In 2011, Kampfer et al. isolated Elizabethkingia anophelis from the midgut of Anopheles gambiae G3 mosquitoes reared in captivity.

[2] E. anophelis is known to be a prevalent inhabitant in the gut of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, the primary vector of malaria, and it is also capable of causing disease in humans.

[3] In 2013, E. anophelis was identified as a human pathogen in Central Africa during an outbreak that occurred in an intensive care unit in Singapore.

E. anophelis produces several hemolysins that are thought to assist in the digestion of erythrocytes in the mosquito's gut.

These transporters actively take up essential nutrients and other substrates, including but not limited to iron complexes, vitamin B12, nickel, carbohydrates, and colicin.

One study suggests that features of E. anophelis including growth, hydrogen peroxide tolerance, cell attachment, and biofilm formation are due to the presence of hemoglobin in the gut of the mosquito.

[2] Elizabethkingia anophelis has a unique ecological niche, as it is primarily found in the midgut of the Anopheles mosquito, which is a known malaria vector.

The bacterium has a mutualistic relationship with the mosquito, where it helps digest blood meals and promote the growth of other gut microbiota.