusk and dawn. The insect is called a tiger mosquito as it has stripes, as does a tiger. Ae. albopictus is an epidemiologically important vector for the transmission of many viral pathogens, including the yellow fever virus, dengue fever, and Chikungunya fever,[3] as well as several filarial nematodes such as Dirofilaria immitis.[4] Aedes albopictus is capable of hosting the Zika virus[5][6] and is considered a potential vector for Zika transmission among humans.

  1. ^ "Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894)". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  2. ^ Scholte, J.-E.; Schaffner, F. (2007). "Waiting for the tiger: establishment and spread of the Aedes albopictus mosquito in Europe". In Takken, W.; Knols, B. G. J. (eds.). Emerging pests and vector-borne diseases in Europe. Vol. 1. Wageningen Academic Publishers. doi:10.3920/978-90-8686-626-7. ISBN 978-90-8686-053-1.
  3. ^ Hochedez, P.; et al. (2006). "Chikungunya Infection in Travelers". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 12 (10): 1565–1567. doi:10.3201/eid1210.060495. ISSN 1080-6040. PMC 3290953. PMID 17176573.
  4. ^ Cancrini G, Frangipane di Regalbono A, Riccia I, Tessarin C, Gabrielli S, Pietrobelli M (2003). "Aedes albopictus is a natural vector of Dirofilaria immitis in Italy". Veterinary Parasitology. 118 (3–4): 195–202. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2003.10.011. ISSN 0304-4017. PMID 14729167.
  5. ^ Wong, Pei-Sze Jeslyn (2013). "Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse): A Potential Vector of Zika Virus in Singapore". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 7 (8): e2348. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002348. PMC 3731215. PMID 23936579.
  6. ^ Grard, Gilda (2014). "Zika Virus in Gabon (Central Africa) – 2007: A New Threat from Aedes albopictus?". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 8 (2): e2681. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002681. PMC 3916288. PMID 24516683.