Morphological Aberrations of the Dirofilariasis, Sindbis Fever and West Nile Fever Vector Culex Theileri (Diptera: Culicidae) in Iran

Background: Culex theileri (Diptera: Culicidae) is a known vector of pathogens that cause dirofilariasis, Sindbis fever and West Nile fever in Iran. The species is one of the country’s most abundant and widely distributed species. Methods: In order to conduct a faunistic and bionomic study of mosquitoes, larval collection was carried out in Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Province of western Iran using dipping method. Results: In total, some 2096 larvae of Cx. theileri were identified. Among the larvae, 1024 (48.9%) displayed aberra tions and anomalies in the development of cranial seta 1-C (preclypeal seta). Morphological aberrations and anomalies of seta 1-C in the third- and fourth-instar larvae and abdominal terga of the adults of Cx. theileri collected in Iran are discussed and illustrated. Conclusion: More studies are needed throughout the distribution of Cx. theileri to analyze the variation of the species, especially using both morphological and molecular data.