''Mesocyclops'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

copepod Copepods (; meaning 'oar-feet') are a group of small crustaceans found in nearly every freshwater and saltwater habitat (ecology), habitat. Some species are planktonic (living in the water column), some are benthos, benthic (living on the sedimen ...

crustacean Crustaceans (from Latin meaning: "those with shells" or "crusted ones") are invertebrate animals that constitute one group of arthropods that are traditionally a part of the subphylum Crustacea (), a large, diverse group of mainly aquatic arthrop ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Cyclopidae. Because the various species of ''Mesocyclops'' are known to prey on

mosquito Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a Family (biology), family of small Diptera, flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by ''Musca (fly), mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mos ...

larvae, it is used as a nontoxic and inexpensive form of biological

mosquito control Mosquito control manages the population of mosquitoes to reduce their damage to human health, economies, and enjoyment. Control strategies range from habitat modification and chemical insecticides to biological agents and mechanical traps. Clim ...

Biological control

Individuals of ''Mesocyclops'' can be easily harvested, bred and released into freshwater containers where the ''

Aedes aegypti ''Aedes aegypti'' ( or from Greek 'hateful' and from Latin, meaning 'of Egypt'), sometimes called the Egyptian mosquito, dengue mosquito or yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that spreads diseases like dengue fever, yellow fever, malar ...

'' mosquito larvae (the vector of

Dengue fever Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by dengue virus, prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. Asymptomatic infections are uncommon, mild cases happen frequently; if symptoms appear, they typically begin 3 to 14 days after i ...

) live. A big advantage of the ''Mesocyclops'' is that it is possible to teach schoolchildren how to recognize and collect them so that communities are able to perform sustainable mosquito control without much professional or governmental assistance. A field trial in

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

has shown that large-scale elimination of ''Aedes aegypti'' larvae is possible. Because ''Mesocyclops'' is a host for the parasitic round worm

Guinea worm ''Dracunculus medinensis'' (Guinea worm, dragon worm, fiery serpent) is a nematode that causes dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease. The disease is caused by the female which, at around in length, is among the longest nematodes ...

(''Dracunculus medinensis'', the causative agent of

dracunculiasis Dracunculiasis, also called Guinea-worm disease, is a parasitic infection by the Guinea worm ('' Dracunculus medinensis).'' A person becomes infected by drinking water contaminated with Guinea-worm larvae that reside inside copepods (a typ ...

), this method is potentially hazardous in the small number of countries where the Guinea worm still occurs. Furthermore, many cultures have traditions and customs that forbid the introduction of animals into freshwater storage vessels as dangerous

taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

Species

The genus ''Mesocyclops'' contains 92 species and 2 species

nomen dubium In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium,'' it may be impossible to determine whether a ...

