Culicinae

Culicinae is a subfamily of mosquitoes within Culicidae, comprising a diverse group of genera. It is one of the two major subfamilies in Culicidae, the other being Anophelinae. Members are found worldwide in a variety of habitats.

Like other mosquitoes, culicines undergo complete metamorphosis: eggs laid on or near water, hatching into aquatic larvae (wrigglers), then pupae, then winged adults. Most species breed in standing water such as ponds, marshes, containers, or tree holes. Adults feed on nectar; females often take blood meals to develop eggs.

The subfamily includes numerous genera, among the best known being Culex and Aedes, as well as Culiseta, Mansonia, Coquillettidia, Uranotaenia, and others. Taxonomic arrangements vary; some classifications treat Ochlerotatus as a separate genus or as a subgenus of Aedes. This reflects ongoing changes in Culicidae systematics.

Several culicine species are important disease vectors, transmitting viruses such as dengue (Aedes), Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis (Culex), and filarial parasites in some regions. However, vector status is species- and region-specific, with not all culicines feeding on humans or transmitting disease.

They inhabit diverse ecosystems from urban to rural, temperate to tropical regions; some species utilize artificial containers; others breed in natural water bodies.