title: Checklist and pictorial key to fourth-instar larvae of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia includes fauna from three zoogeographic regions: the Afrotropical, Oriental, and Palaearctic regions. To study the mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna of these regions in Saudi Arabia, larval collections were made at 15 sites during 2005-2006. Thirty-three species representing nine genera were found. Six species, Anopheles culicifacies Giles s.l., Anopheles subpictus Grassi s.l., Culex arbieeni Salem, Culex simpsoni Theobald, Culex univittatus Theobald, and Ochlerotatus detritus Haliday are reported for the first time for Saudi Arabia. An annotated checklist and an illustrated key to the fourth-instar larvae of the 33 species are presented, along with some remarks about problematic species. Eleven species of genus Anopheles Meigen, five species of tribe Aedini, 13 species of genus Culex L., two species of genus Culiseta Felt, one species of genus Lutzia Theobald, and one species of genus Uranotaenia Lynch Arribátlzaga were recorded during the study.
authors.affiliation: Plant Protection Department, Food and Agricultural Sciences College, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Azzam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al Ahmad
authors.forename: Mohamed F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sallam
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khuriji
authors.forename: Salah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kheir
authors.forename: Shahyad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azari-Hamidian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D009033:Culicidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification; D012529:Saudi Arabia