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Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)

Dlium Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)

Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is a species of insect belonging to the family Culicidae. It is characterized by a striking black-and-white color pattern. The size of an adult depends on the larval population density and the availability of food in the aquatic breeding habitat; generally, adults are less than 10 mm in length, with an abdomen length of 2.63 mm, a wing length of 2.7 mm, and a proboscis length of 1.88 mm.

Male

Male mosquitoes are approximately 20% smaller than females, though they are morphologically very similar. Their antennae appear significantly thicker than those of females and are equipped with auditory receptors designed to detect the characteristic buzzing sound produced by female mosquitoes.



The maxillary palps are longer than the proboscis. The tarsi on the hind legs appear more silvery, with the fourth tarsomere (tarsomere IV) being approximately 75% silver. A silvery-white stripe, composed of densely packed scales, extends from between the eyes along the dorsal side of the thorax.

The proboscis is dark in color; the upper surface of the terminal segment of the palps is covered in silvery scales, and the underside of the labium lacks any light-colored stripe. The compound eyes are clearly separated from one another. The scutum (the dorsal portion of the thoracic segment) is black with a white median stripe. The sides of the thorax, the scutellum, and the abdomen feature numerous spots covered in silvery-white scales.

These silvery-white scales are also present on the tarsi—particularly on the hind legs, which often hang suspended in the air. The bases of tarsomeres I through IV feature rings of white scales, creating a black-and-white banded appearance. On the forelegs and midlegs, only the first three tarsomeres possess these white rings, whereas the fifth tarsomere (tarsomere V) on the hind legs is entirely white.

The femur of each leg is also black, with white scales present at the distal end, near the "knee." The femur of the midleg lacks a silver line at the base of its dorsal side, whereas the femur of the hindleg features short white lines at the base of its dorsal side. The tibia is black at the base and lacks white scales.

The terga of abdominal segments II through VI are dark and bear nearly triangular, silvery-white markings at their bases; these markings do not align with the silvery-white scaled bands present on the ventral side of the abdomen. The triangular markings and the silvery-white bands align only on abdominal segment VII. The transparent wings feature white spots at the base of the costa. In older mosquito specimens, these scales may have partially detached.

Female

Female mosquitoes are equipped with an elongated proboscis used to feed on blood, which provides the nutrients necessary for egg development. They possess a rapid biting action and an agility that allows them to evade human attempts to swat them. In contrast, male mosquitoes of this species feed primarily on nectar and do not bite.

Females lay their eggs near stagnant pools of water. However, any open container holding water—even as little as 30 ml—can serve as a breeding ground for larvae. These mosquitoes can also breed in flowing water. They tend to lay their eggs in water sources located near flowers, and their flight range is typically less than 200 meters.

These insects locate hosts by detecting carbon dioxide and organic compounds emitted by the host, as well as through humidity and visual cues. Initially, the mosquitoes exhibit a general searching behavior until they detect stimuli from a host, at which point they shift to a more targeted approach.

These mosquitoes tend to bite in forested areas during the day. While peak activity times vary by region and biotype, they generally rest more during the morning and evening hours. They seek hosts both inside and outside human dwellings, though they are more active outdoors.

The amount of blood consumed depends on the size of the mosquito but is typically around 2 μl. The bite is not always painful, and the mosquito will often bite a human host multiple times if given the opportunity.

Ae. albopictus also feeds on other mammals and birds. Females are persistent in their search for hosts, yet they remain cautious while feeding or hunting. Often, the blood-feeding process is interrupted before the mosquito has ingested enough to support egg development; consequently, a single female may bite several different hosts during a single egg-development cycle. This habit makes this species an intermediate vector for the transmission of pathogens between species.

TAXON

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Nematocera
Infraorder: Culicomorpha
Superfamily: Culicoidea
Family: Culicidae
Subfamily: Culicinae
Tribe: Aedini
Genus: Aedes Meigen (1818)
Subgenus: Stegomyia
Species: Aedes albopictus Skuse (1894)

SYNONYMS

Culex albopictus Skuse (1894)
Stegomyia albopicta Skuse (1894)
Stegomyia nigritia Ludlow (1910)
Stegomyia quasinigritia Ludlow (1911)
Stegomyia samarensis Ludlow (1903)

VERNACULAR NAME

Bulgarian: Тигров комар
Catalan: Mosquit tigre, Moscard Tigre
Chinese (simplified): 白纹伊蚊
Chinese (traditional): 白線斑蚊 - 白紋伊蚊
Croatian: Azijski tigrasti komarac
Czech: Komár tygrovaný
Danish: Asiatisk Tigermyg
Dutch: Tijgermug, Aziatische tijgermug
English: Asian tiger mosquito, Forest mosquito, Aedes mosquito
French: Moustique tigre
German: Asiatische Tigermücke
Greek: Ασιατικό κουνούπι τίγρης
Hebrew: יתוש-יום טיגריסי
Hong Kong: 白線斑蚊 - 白紋伊蚊
Indonesia: Nyamuk hutan, Nyamuk macan Asia
Italian: Zanzara tigre
Japanese: ヒトスジシマカ - 一筋縞蚊
Java: Lemut alas
Korean: 흰줄숲모기
Macao: 白線斑蚊
Polish: Komar tygrysi
Portuguese: Mosquito-tigre
Romanian: Țânțarul tigru asiatic
Russian: Азиатский тигровый комар
Singapore: Aedes mosquito
Slovenian: Tigrasti komar
Spanish: Mosquito tigre asiático
Swedish: Asiatisk tigermygga
Taiwan: 白線斑蚊
Thai: ยุงลายสวน
Turkish: Asya kaplan sivrisineği, Kaplan sivrisineği

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium
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