Anopheles gambiae lives in the African tropics. It is one of the most efficient vectors of malaria in the world. It breeds very quickly (growing from egg to adult in just six days under optimum conditions), and its larvae are often found in shallow temporary pools, such as tyre tracks or hoof prints filled with rainwater. There are a number of mosquitoes that are physically very similar to Anopheles gambiae but which behave very differently (several, for example, use salt water to breed). These related species have their own names, but are together known as the Anopheles gambiae complex.
James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Flickr
