Anophele mosquito are the most notorious of all vectors of disease to man. Only Anophele mosquito can transmit the Plasmodium species, namely Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale, which cause malaria in man.

Characteristics

Anopheles have spotted wings, that is the dark and pale scales are arranged in small blocks or areas on the veins. The number, length and arrangement of these dark and pale areas differ considerably in different species and provide useful characters for species identification. Unlike Culicinae the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the abdomen are almost, or entirely, devoid of appressed scales. In both sexes the palps are about as long as the proboscis and in males, but not females, they are enlarged (that is clubbed) apically.