Original Article

Morphological Aberrations of the Dirofilariasis, Sindbis Fever and West Nile Fever Vector Culex Theileri (Diptera: Culicidae) in Iran

Abstract

Background: Culex theileri (Diptera: Culicidae) is a known vector of pathogens that cause dirofilariasis, Sindbis fever and West Nile fever in Iran. The species is one of the country’s most abundant and widely distributed species.

Methods: In order to conduct a faunistic and bionomic study of mosquitoes, larval collection was carried out in Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Province of western Iran using dipping method.

Results: In total, some 2096 larvae of Cx. theileri were identified. Among the larvae, 1024 (48.9%) displayed aberra­tions and anomalies in the development of cranial seta 1-C (preclypeal seta). Morphological aberrations and anomalies of seta 1-C in the third- and fourth-instar larvae and abdominal terga of the adults of Cx. theileri collected in Iran are discussed and illustrated.

Conclusion: More studies are needed throughout the distribution of Cx. theileri to analyze the variation of the species, especially using both morphological and molecular data.

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IssueVol 16 No 3 (2022) QRcode
SectionOriginal Article
DOI https://doi.org/10.18502/jad.v16i3.12036
Keywords
Anomalous; Abnormal; Character; Morphology; Variation

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How to Cite
1.
Azari-Hamidian S, Omrani S-M. Morphological Aberrations of the Dirofilariasis, Sindbis Fever and West Nile Fever Vector Culex Theileri (Diptera: Culicidae) in Iran. J Arthropod Borne Dis. 2023;16(3):206–216.