Which species is found in coastal Southern California and large sunlit pools?

Which species is found in coastal Southern California and large sunlit pools?

• A. An. hermsi
• B. An. freeborni
• C. Ae. vexans
• D. Ae. tahoensis

Answer: (A)

Understanding where a mosquito species lives and what kind of water it prefers for breeding helps identify it. Anopheles hermsi is a western species whose range includes coastal Southern California, and it commonly breeds in large sunlit pools and similar open, clean water bodies. That combination of location and habitat fits the description in the question, making it the best match. The other options don’t align as closely: Anopheles freeborni is more typical inland in the western forests and foothills rather than coastal Southern California; the Aedes species listed breed in very different conditions—Ae. vexans is a floodwater breeder in temporary pools after rains, and Ae. tahoensis is associated with the Tahoe region and different water types.

Understanding where a mosquito species lives and what kind of water it prefers for breeding helps identify it. Anopheles hermsi is a western species whose range includes coastal Southern California, and it commonly breeds in large sunlit pools and similar open, clean water bodies. That combination of location and habitat fits the description in the question, making it the best match. The other options don’t align as closely: Anopheles freeborni is more typical inland in the western forests and foothills rather than coastal Southern California; the Aedes species listed breed in very different conditions—Ae. vexans is a floodwater breeder in temporary pools after rains, and Ae. tahoensis is associated with the Tahoe region and different water types.