Summary ²

Mosquitoes are small, midge-like flies that constitute the family Culicidae. Females of most species are ectoparasites, whose tube-like mouthparts (called a proboscis) pierce the hosts' skin to consume blood. The word "mosquito" (formed by mosca and diminutive -ito) is Spanish for "little fly". Thousands of species feed on the blood of various kinds of hosts, mainly vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even some kinds of fish. Some mosquitoe

Sources and Credits

1. (c) JJ Harrison, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mosquito_Tasmania_crop.jpg
2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culicidae

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Atlas of Living Australia
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• Field/Photo ID for Flies
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Systema Dipterorum

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