Anopheles gambiae

Anopheles gambiae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Culicidae
Subfamily:
Anophelinae
Genus:
Anopheles
Species complex:
A. gambiae sensu lato
Species:
Binomial name
Anopheles gambiae
The tube-like heart (green) extends along the body, interlinked with the diamond-shaped alary muscles (also green) and surrounded by pericardial cells (red). Blue depicts cell nuclei.

The Anopheles gambiae complex consists of at least seven morphologically indistinguishable species of mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles. The complex was recognised in the 1960s and includes the most important vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly of the most dangerous malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.[2] It is one of the most efficient malaria vectors known. The An. gambiae mosquito additionally transmits Wuchereria bancrofti which causes lymphatic filariasis, a symptom of which is elephantiasis.[3]

  1. ^ Giles, G. M. (1902). A handbook of the gnats or mosquitoes giving the anatomy and life history of the Culicidae together with descriptions of all species noticed up to the present date. London, United Kingdom: John Bale, Sons & Danielsson.
  2. ^ "Anopheles gambiae complex". Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29.
  3. ^ "Lymphatic filariasis". www.who.int. Retrieved 2020-04-10.