Anopheles dirus

Anopheles dirus is a vector of malaria in Asian forested zones.[2]

Anopheles dirus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Culicidae
Genus: Anopheles
Species subgroup: Leucosphyrus subgroup
Species complex: Dirus species complex
Peyton & Harrison, 1979
Species[1]
  • Anopheles dirus s.s. (species A)
  • Anopheles crascens (species B)
  • Anopheles scanloni (species C)
  • Anopheles baimaii (species D)
  • Anopheles elegans (species E)
  • Anopheles nemophilous (species F)
  • Anopheles takasagoensis

Taxonomy

It is often seen as a species complex including at least seven[3][4] closely related and efficient forest-based malaria vectors in Asia. Hence, its geographical distribution is overlapping with areas of high malaria prevalence rates and the occurrence of drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum.[5] P. falciparum is one of the four main protozoan parasites that cause malaria and is one of the leading causes of malaria deaths. This species complex is of high medical importance for malaria control, in view of the biological specificities of the members of this complex. Sympatric sibling species of the complex differ in types of larval habitat, seasonality and behaviour. These differences also exist within the species suggesting the role of environmental factors in determining these.[2]

Distribution

The complex has been reported mainly from Northeast India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand.[3] It has also been reported from other areas in India such as Jammu & Kashmir[6] and Andaman Islands.[7] One of the species in the complex has also been reported from Shimoga in South India although its vectorial status is unknown.[3] GIS-based predictive habitat modelling has revealed that over half of several Northeast Indian states, whole of Thailand and nearly a third of large areas in South Indian states like Kerala and Goa could harbour this complex.[8]

References
  1. Sallum MA, Peyton EL,& Wilkerson RC. 2005. Six new species of the Anopheles leucosphyrus group, reinterpretation of An. elegans and vector implications. Med. Vet. Entomol.,19, 158–199.
  2. Obsomer, Valerie; Defourny, Pierre; Coosemans, Marc (2007). "The Anopheles dirus complex: spatial distribution and environmental drivers". Malaria Journal. 6 (26): 1474–2875. doi:10.1186/1475-2875-6-26. PMC 1838916. PMID 17341297.
  3. Dash AP, Adak, T., Raghavendra, K., Singh, OP. (2007) The biology and control of malaria vectors in India. Current Science 92(11). p.1574 PDF.
  4. Peyton EL. 1989. A new classification for the Leucosphyrus group of Anopheles (Cellia). Mosq. Syst. 21:197–205.
  5. Yang TH (1983) A review of literature on Anopheles balabacensis balabacensis. World Health Organization. WHO/MAL/83.999, WHO/MAL/83.873M.
  6. Nair, C. P., J. Commun. Dis., 1973, 5, 22–46.
  7. Covell, G., Report of an inquiry into malaria condition in the Andamans, Govt. Press, Delhi, 1927.
  8. Srivastava, Aruna; Nagpal, B. N.; Saxena, Rekha; Subbarao, S. K. (10 May 2001). "Predictive habitat modelling for forest malaria vector species An. dirus in India – A GIS-based approach" (PDF). Current Science. 80 (9): 1129–34. Retrieved 2009-06-16.


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