Biology:Aedes vexans

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Short description: Species of mosquito

Aedes vexans
Scientific classification edit
Missing taxonomy template (fix): Aedes (Aedimorphus)
Species:
A. vexans
Binomial name
Aedes vexans
(Meigen), 1830

Aedes vexans, commonly known as the inland floodwater mosquito or tomguito, is a widespread and frequently encountered pest mosquito with a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.[1]

Description

The adult female A. vexans is characterized by a bandless proboscis with white ventral scales, short, brown scales on the scutum, and B-shaped markings (when viewed from the side) on each abdominal tergite.[2] Only females take blood meals, showing a preference for humans and cattle, while males feed exclusively on nectar, honeydew, and sap—sources that females also utilize, though infrequently.[3] This species is commonly found in habitats such as grassy pools, partially shaded woodland pools, roadside ditches, and cultivated fields.[4]

Lifecycle

After a blood meal, the female A. vexans deposits her eggs in areas prone to flooding, where they remain dormant until inundated, triggering hatching.[5] In temperate regions, larvae are present from April to September, and adults are active from May to October.[4]

Medical importance

A. vexans is a recognized vector for several pathogens:

  • Dirofilaria immitis (dog heartworm), transmitted to canines.[6]
  • Tahyna virus, a Bunyaviridae virus affecting humans in Europe, causing fever that typically resolves within two days but may progress to encephalitis or meningitis in rare cases.[7]
  • Myxomatosis, a viral disease fatal to rabbits, though A. vexans’ role as a vector is less definitive and may be region-specific.[8]
  • West Nile virus, affects mainly birds, humans and horses; found in mosquitoes collected in the UK in 2023, published in May 2025.[9]

In Europe, A. vexans is the predominant mosquito species, often accounting for over 80% of the mosquito population in certain areas, with abundance tied to floodwater availability.[10] During summer, trap collections can yield up to 8,000 individuals per night.[10] The species has demonstrated a higher transmission efficiency for Zika virus compared to A. aegypti, enhancing its potential as a vector in northern latitudes beyond the range of primary vectors A. aegypti and A. albopictus, due to its wide distribution, periodic high abundance, and aggressive human-biting behavior.[11]

Additionally, A. vexans harbors insect-specific viruses, including Chaoyang virus[12] and Aedes vexans Iflavirus,[13] which do not affect humans or other vertebrates but are of interest in virological studies.

References

  1. ↑ "Aedes vexans (Meigen, 1830)". https://wrbu.si.edu/vectorspecies/mosquitoes/vexans. 
  2. ↑ Carpenter, S.J.; LaCasse, W.J. (1955). Mosquitos of North America (North of Mexico). University of California Press. pp. 123–125. 
  3. ↑ Horsfall, W.R. (1955). Mosquitos: Their Bionomics and Relation to Disease. Ronald Press Co.. pp. 150–152. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Species Aedes vexans - Inland Floodwater Mosquito". http://bugguide.net/node/view/57572. 
  5. ↑ Horsfall, W.R. (1955). Mosquitos: Their Bionomics and Relation to Disease. Ronald Press Co.. pp. 150–152. 
  6. ↑ Ledesma, N.; Harrington, L. (2011). "Mosquito vectors of dog heartworm in the United States". Veterinary Parasitology 180 (1–2): 101–108. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.05.042. 
  7. ↑ Hubálek, Z. (2008). "Mosquito-borne viruses in Europe". Parasitology Research 103 (Suppl 1): S29–S43. doi:10.1007/s00436-008-1064-7. 
  8. ↑ Kerr, P.J. (2012). "Myxomatosis in Australia: A historical perspective". Journal of Wildlife Diseases 48 (4): 807–815. doi:10.7589/2012-03-086. 
  9. ↑ "West Nile virus detected in UK mosquitoes for first time". BBC. 2025-05-21. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c77115e0645o. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Mosquito of the Month: Aedes vexans - the Inland Floodwater Mosquito". Vector Disease Control International. 2016-06-30. http://www.vdci.net/blog/mosquito-of-the-month-aedes-vexans-the-inland-floodwater-mosquito. 
  11. ↑ O’Donnell, K.L.; Bixby, M.A.; Morin, K.J.; Bradley, D.S.; Vaughan, J.A. (2017). "Potential of a Northern Population of Aedes vexans (Diptera: Culicidae) to Transmit Zika Virus". Journal of Medical Entomology 54 (5): 1354–1359. doi:10.1093/jme/tjx087. 
  12. ↑ Lee, J.S.; Grubaugh, N.D.; Kondig, J.P.; Turell, M.J.; Kim, H.C.; Klein, T.A. (2013). "Isolation and genomic characterization of Chaoyang virus strain ROK144 from Aedes vexans nipponii from the Republic of Korea". Virology 435 (2): 220–224. doi:10.1016/j.virol.2012.10.020. 
  13. ↑ Parry, R.; Naccache, F.; Ndiaye, E.H.; Fall, G.; Castelli, I.; Lühken, R. (2020). "Identification and RNAi Profile of a Novel Iflavirus Infecting Senegalese Aedes vexans arabiensis Mosquitoes". Viruses 12 (4): 440. doi:10.3390/v12040440. 

Wikidata ☰ Q144273 entry



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