Anopheles species

It is important that the identification of your specimen is checked by a mosquito taxonomist. 

New Zealand Status: Not Present

A genus of over 450 species worldwide, many of which are vectors of malaria. Invasive; moderate biosecurity threat.

NB If you used the identification key to reach this information page, be aware that species of Bironella also key out here. They are found in tropical Australia, Asia and Melanesia and are unlikely to establish in New Zealand. They can be separated from Anopheles by the sinuous appearance of veins M₁₊₂ and M₃₊₄ of the wings.

The Anopheles annulipes species complex from Australia contains 10 sibling species, including 5 temperate species that could survive in New Zealand (Boyd and Weinstein 1996).

Anopheles (Cellia) annulipes sensu latu  Walker, 1856

New Zealand Status: Not Present

Endemic to Australia, Anopheles annulipes is a species complex with at least 3 in southeastern Australia. It is not possible to reliably differentiate most of these species on appearance and they are generally referred to as Anopheles annulipes sensu latu (s.l.), meaning Anopheles annulipes 'in the broad sense' (Russell 1993).

Vector and Disease Information

Anopheles annulipes is only rarely a pest even when relatively abundant as it does not preferentially attack humans. It is known to be a laboratory vector of malaria and almost certainly has been responsible for transmission of malaria in many areas of southern Australia. It can carry human filaria and dog heartworm, but is not an efficient vector, and has yielded isolates of Ross River virus from the Murray Valley, but overall is not thought to be an important vector of human disease (Russell 1993).

Distribution

Australasian Biogeographic Region
NOT PRESENT.
New Zealand - Potential vector of malaria with potential to survive in New Zealand (Boyd & Weinstein 1996).

PRESENT, ENDEMIC.
Australia - New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania (lowland areas), Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia (Russell 1993).

Rest of the Region - Indonesia (West Papua), Lord Howe Island, Papua New Guinea (WRBU 2001).

Taxonomic Position

Anopheles, with about 500 species, is the dominant genus in the mosquito subfamily Anophelinae. Most Anopheles species are approximately equally divided between the subgenera Anopheles and Cellia. The species complex Anopheles annulipes sensu latu is in the subgenus Cellia.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis is the minimum set of characters and states that will separate this taxon from all others in this set of taxa.

Characteristic Features

FEMALES - A medium-sized mosquito of dark and speckly grey appearance. Head:  proboscis generally dark above and often with variable pale area below on apical half (in northern Australia the apical half of the proboscis may be all pale), palps as long as proboscis and palps with broad white apical bands on terminal three segments. Thorax: scutum a greyish colour with scattering of broad white scales, sides of thorax with some darker-coloured areas but only a few pale scales. Wings: wings with all veins having patches of dark and pale scales. Legs: hind legs with femur, tibia and first tarsus spotted and banded with pale scales, tarsi 2-4 with apical pale band and tarsus 5 is usually all dark. Abdomen: abdominal tergites and sternites hairy but with no scales except for some pale scales scattered on terminal few segments (Russell 1993).