Climate-driven morphological change in mosquito vectors: implications for vector competence, distribution and disease transmission—a systematic review
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Public Health, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
- 2Department of Microbiology, School of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
- 3Department of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Nigeria
- 4Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria
Abstract
Background: Climate change is altering the thermal environments experienced by mosquito vectors during development, with consequences for adult morphology and potentially for vector competence and pathogen transmission dynamics.
Aim: This systematic review synthesizes evidence on climate-associated morphological change in mosquito vectors, focusing on body size and wing morphology, and examines how these changes may relate to vectorial capacity, geographic distribution, and disease transmission.
Methods: This systematic review follows the PRISMA 2020 reporting framework and uses the Population, Exposure, Comparator, Outcome (PECO) structure. Searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE (n = 31), Elsevier Embase (n = 28), Clarivate Web of Science Core Collection (n = 22), and CAB Direct/CAB Abstracts (n = 14), yielding 95 records. After removal of 34 duplicates, 61 unique records underwent title/abstract screening, 37 underwent full-text assessment, and 24 sources were retained for synthesis.
Results: Twelve primary empirical studies and twelve contextual or methodological sources were included. Across the primary evidence base, warmer developmental conditions generally reduced adult body or wing size, although responses varied by species, population and nutritional environment. The transmission implications were parameter-specific: smaller mosquitoes may exhibit compensatory increases in feeding frequency, whereas larger mosquitoes may show greater competence per infectious bite in some experimental systems. Temperature also affected adult survival and extrinsic incubation in non-linear ways, so no uniform directional effect on transmission could be inferred.
Conclusion: Climate-associated thermal change can alter mosquito morphology through biologically plausible plastic and potentially heritable mechanisms. However, the net effect on pathogen transmission remains contingent on the joint effects of biting frequency, vector competence, survival, development, extrinsic incubation, and local ecological conditions. Wing geometric morphometrics may provide a useful supplementary surveillance measure where validated locally.
Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261483189, CRD420261483189.
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BibTeX
@article{ekeleme2026climatedriven,
title = {{Climate-driven morphological change in mosquito vectors: implications for vector competence, distribution and disease transmission—a systematic review}},
author = {Uzochukwu G. Ekeleme and Ugonma Winnie Dozie and Juliana C. Omire and Ezejindu Cosmas Nnadozie and Onuigbo Martin Chinemerem and Chimezie Christian Iwuala and Nwokeleme Ogechi Chikaodi and Christopher Chike A. Okereke and Uchechukwu M. Chukwuocha},
journal = {Frontiers in Veterinary Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fvets.2026.1956293},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1956293},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Climate-driven morphological change in mosquito vectors: implications for vector competence, distribution and disease transmission—a systematic review
AU - Uzochukwu G. Ekeleme
AU - Ugonma Winnie Dozie
AU - Juliana C. Omire
AU - Ezejindu Cosmas Nnadozie
AU - Onuigbo Martin Chinemerem
AU - Chimezie Christian Iwuala
AU - Nwokeleme Ogechi Chikaodi
AU - Christopher Chike A. Okereke
AU - Uchechukwu M. Chukwuocha
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Frontiers in Veterinary Science
DO - 10.3389/fvets.2026.1956293
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1956293
AB - Background: Climate change is altering the thermal environments experienced by mosquito vectors during development, with consequences for adult morphology and potentially for vector competence and pathogen transmission dynamics. Aim: This systematic review synthesizes evidence on climate-associated morphological change in mosquito vectors, focusing on body size and wing morphology, and examines how these changes may relate to vectorial capacity, geographic distribution, and disease transmission. Methods: This systematic review follows the PRISMA 2020 reporting framework and uses the Population, Exposure, Comparator, Outcome (PECO) structure. Searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE (n = 31), Elsevier Embase (n = 28), Clarivate Web of Science Core Collection (n = 22), and CAB Direct/CAB Abstracts (n = 14), yielding 95 records. After removal of 34 duplicates, 61 unique records underwent title/abstract screening, 37 underwent full-text assessment, and 24 sources were retained for synthesis. Results: Twelve primary empirical studies and twelve contextual or methodological sources were included. Across the primary evidence base, warmer developmental conditions generally reduced adult body or wing size, although responses varied by species, population and nutritional environment. The transmission implications were parameter-specific: smaller mosquitoes may exhibit compensatory increases in feeding frequency, whereas larger mosquitoes may show greater competence per infectious bite in some experimental systems. Temperature also affected adult survival and extrinsic incubation in non-linear ways, so no uniform directional effect on transmission could be inferred. Conclusion: Climate-associated thermal change can alter mosquito morphology through biologically plausible plastic and potentially heritable mechanisms. However, the net effect on pathogen transmission remains contingent on the joint effects of biting frequency, vector competence, survival, development, extrinsic incubation, and local ecological conditions. Wing geometric morphometrics may provide a useful supplementary surveillance measure where validated locally. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261483189, CRD420261483189.
SN - 2297-1769
ER -