It is reported that the Sri Lanka Medical Research Institute has succeeded in finding a new species of mosquito that sucks blood only from frogs. Commenting on this, the entomology officer of the institute, Guyan Sri Kumarasinghe, says that this new species of mosquito was found in Mirigama area.
This mosquito, called Uranotaeniatrilineata, is between 2 and 3 millimeters in length. Accordingly, he said that this species has been identified as the smallest mosquito species reported from Sri Lanka, and with the new species, the number of mosquito species reported from Sri Lanka will increase to 156.
This mosquito species was reported from South Korea 108 years ago and was later found in Thailand. Pramitha Rangana, Naleen Jayasinghe, Eranda Hewawitharana, Sajith Tharaka, Ruwan Sameera, Rohan Samarasekera, and Apeksha Varushawitharana participated in this research on the advice of Dr. Dedunu Dias, Director of the Medical Research Institute, and Sujatha Pathirage, Acting Head of the Entomology Section.