: *'' Mesocyclops acanthoramus'' Holynska & Brown, 2003 *'' Mesocyclops aequatorialis'' Kiefer, 1929 *'' Mesocyclops affinis'' van de Velde, 1987 *'' Mesocyclops albicans'' (G. W. Smith, 1909) *'' Mesocyclops americanus'' Dussart, 1985 *'' Mesocyclops annae'' Kiefer, 1930 *'' Mesocyclops annulatus'' (Wierzejski, 1892) *'' Mesocyclops araucanus'' Löffler, 1962 *'' Mesocyclops arcanus'' Defaye, 1995 *'' Mesocyclops asiaticus'' Kiefer, 1932 *'' Mesocyclops aspericornis'' (Daday, 1906) *'' Mesocyclops australiensis'' (G. O. Sars, 1908) *'' Mesocyclops augusti'' Papa & Holynska, 2013 *'' Mesocyclops bernardi'' Petkovski, 1986 *'' Mesocyclops bodanicola'' Kiefer, 1955 *'' Mesocyclops borneoensis'' Dussart & Fernando, 1988 *'' Mesocyclops bosumtwii'' Mirabdullayev, Sanful & Frempong, 2007 *'' Mesocyclops brasilianus'' Kiefer, 1933 *'' Mesocyclops brevisetosus'' Dussart & Sarnita, 1987 *'' Mesocyclops brooksi'' Pesce, De Laurentiis & Humphreys, 1996 *'' Mesocyclops chaci'' Fiers (''in'' Fiers, Reid, Iliffe & Suárez-Morales), 1996 *'' Mesocyclops cuttacuttae'' Dumont & Maas, 1985 *'' Mesocyclops dadayi'' Holynska, 1997 *'' Mesocyclops darwini'' Dussart & Fernando, 1988 *'' Mesocyclops dayakorum'' Holynska, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops dissimilis'' Defaye & Kawabata, 1993 *'' Mesocyclops dussarti'' van de Velde, 1984 *'' Mesocyclops edax'' (Forbes, 1891) *'' Mesocyclops ellipticus'' Kiefer, 1936 *'' Mesocyclops evadomingoi'' Gutierrez-Aguirre & Suarez-Morales, 2001 *'' Mesocyclops ferjemurami'' Holynska & Nam, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops francisci'' Holynska, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops friendorum'' Holynska, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops geminus'' Holynska, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops granulatus'' Dussart & Fernando, 1988 *'' Mesocyclops guangxiensis'' Reid & Kay, 1992 *'' Mesocyclops holynskae'' Karanovic, 2006 *'' Mesocyclops insulensis'' Dussart, 1982 *'' Mesocyclops intermedius'' Pesce, 1985 *'' Mesocyclops iranicus'' Lindberg, 1936 *'' Mesocyclops isabellae'' Dussart & Fernando, 1988 *'' Mesocyclops jakartensis'' Alekseev (''in'' Alekseev, Haffner, Vaillant & Yusoff), 2013 *'' Mesocyclops kawamurai'' K. Kikuchi, 1940 *'' Mesocyclops kayi'' Holynska & Brown, 2003 *'' Mesocyclops kieferi'' van de Velde, 1984 *'' Mesocyclops leuckarti'' (Claus, 1857) *'' Mesocyclops longisetus'' (Thiébaud, 1912) *'' Mesocyclops major'' G. O. Sars, 1927 *'' Mesocyclops mariae'' Guo, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops medialis'' Defaye, 2001 *'' Mesocyclops meridianus'' (Kiefer, 1926) *'' Mesocyclops meridionalis'' Dussart & Frutos, 1986 *'' Mesocyclops microlasius'' Kiefer, 1981 *'' Mesocyclops microspinulosus'' Lindberg, 1942 *'' Mesocyclops monardi'' (Perret, 1925) *'' Mesocyclops mongoliensis'' Kiefer, 1981 *'' Mesocyclops nigerianus'' Kiefer, 1932 *'' Mesocyclops notius'' Kiefer, 1981 *'' Mesocyclops obsoletus'' (Koch, 1838) *'' Mesocyclops ogunnus'' Onabamiro, 1957 *'' Mesocyclops paludosus'' Lindberg, 1956 *'' Mesocyclops papuensis'' van de Velde, 1987 *'' Mesocyclops paranaensis'' Dussart & Frutos, 1986 *'' Mesocyclops parentium'' Holynska, 1997 *'' Mesocyclops pehpeiensis'' Hu, 1943 *'' Mesocyclops pescei'' Petkovski, 1986 *'' Mesocyclops pilosus'' Kiefer, 1930 *'' Mesocyclops pseudoannae'' van de Velde, 1987 *'' Mesocyclops pseudomeridianus'' Defaye & Dussart, 1989 *'' Mesocyclops pseudooperculatus'' (Lindberg, 1957) *'' Mesocyclops pseudospinosus'' Dussart & Fernando, 1988 *'' Mesocyclops pubiventris'' Holynska & Brown, 2003 *'' Mesocyclops rarus'' Kiefer, 1981 *'' Mesocyclops reidae'' Petkovski, 1986 *'' Mesocyclops restrictus'' Dussart & Fernando, 1985 *'' Mesocyclops ruttneri'' Kiefer, 1981 *'' Mesocyclops salinus'' Onabamiro, 1957 *'' Mesocyclops shenzhenensis'' Guo, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops simillimus'' Brady, 1907 *'' Mesocyclops sondoongensis'' Tran & Holynska, 2015 *'' Mesocyclops spinosus'' van de Velde, 1984 *'' Mesocyclops splendidus'' Lindberg, 1943 *'' Mesocyclops strenuus'' (Daday, 1905) *'' Mesocyclops tenuisaccus'' (G. O. Sars, 1927) *'' Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides'' Harada, 1931 *'' Mesocyclops tobae'' Kiefer, 1933 *'' Mesocyclops trispinosus'' (Shen & Tai, 1964) *'' Mesocyclops woutersi'' van de Velde, 1987 *'' Mesocyclops wraniki'' Baribwegure & Dumont, 2000 *'' Mesocyclops yenae'' Holynska, 1998 *'' Mesocyclops yesoensis'' Ishida, 1999 *'' Mesocyclops yutsil'' Reid ''in'' Fiers, Reid, Iliffe & Suárez-Morales, 1996 *'' Mesocyclops cokeri'' Najam-un-Nisa, Mahoon & Irfa Khan, 1987 (

