Tundra Mosquito vs Lutzomyia Sand Fly (Whitmani)
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tundra Mosquito | Lutzomyia Sand Fly (Whitmani) |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aedes impiger | Lutzomyia whitmani |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Culicidae | Psychodidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Forests |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland, Svalbard, northern Alaska | Brazil, South America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Tundra Mosquito
A small but abundant Arctic mosquito with dark body and pale leg bands. It is one of the most northerly distributed mosquito species in the world. Larvae inhabit shallow tundra ponds warmed by continuous summer sunlight.
Did You Know?
This mosquito has been found breeding at latitudes above 80 degrees north, among the most northerly insects on Earth.
Lutzomyia Sand Fly (Whitmani)
A small sandfly that is the major vector of Leishmania braziliensis, which causes mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. It bites at the forest edge and in peridomestic environments. The disease it transmits can cause devastating destruction of nasal and oral mucosa.
Did You Know?
Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis transmitted by this fly can destroy the nose and palate, and was depicted in pre-Columbian pottery from Peru.