High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Anopheles, is a genus of mosquito. There are approximately 460 recognised species: while over 100 can transmit human malaria, only 30-40 commonly transmit parasites of the genus Plasmodium that cause malaria which affects humans in endemic areas. Anopheles gambiae is one of the best known, because of its predominant role in the transmission of the most dangerous malaria parasite species - Plasmodium falciparum. The name comes from the Greek an meaning not and óphelos meaning profit and translates to useless . Some species of Anopheles also can serve as the vectors for canine heartworm Dirofilaria immitis, the Filariidae Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi, and viruses like the one that is the cause of O'nyong'nyong fever. Mosquitoes in other genera (Aedes, Culex) can also serve as vectors of disease agents.