1. Mosquitoes are found in damp and marshy localities. They are abundant in tropics and subtropics. They are nocturnal in feeding habits. Females feed on blood of man and other animals.
2. They lay eggs in water where development of larvae and pupae takes place.
3. Body of mosquito is small, soft, slender and covered with scales and measures 3 to 6 mm.
3. Body is segmented and is divided into 3 distinct regions-head, thorax and abdomen.
4. Head is small and connected with thorax by a short, narrow neck.
5. Head bears compound eyes which are enormous kidney shaped structures almost touching each other. Antennae, also called as clypeus, projects forward and bears a pair of long, many jointed and feather.
6. Mouth parts form a long piercing and sucking tubular proboscis.
7. Within proboscis also lie paired mandibles and maxillae, forming long and needle-shaped stylets. Mandibles end in sharp tiny blades bearing teeth. Maxillary palps, bearing tactile hair, project from sides at the base of proboscis.
8. Thorax is made up of very small prothorax, a very large mesothorax and a small metathorax.
9. A single pair of wings are attached dorso-laterally to mesothorax. Wings are narrow, membranous and covered with scales in a characteristic manner that differ from species to species.
10. The abdomen is slender and 9 segmented. It bears anus and on the 8 th segment and a genital pair on the 9 th segment.
Source:
1. Practical Zoology Invertebrates by S.S.Lal. 2. A Manual of Practical Zoology Chordates by Dr. P.S. Verma.