) *'' Mesocyclops forbesi'' Najam-un-Nisa, Mahoon & Irfa Khan, 1987 (nomen dubium) *'' Mesocyclops brehmi'' Kiefer, 1927 → '' Thermocyclops brehmi'' (Kiefer, 1927) *'' Mesocyclops brevifurcatus'' Harada, 1931 → '' Thermocyclops crassus'' (Fischer, 1853) *'' Mesocyclops consimilis'' Kiefer, 1934 → '' Thermocyclops consimilis'' Kiefer, 1934 *'' Mesocyclops crassus'' (Fischer, 1853) → '' Thermocyclops crassus'' (Fischer, 1853) *'' Mesocyclops curvatus'' Kiefer, 1981 → '' Mesocyclops salinus'' Onabamiro, 1957 *'' Mesocyclops decipiens'' Kiefer, 1929 → '' Thermocyclops decipiens'' (Kiefer, 1929) *'' Mesocyclops delamarei'' Lescher-Moutoué, 1971 → '' Kieferiella delamarei'' (Lescher-Moutoué, 1971) *'' Mesocyclops dybowskii'' (Landé, 1890) → '' Thermocyclops dybowskii dybowskii'' (Landé, 1890) *'' Mesocyclops emini'' (Mrázek, 1898) → '' Thermocyclops emini'' (Mrázek, 1898) *'' Mesocyclops gracilis'' (Lilljeborg, 1853) → '' Metacyclops gracilis'' (Lilljeborg, 1853) *'' Mesocyclops hyalinus'' (Rehberg, 1880) → '' Thermocyclops hyalinus'' (Rehberg, 1880) *'' Mesocyclops ianthinus'' Harada, 1931 → '' Thermocyclops ianthinus'' Harada, 1931 *'' Mesocyclops incisus'' Kiefer, 1932 → '' Thermocyclops incisus'' (Kiefer, 1932) *'' Mesocyclops infrequens'' Kiefer, 1929 → '' Thermocyclops infrequens'' (Kiefer, 1929) *'' Mesocyclops inopinus'' (Kiefer, 1926) → '' Thermocyclops inopinus'' (Kiefer, 1926) *'' Mesocyclops inversus'' Kiefer, 1936 → '' Thermocyclops inversus'' (Kiefer, 1936) *'' Mesocyclops macracanthus'' Kiefer, 1929 → '' Thermocyclops macracanthus'' (Kiefer, 1929) *'' Mesocyclops maheensis'' Lindberg, 1941 → '' Thermocyclops maheensis'' Lindberg, 1941 *'' Mesocyclops minutus'' Lowndes, 1934 → '' Thermocyclops minutus'' (Lowndes, 1934) *'' Mesocyclops neglectus'' G. O. Sars, 1909 → '' Thermocyclops neglectus'' (Sars G.O., 1909) *'' Mesocyclops nicaraguensis'' Herbst, 1960 → '' Mesocyclops edax'' (Forbes, 1891) *'' Mesocyclops oblongatus'' G. O. Sars, 1927 → '' Thermocyclops oblongatus'' (Sars G.O., 1927) *'' Mesocyclops oithonoides'' (G. O. Sars, 1863) → '' Thermocyclops oithonoides'' (Sars G.O., 1863) *'' Mesocyclops operculifer'' Kiefer, 1930 → '' Thermocyclops operculifer'' Kiefer, 1930 *'' Mesocyclops orghidani'' Plesa, 1981 → '' Thermocyclops orghidani'' (Plesa, 1981) *'' Mesocyclops rectus'' Lindberg, 1937 → '' Thermocyclops rectus'' (Lindberg, 1937) *'' Mesocyclops retroversus'' Kiefer, 1929 → '' Thermocyclops retroversus'' (Kiefer, 1929) *'' Mesocyclops rylovi'' Smirnov, 1928 → '' Thermocyclops rylovi rylovi'' (Smirnov, 1928) *'' Mesocyclops schmeili'' (Poppe & Mrázek, 1895) → '' Thermocyclops schmeili'' (Poppe & Mrázek, 1895) *'' Mesocyclops schuurmanae'' Kiefer, 1928 → '' Thermocyclops schuurmanae'' (Kiefer, 1928) *'' Mesocyclops spinifer'' (Daday, 1902) → '' Mesocyclops annulatus'' (Wierzejski, 1892) *'' Mesocyclops taihokuensis'' Harada, 1931 → '' Thermocyclops taihokuensis'' Harada, 1931 *'' Mesocyclops tenellus'' (G. O. Sars, 1909) → '' Tropocyclops tenellus'' (Sars G.O., 1909) *'' Mesocyclops tenuis'' (Marsh, 1910) → '' Thermocyclops tenuis'' (Marsh, 1910) *'' Mesocyclops tinctus'' (Lindberg, 1936) → '' Thermocyclops tinctus'' Lindberg, 1936 *'' Mesocyclops trichophorus'' Kiefer, 1930 → '' Thermocyclops trichophorus'' Kiefer, 1930 *'' Mesocyclops varius'' Dussart, 1987 → '' Mesocyclops brasilianus'' Kiefer, 1933 *'' Mesocyclops venezolanus'' Dussart, 1987 → '' Mesocyclops brasilianus'' Kiefer, 1933 *'' Mesocyclops vermifer'' Lindberg, 1935 → '' Thermocyclops vermifer'' Lindberg, 1935 *'' Mesocyclops vizarae'' Fryer, 1957 → '' Thermocyclops vizarae'' (Fryer, 1957)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q144998 Cyclopidae Cyclopoida genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot