**2. Classification of mosquito**

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Hexapoda Class: Insecta Subclass: Pterygota Order: Diptera Suborder: Nematocera Family: Culicidae Subfamily: Culicinae [13]

The fragmentary data available on mosquito life cycle and cytogenetics clearly indicate the kind and amount of future work to be done. Out of so many kinds of

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*Life Cycle and Cytogenetic Study of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)*

mosquitos thus far described, there have been life cycle and cytogenetics information on fewer species and much of this is very superficial. Therefore, the life cycle and the karyotype of the populations of the mosquito *C. quinquefasciatus* have been

Mosquitoes fall in the Culicidae family of the Diptera order. This family includes two medically important subfamilies: Anophelinae and Culicinae [14]. The Culicidae family has about 3500 species of mosquitoes belonging to 43 genera, including *Culex* [15]. *Culex* is a cosmopolitan genus and one of the largest groups of the family Culicidae with 768 species divided among 26 subgenera [16]. Classification under the *Culex* is based on the diagnostic characteristics of females

However, most of the available classification keys should be used with caution because the phenotypic traits of females may be either multiform or overlapping. The morphological characteristics of the fourth larval stage are also used to determine species; however, some overlaps between species may also be difficulties for the researchers to obtain an accurate classification of mosquito species. Despite the significant phenotypic similarity between the *northern house mosquito* or *common house mosquito Culex pipiens* Linnaeus complex, they differ widely in behavior,

Mosquitoes are widespread in all the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, which extend into the Arctic Circle but are absent in Antarctica [17]. The eggs from temperate breeds have more strain than those found in warmer regions [18]. Mosquitoes are found at a height of 550 m and a depth of 1250 m below sea level [19]. The shallow-water marshes containing plants are a preferred environment for the growth and reproduction of mosquitoes. The most important species that prefer these environments are the types of *Culex*, especially *C. pipiens* and

Most mosquitoes mate shortly after leaving the envelope of the pupa. The sperms are passed by the male and are saved by the female within the spermatheca and all eggs can be fertilized in the female throughout her life. Therefore, one mat-

Female mosquitoes need to obtain the blood meal necessary for egg growth and maturity. This is referred to as the development of anautogenous development, as in the case of type *C. quinquefasciatus*, but in some species where at least the first meal of eggs can develop. Probably, following the payments without a blood meal, the process is called autogenous development as in *Culex molestus* Forskal [15]. Female often need a blood meal either before or after mating before they mature. Many species draw on humans to get their meals from the blood and feed a little on human blood by preference for any other animal so these are called anthropophilic species in their dietary habits, while those that feed primarily on animals (mammals, reptiles, and birds) are animal lover zoophilic, and mosquitoes feeding

Some mosquitoes prefer feeding at specific times of the day, such as dusk, dawn, or midnight, but daytime feeding can also occur. A few mosquitoes enter homes often for human feeding and are called endophagic feeders in their eating habits,

All mosquito species go through four stages during their life cycles (**Figure 1**):

while those that bite outside of their homes are called exophagic [7].

ing is sufficient for each female throughout her lifetime [7].

on birds are called bird lovers ornithophilic [21].

• egg—hatches when exposed to water;

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93219*

studied collected from three provinces of Iraq.

**3. Life cycle of mosquito**

and males mosquito.

physiology, and preference.

*C. salinarius* Coquillett [20].

mosquitos thus far described, there have been life cycle and cytogenetics information on fewer species and much of this is very superficial. Therefore, the life cycle and the karyotype of the populations of the mosquito *C. quinquefasciatus* have been studied collected from three provinces of Iraq.
