Etymologia: Culex quinquefasciatus

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Guagliardo, Sarah Anne J. ; Levine, Rebecca S.
• Description:
  Culex quinquefasciatus [′kyo͞ o leks ′kwinkwə fa she ′ah tus]
  
  In 1823, the American entomologist Thomas Say described Culex (Latin for “gnat”) quinquefasciatus, which he collected along the Mississippi River. Originally written as “C. 5-fasciatus,” the name refers to 5 (“quinque”) black, broad, transverse bands (“fasciatus” or “fasciae”) on the mosquito’s dorsal abdomen. The name remains despite later revelations of more than 5 fasciae, thanks to improved microscopy. Although quinquefasciatus is the offi cial scientific name, there are at least 5 synonymous names for this species.
  
  Say described this species as “exceedingly numerous and troublesome.” “Quinx” are among the world’s most abundant peridomestic mosquitoes, earning the nickname “southern house mosquito.” Cx. quinquefasciatus is found throughout subtropical and tropical areas worldwide, except for exceedingly dry or cold regions. This mosquito is a principal vector of many pathogens, transmitting the phlebovirus Rift Valley fever virus and the 2 fl aviviruses St. Louis encephalitis virus and West Nile virus, in addition to fi larial worms and avian malarial parasites.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Culex Culex Quinquefasciatus Etymologia Mosquito Vectors Terminology As Topic
• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 27(8):2041
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC8314802
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Genre:
  Etymologia
• Volume:
  27
• Issue:
  8
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:47bee78351c3357cf3161d5f35ed3be022027e70632793b6e07bf68785802549
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/108814/cdc_108814_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.10 MB ]