Anopheles vs Aedes
Anopheles and Aedes are two of the most notoriously famous mosquitoes among people for their daring ability to be vectors of serious diseases. However, mosquitoes are mosquitoes for most of us, but there are very important facts that should be known about them. Anopheles and Aedes are both dangerous, but their modes of dangers to humans are different between them.
Anopheles
Anopheles is a genus of a mosquito with more than 460 species distributed throughout the world. The vast majority of the Anopheles species are vectors of diseases. Their body organization serves them with a slender body with three main sections known as head, thorax, and abdomen. One of the main identifying features of Anopheles is the long palps that are almost about the length of the proboscis. In addition to that, the highly distinguishable black and white scales on the wings are very important to notice in these mosquitoes. Those black and white markings can be observed on their legs, as well. Anopheles rest on a surface with the abdomen kept at a slight angle so that the tip of the abdomen appears to be sticking upwards.
The longevity of Anopheles males is much shorter than that of females. Males feed on plant sap while the females require blood as their meal, which sustains the developing eggs inside them. The most important significance of Anopheles for human is that they are the vectors of the Malaria disease. Anopheles transmits the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, through their saliva into humans when they bite the skin. They are vectors of a number of diseases such as Canine Heartworm disease, Filariasis, brain tumour causing viruses, etc. The distribution of Anopheles is more prominent in the tropical areas than in temperate parts of the world. The world keep spending large lumps of money to control the population growth of Anopheles, but their great adaptability seems to be winning the race.
Aedes
Aedes is a highly diversified mosquito genus that contains more than 700 species including the well-known Aedes aegypti that transmit the parasite of deadly Dengue fever for humans. Aedes means unpleasant in Greek; it was because they caused much nuisance to people. The body shape of Aedes does not vary much from the common mosquito body shape. However, their body appears to be small and stout. There are no patches of black and white colour scales on their wings, but the markings on legs are very prominent.
Aedes mosquitoes are mostly active during the daytime. However, some of the species are active during dawn and dusk like the other mosquitoes. It should be stated that their active period of the day means the foraging time. The Yellow fever is another deadly disease caused by Aedes mosquitoes. They have been originated in the old world tropics, invaded the new world, but Europe has not been a successful ground for them so far.
What is the difference between Anopheles and Aedes?
• They spread different types of diseases, but malaria parasite occurs only in Anopheles while Dengue and Yellow fever parasites occur in Aedes.
• Aedes is shorter in length than Anopheles.
• Anopheles is more slender than Aedes.
• Aedes usually bites during daytime, but anopheles prefers dawn and dusk.
• Aedes has black and white stripes all over the body except wings, but the anopheles only has blocks of black and white scales mainly on the wings.
• Anopheles rests with their abdomens sticking upwards, whereas Aedes lies parallel to their resting surface.