Culex (Culex) pipiens Linnaeus, 1758

Dawah, Hassan A., Abdullah, Mohammed A., Ahmad, Syed Kamran, Turner, James & Azari-Hamidian, Shahyad, 2023, An overview of the mosquitoes of Saudi Arabia (Diptera: Culicidae), with updated keys to the adult females, Zootaxa 5394 (1), pp. 1-76 : 36

Culex (Culex) pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 ( Fig. 34 )

Type locality. Near Lake Krankesjo , Silvakra farm, Veberod, Scania, Sweden.

Distribution. This species is cosmopolitan ( Azari-Hamidian et al. 2019). In the Middle East and North Africa, it has been recorded in Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen ( Edwards 1914; Knight 1953b; Lewis 1956; Mattingly & Knight 1956; Abdel-Malek 1960; White 1980; Büttiker 1981; Harbach 1985, 1988; Wills et al. 1985; Harbach et al. 1989; Al-Houty 1989, 1997; Minář 1991; Salit et al. 1994; van Harten & Wagener 1994; Al-Khalili et al. 2000; Alten et al. 2000; Brunhes et al. 2000; Miller et al. 2002; Knio et al. 2005; Al-Ali et al. 2008; Rueda et al. 2008; Alahmed et al. 2009; Wegner 2009; Kheir et al. 2010; Al Ahmad et al. 2011; Alahmed 2012; Mutebi et al. 2012; Al Ahmed et al. 2013; Ammar et al. 2013; Sulesco et al. 2013; Al Ashry et al. 2014; Kardousha 2015, 2016; Mahyoub et al. 2015; Hassan et al. 2016; Tantely et al. 2016; Lemine et al. 2017; Shaalan et al. 2017; Tabbabi et al. 2017; Trari et al. 2017; Aqeehal et al. 2019; Azari-Hamidian et al. 2019; Alkhayat et al. 2020; Merdić et al. 2020; Farag et al. 2021; Schaffner et al. 2021; Simsaa et al. 2021; Wilkerson et al. 2021; Khalefa et al. 2022). It was recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia by Mattingly & Knight (1956).

Remarks. In the Middle East, the Culex pipiens assemblage or subgroup comprises the two species: Cx. pipiens (including physiological form or ecotype molestus ) and Cx. quinquefasciatus Say ( Harbach 2012) . The two species are very similar morphologically and taxonomists used to distinguish them by using wing venation, such as the measurement of the intersection of the costa, subcostal and bifurcation of vein R 2+3 ( Harbach 1985; de Morais et al. 2010). The best characters to distinguish them are those of the male genitalia ( Harbach 2012). Recently, Noureldin et al. (2021) utilized, for the first time, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify Cx. pipiens in the Jazan region. It is generally accepted that the ecotype ‘ molestus ’ is autogenous, predominantly bites humans and other large domestic animals, and lays eggs in underground habitats, whereas the typical ‘ pipiens ’ is anautogenous, mainly bites birds and utilizes above-ground oviposition sites ( Wilkerson et al. 2021). These two forms or ecotypes cannot be morphologically distinguished ( Harbach 2012). In some old records in the region ( Abdel-Malek 1960; Salit et al. 1994), Cx. pipiens was referred to as Cx. molestus .

Medical importance. Trari et al. (2017) summarized the role of Cx. pipiens in virus circulation in several countries. The species is a recognized vector of West Nile virus in Algeria, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Tunisia and U.S.A. It also plays a role in transmitting Rift Valley fever, Sindbis and Tahyna viruses, as well as lymphatic microfilariae and canine dogworm in Africa, Asia and Europe ( Meegan et al. 1980; Darwish & Hoogstraal 1981; Schaffner et al. 2001; Harbach 2011; Ferreira et al. 2015; Simsaa et al. 2021). West Nile and Sindbis viruses have been isolated from this species in Iran ( Azari-Hamidian et al. 2019; Hanafi-Bojd et al. 2021). In Saudi Arabia, the species may play a role as a potential vector of Wuchereria bancrofti , since the nematode has been identified in foreign Asian workers in Abha, in the southwest of Saudi Arabia ( Omar 1996). Additionally, it may vector avian malarial protozoa ( Lalubin et al. 2013), Japanese encephalitis virus ( Ravanini et al. 2012) and microfilariae of dirofilariasis ( Cancrini et al. 2006; Ferreira et al. 2015). Culex pipiens also causes notable biting nuisance to animals and humans ( Aqeehal et al. 2019). Wills et al. (1985) reported that a single isolation of Sindbis virus was obtained from Cx. pipiens collected at Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Figures

FIGURE 34. Culex pipiens, female (photo by James Turner, National Museum of Wales).