Toxorhynchites splendens explained

Toxorhynchites (Toxorhynchites) splendens is a species of non-hematophagous (not blood-feeding) mosquito belonging to the genus Toxorhynchites. It is widely used as a predator to control dengue mosquitoes.^[1]

Distribution

It shows nearly a cosmopolitan distribution throughout the Old World, except African continent both through human influences and natural methods. It is found in India, Sri Lanka^[2] Malaysia, Thailand, New Guinea, Fiji Islands, Philippines, Rotuma Island.^[3]

Importance

The large expansion is may be due to naval transport of larva from one place to another. In 1934, these mosquitoes were introduced to Fiji as a method of biological control of Aedes polynesiensis, and in India and Malaysia to control Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus who are prominent vectors of many human diseases.^[4] They prefer to consume eggs and larva Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi.^{[5] [6]}

Alphamethrin, deltamethrin, Malathion can be used to control the mosquito.^[7]

External links

• Laboratory evaluation of Toxorhynchites splendens (Diptera: Culicidae) for predation of Aedes albopictus mosquito larvae.
• OBSERVATIONS ON TOXORHYNCHITES SPLENDENS
• The use of Toxorhynchites splendens for identification and quantitation of serotypes contained in the tetravalent live attenuated dengue vaccine
• Frequency-dependent prey selection by larvae of Toxorhynchites splendens (Diptera: Culicidae)

Notes and References

1. Web site: minimus (Theobald) . Systematic Catalog of Culicidae . 3 February 2017.
2. Web site: An annotated checklist of mosquitoes of Sri Lanka . Man and Biosphere Reserve of Sri Lanka . 3 February 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160625065751/http://thakshana.nsf.ac.lk/slstic/NA-81/NA_81.pdf . 25 June 2016 .
3. Web site: Species Details : Toxorhynchites splendens (Wiedemann, 1819) . Catalogue of Life . 3 February 2017.
4. Web site: The biology of Toxorhynchites mosquitoes and their potential as biocontrol agents . Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, UK . 3 February 2017.
5. Risky Behaviors: Effects of Toxorhynchites splendens (Diptera: Culicidae) Predator on the Behavior of Three Mosquito Species . Journal of Insect Science . 15 . 128 . jinsectscience . 10.1093/jisesa/iev115 . 26386041. 4626665 . 2015 . Zuharah . Wan Fatma . Fadzly . Nik . Yusof . Nur Aishah . Dieng . Hamady .
6. Web site: CANNIBALISM AND CARNIVORY IN TOXORHYNCHITES SPLENDENS (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) . Vector Control Research Centre . 3 February 2017.
7. Toxicity of insecticides to Toxorhynchites splendens and three vector mosquitos and their sublethal effect on biocontrol potential of the predator. . The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health . 27 . 1 . 154–159 . Das . P. K. . Amalraj . D. D. . 9031419. 1996 .