During an entomology practical session, a student observes mosquito eggs under the microscope. The eggs are laid singly on the water surface, are boat-shaped, and possess distinct lateral structures along their margins. These findings identify the eggs of:

• A Culex
• B Anopheles ✓
• C Mansonia
• D Aedes

Explanation

Anopheles lays its eggs singly on the water surface; each egg is boat-shaped with paired lateral air floats that keep it afloat, a feature unique to this genus. Culex lays eggs glued together in upright rafts on the water surface without lateral floats. Aedes deposits individual eggs on damp surfaces just above the water line rather than on water itself, and Mansonia attaches its eggs in clusters to the undersurface of floating aquatic vegetation.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.