ABSTRACT
Although Kuwait is considered to be a receptive area for mosquito borne-diseases, no
indigenous cases of malaria or filariasis have yet occurred in the country. To protect Kuwait
from active transmission of these diseases, country-wide entomological surveys have been
carried out since 1975 by the Insect and Rodent Control Division, Ministry of Health, to detect
mosquito species composition and their breeding sites to be followed up by control measures.
Two anopheline species and eight culicine species of mosquitoes have been recorded in
Kuwait. Since 198 1, Anopheles (Myzomyia) stephensi and A. (Myzornyia) pulcherrimus have
been encountered in their breeding places, associated with Cu1e.u (Barraudius) pusillus, C.
(Culex) univittatus and C. ( C ) theileri. Larvae of C. (C) tritaeniorh.ynchus have been found in
small numbers since 1987. C. (C) pipiens complex (molestus and quinquejasciatus) is the
prevailing species, whereas Culiseta longiareolata ranks second. Aedes caspius is the only
species of the genus Aedes to be found in Kuwait. Keys for the larval and adult stages of these
species are given.