Mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) of Cyprus

Andreas Hadjivassilis

Medical Entomology Laboratory, Nicosia, Cyprus. Email: hadjiand@cytanet.com.cy

The following lists the species of mosquitoes that have been recorded in Cyprus with an indication of their current standing. There are clearly many species whose status is uncertain, indicating the need for new surveys.

Genus Anopheles

Subgenus Anopheles

algeriensis Theobald, 1903 (uncertain record1)

claviger Meigen, 1804 (endemic1)

hyrcanus (Pallas, 1771) (extinct1)

macuilpennis Meigen, 1818 (extinct1)

sacharovi Favre, 1903 (extinct1)

Subgenus Cellia

multicolor Cambouliu, 1902 (extinct1)

superpictus Grassi, 1899 (sporadic1)

Genus Aedes

Subgenus Ochlerotatus

caspius s.l. (Pallas, 1771) (endemic2)

detritus s.l. (Haliday, 1833) (present at Akrotiri Military Base4; current status uncertain elsewhere2)

phoeniciae Coluzzi & Sabatini, 1968 (as mariae (Sergent & Sergent, 1903)) (endemic2, 5)

Subgenus Stegomyia

aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (as argenteus Poiret, 1787 ) (extinct2)

Genus Culex

Subgenus Culex

mimeticus Noe, 1899 (current status uncertain2)

perexiguus Theobald, 1903 (as univittatus Theobald, 1901 ) (current status uncertain2)

pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 (endemic2)

Subgenus Maillotia

hortensis Ficalbi, 1889 (current status uncertain2)

Subgenus Neoculex

martinii Medschid, 1930 (current status uncertain2)

Genus Culiseta

Subgenus Allotheobaldia

longiareolata (Macquart, 1838) (endemic2)

Subgenus Culiseta

annulata (Schrank, 1776) (endemic3)

 

References

1. Aziz, M. (1934) The anopheline mosquitoes of Cyprus. Cyprus Health Department. Paper No. 4. 32pp.

2. Georghiou, G.P. (1977) The insects and mites of Cyprus. Benaki Phytopathological Institute. Kiphissia, Athens, Greece. pp93-94.

3. Samanidou-Voyadjoglou, A. (1999) Personal communication.

4. Burgess, N.R.H. & Chetwyn, K.N. (1983) Control of the salt-marsh mosquito Aedes detritus using growth regulator hormone (Altosid SR10). International Pest Control 25, 74-75.

5. Coluzzi, M., Sabatini, A., Bullini, L. & Ramsdale, C. (1974) Nuovi dati sulla distribuzione della specie del complesso mariae del denere Aedes. Rivista di Malariologia 35, 321-330.