{{Short description|Species of mosquito}} {{Speciesbox | image = Aedess increpitus.png | genus = Aedes | parent = Aedes (Ochlerotatus) | species = increpitus | authority = (Dyar, 1916) | synonyms = * ''Ochlerotatus increpitus'' (Dyar, 1916) }}
'''''Aedes increpitus''''' is a species of mosquito in the genus ''Aedes'', subgenus ''Ochlerotatus''. It is native to North America, where it inhabits woodland and forested areas, particularly in mountainous regions. This species is a floodwater mosquito, with females laying eggs in areas prone to flooding, which hatch when submerged. Although it can bite humans, it is not considered a significant vector of human diseases.
== Taxonomy == ''Aedes increpitus'' was first described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1916.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Dyar |first=H. G. |year=1916 |title=New Aedes from the mountains of California |journal=Insecutor Inscitiae Menstruus |volume=4 |pages=80–86}}</ref> It belongs to the subgenus ''Ochlerotatus'' within the genus ''Aedes''. The species is part of the ''Aedes increpitus'' complex, which includes closely related species such as ''A. clivis'' and ''A. washinoi''.<ref name="Reeves1998">{{cite journal |last=Reeves |first=W. C. |date=1998 |title=The distribution of species of the Aedes increpitus complex in the western United States |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/content/part/JAMCA/JAMCA_V14_N2_P173-177.pdf |journal=Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=173–177 |pmid=9673918}}</ref> Genetic studies, including electrophoretic analysis, have revealed evidence of hybridization between ''A. increpitus'' and ''A. washinoi'' in regions such as near Burney, Lassen County, California, and in Lassen Volcanic National Park.<ref name="Reeves1998" />
== Description == ''Aedes increpitus'' adults can be identified by distinct morphological features. They exhibit pale scales on their legs and a characteristic banding pattern on the abdomen. The proboscis and palps also display specific scale patterns that distinguish this species from related taxa. For a comprehensive morphological description and taxonomic key, refer to Darsie and Ward (2005).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Darsie |first1=R. F. |last2=Ward |first2=R. A. |year=2005 |title=Identification and geographical distribution of the mosquitoes of North America, north of Mexico |publisher=University Press of Florida |isbn=978-0-8130-2784-5}}</ref>
== Distribution and habitat == ''Aedes increpitus'' is primarily distributed across the western United States, including states such as California, Oregon, and Washington.<ref name="Reeves1998" /> It is also found in parts of Canada. Additionally, the species has been recorded in Russia, particularly in Siberia.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Danilov |first=V. N. |date=1976 |title=A new species of mosquito for the fauna of the USSR: Aedes (Ochlerotatus) increpitus Dyar (Diptera: Culicidae) |url=https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/19760536571 |journal=CABI Digital Library |pages=71–75 }}</ref> The species thrives in woodland and forested habitats, often in mountainous regions. It typically breeds in temporary pools formed by snowmelt or seasonal flooding.<ref name="CABI2019">{{cite journal |date=2019-11-20 |title=Aedes increpitus |url=https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.95919 |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=CABI Compendium |doi=10.1079/cabicompendium.95919|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Ecology and behavior == As a floodwater mosquito, ''A. increpitus'' has a life cycle adapted to periodic inundation. Females deposit eggs in moist soil or leaf litter in flood-prone areas, where they remain dormant until flooding triggers hatching. Larvae develop in the resulting temporary pools, with adults emerging after several weeks, depending on temperature and water availability. Females are daytime biters, most active during early morning and late afternoon, feeding on a range of hosts, including mammals and birds.<ref name="CABI2019" />
== Role in disease transmission == Although ''A. increpitus'' females can bite humans, the species is not a significant vector of human pathogens. Laboratory studies indicate low vector competence for arboviruses such as the California encephalitis virus, suggesting it plays a minimal role in disease transmission.<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Cahoon|first1= B. E.|last2= Hardy|first2= J. L.|last3= Reeves|first3= W. C.|title= Growth of California encephalitis and other viruses in Aedes dorsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) cell cultures|journal= Journal of Medical Entomology|date= 1979|volume= 16|issue= 2|pages= 104–111|doi= 10.1093/jmedent/16.2.104|pmid= 490565}}</ref> Consequently, it is not regarded as a major public health concern.
== References == {{Reflist}}
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increpitus Category:Insects described in 1916