Identification of potential vectors of and (Spirurida: Filariidae): First observation of infective third-stage larva of in (Diptera: Culicidae).

Information on the mosquito species that transmit canine filariosis is scanty. Hence, an experimental study was conducted to identify the potential vectors responsible for the transmission of Leidy and Buckley & Edeson. A total of 367 mosquitoes belonging to six species containing both laboratory and field strains (i.e. Theobald, Linnaeus, Skuse, Say, Theobald and Peyton & Harrison) were used in this study. All mosquitoes were artificially fed on either or i microfilariae (mfs) infected blood by using the Hemotek™ membrane feeding system. Out of 367 mosquitoes, 228 (64.9%) were fully engorged. After feeding on (20%) and (33%) mfs positive blood, the mortality rates for were found to be slightly lower than that of other species of mosquitoes. On the other hand, majority of were found to be incapable to withstand the infection of mfs as the mortality rates were relatively high ( = 71.4%;  = 100.0%). was detected in and with infection rates of 50% and 25%, respectively. was the only species infected with with an infection rate of 69%. Our results showed that was an excellent experimental vector for both and . This study also documented the observation of , for the first time in the head region of s under a laboratory setting.