Culex (Culex) edwardsi Barraud, 1923

NATARAJAN, R., GOPALAKRISHNAN, S., SHRIRAM, A. N. & KUMAR, ASHWANI, 2024, Mosquitoes in crabholes: A hidden realm of culicid diversity in India, Zootaxa 5437 (3), pp. 397-412 : 402-404

Culex (Culex) edwardsi Barraud, 1923

Distribution. Tamil Nadu: Anamalai, Nilgiri Hills (Western Ghats). Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Larvae only. Larvae were collected in spring pools and stream pools, but were also found in crabholes, muddy pools, paddy fields and slow-running streams.

Reference. Tyagi et al. (2016).

Culex (Culex) mimulus Edwards, 1915

Distribution. Assam: Dibrugarh District—Soraipung. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence.Transient—Larvae only.Larvae were collected in a variety of groundwater habitats, including ditches, ground pools, stream pools under shade of forest bushes, wells, artificial containers, bamboo stumps, cement tanks, snail shells and tree holes.

Reference. Unpublished observations.

Culex (Culex) pseudovishnui Colless, 1957

Distribution. Andhra Pradesh: Coringa-Gaderu canal; Karnataka: Kundapur District—Rajadi bridge. Mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults and larvae. Larvae are usually found in various types of freshwater habitats such as natural ground pools, canals, pools at stream margins and rice fields. It is one of the chief vectors of Japanese Encephalitis in different parts of India .

References. Rajavel et al. (2006 a, 2006b).

Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus Say, 1823

Distribution. Kerala: Wayanad District—Periya; Maharashtra: Vikhroli. Mangrove and non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. Larvae usually occur in various types of aquatic habitats with fresh, brackish, turbid, fowl and drainage water, and artificial containers. Females are strongly anthropophilic and vector filarial nematodes over wide areas of the world.

Reference. Rajavel et al. (2007).

Culex (Culex) sitiens Wiedemann, 1828

Distribution. Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Nicobar—Kimus; Maharashtra: Ghatkopar, Kannamwar, Vikhroli; Odisha: Bhitarkanika, Habalikhati; Tamil Nadu: Chidambaram District—Pitchavaram. Mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. Larvae usually occur in brackish water pools in mangrove forests and Casuarina pits.

References; Rajavel et al. (2005 a, 2007); Tyagi et al. (2016).

Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901a

Distribution. Andhra Pradesh: Coringa, Matlapalem; Tamil Nadu: Muthupettai. Mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. Larvae are usually found in lakes, irrigation canals, ponds, rice fields and rock pools, and also in brackish water pools in mangroves. Sirivanakarn (1976) reported the occurrence of the species in various habitats, such as ditches, wells, crabholes, rock pools in salt marshes, mangroves, nipa palm swamps and artificial containers (boats, canoes, jars and cans). This species is one of the main vectors of Japanese encephalitis virus in different parts of India.

References. Rajavel et al. (2005b, 2006a).

Culex (Culex) vishnui Theobald, 1901b

Distribution. Kerala: Wayanad District—Thonichal. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. The common aquatic habitats are ditches, ground pools, ponds, pools in stream margins and rice fields. This species is a main vector of Japanese encephalitis virus in different parts of India.

Reference. Unpublished observations.

Culex (Culiciomyia) fragilis Ludlow, 1903

Distribution. Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram District—Ayrumkala, Molamedu. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Larvae only. Larvae usually occur in artificial containers, coconut shells, and ground pools. Bram (1967) reported that larvae were found in temporary and semi-permanent ground pools, ponds, potholes, puddles, rock holes, rock pools, spathes and tree holes.

Reference. Unpublished observations.

Culex (Culiciomyia) pallidothorax Theobald, 1905b

Distribution. Kerala: Ernakulam District—Thattekkad, Wayanad; Odisha: Malkangiri, Keonjhar. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Larvae only. Immature stages were found in artificial containers, burrow pits, cement tanks, coconut shells, elephant footprints, puddles, rice fields, riverbed pools, rock pools, spathes, stream margins and wells

References. Tyagi et al. (2016); unpublished observations.

Culex (Culiciomyia) spathifurca ( Edwards, 1915)

Distribution. Odisha: Habalikhati. Mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. Larvae usually inhabit ground pools, tree holes, burrow pits, boats and swamps. Immature stages and adults have been reported from crabholes in Ceylon ( Carter & Wijesundara 1948).

Reference. Rajavel et al. (2005a).

Culex (Eumelanomyia) hinglungensis Chu, 1957

Distribution. Jharkhand: West Singhbhum District—Noamundi. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. The larval habitat is unknown.

Reference. Rajavel et al. (2005b).

Culex (Eumelanomyia) malayi ( Leicester, 1908)

Distribution. Jammu & Kashmir: Jammu District — Mirpur-chowk; Karnataka: Kundapur; Tamil Nadu: Muthupettai. Mangrove and non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. Larvae occur in ground pools, latex cups under heavy-shaded forests, ponds, rock pools, riverbed pools and stream margins. Immature stages have also been found in crabholes.

References. Rajavel et al. (2005b, 2006b, 2007).

Culex (Eumelanomyia) pluvialis Barraud, 1924a

Distribution. Kerala: Perunthenaruvi. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. Immature stages were collected in a rock pool in a heavy jungle, and have also been found in cement tanks, rock pools, rock holes and stream margins. Barraud (1934) reported in small rock pools in jungles.

Reference. Unpublished observations.

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) bicornutus ( Theobald, 1910)

Distribution. Andhra Pradesh: Araku-Muliyaguda; Chhattisgarh: Lapha; Kerala: Braemore Hills, Thrippunithura; Odisha: Malkangiri District—Govindapalli, Keonjhar District—Dhankuniasahi, Mamalapusi; Meghalaya: Tura District—Dibru Hills. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults and larvae. Immature stages of this species are most frequently found in habitats close to the ground, usually in rock pools at stream margins under heavy or partial shade of dense tropical forest, and have also been found in bamboo stumps, coconut shells, footprints, latex cups, rock pools, rainwater collections, seepage pools, spathe, tin containers and tree holes.

References. Rajavel et al. (2011); unpublished observations.

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) flavicornis Barraud, 1924b

Distribution. Kerala: Malapuram, Silent Valley; Tamil Nadu: Anamalai, Nilgiri Hills (Western Ghats), Kolli Hills (Eastern Ghats). Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Larvae only. Immature stages were collected in iron blocks, hoof prints, rainwater pools, rock pools, seepage pools, slow-running stream containing numerous fallen leaves under the heavy shade of a tropical forest, and tree holes.

Reference. Tyagi et al. (2016).

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) infantulus Edwards, 1922a

Distribution. Assam: Golaghat; Maharashtra: Vikhroli; Meghalaya: Tura District—Dibru Hills. Mangrove and non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults and larvae. Larvae usually inhabit artificial containers, bamboo stumps, cement tanks, foot prints, hoof prints, irrigation canals, ponds, rice fields, slow-running streams, seepage pools, stream pools, tree holes and wells.

References. Rajavel et al. (2007); unpublished observations.

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) mammilifer ( Leicester, 1908)

Distribution. Andaman and Nicobar Islands: North Andaman—Karmatang; Assam: Dibugarh District— Soraipung. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults only. Immature stages are usually found in elephant hoof marks, ground pools, seepage pools and stream pools. Sirivanakarn (1977) found that the species utilize ground pools as the principal habitat under heavy forest shade.

References. Bhattacharyya et al. (2004); Rajavel & Natarajan (2006).

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) minor ( Leicester, 1908)

Distribution. Andaman and Nicobar Islands: South Andaman—Wandoor; North Andaman—Karmatang. Mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Larvae only. The principal habitats include bamboo stumps, rock pools and tree holes.

Reference. Tyagi et al. (2016).

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) minutissimus ( Theobald, 1907)

Distribution. Chhattisgarh: Lapha; Jharkhand: Noamundi; Odisha: Malkangiri District—Govindpalli, Mayurbhanj District—Simlipal, Sundargarh District—Todabasti. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Adults and larvae. Immature stages were found in ground pools, hoof prints, latex cups, riverbed pools, rock holes, stream pools and wells.

Reference. Unpublished observations.

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) peytoni Bram & Rattanarithikul, 1967

Distribution. Meghalaya: Baghmara District—Baghmara to Rongjeng. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Larvae only. The common habitats of this species are bamboo stumps and tree holes in rainforests.

Reference. Unpublished observations.

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) singhbhumensis Natarajan & Rajavel, 2009

Distribution. Odisha: Keonjhar District—Dhankuniasahi, Mammalapusi. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Semi-specific—Larvae only. Immature stages were collected in crabholes in stream margins, and seepages.

Reference. Natarajan & Rajavel (2009).

Culex (Lophoceraomyia) wardi Sirivanakarn, 1977

Distribution. Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram District—Amode, Thalaammala. Non-mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Transient—Larvae only. Larvae inhabit ground pools with decaying leaves, footprints, seepages and spathes; adults resting in crabholes, tree holes and the bases of trees under heavy shade in forests. Sirivanakarn (1977) also recorded from ground pools, rock pools, and also in bamboo stumps under heavy shade in forests

Reference. Unpublished observations.

Culex (Oculeomyia) bitaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901a

Distribution. Karnataka: Kundapur District—Rajadi bridge. Mangrove.

Habitat dependence. Accidental—Adults only. Immature stages were usually found in algae-filled streams, ground pools, ponds, rock pools, rice fields and seepages.

Reference. Rajavel et al. (2006b).