Is a mosquito a parasite?
I am trying to understand if a mosquito is a parasite. An internet search on this seems to provide conflicting results, however, most sources say that no it is not. Another issue is most internet sources are focused on the parasites mosquitoes transmit.
Here are some things I would like help understanding.
I realize that not every part of the mosquito life cycle requires that it take a blood meal. Essentially it can eat other things and live physically away from the host. This seems somewhat similar to a tick, which is considered a parasite, because technically a tick can live off the host as well when it drops off. I do understand the tick can only survive from a blood meal though. The mosquito does depend on blood from a host to complete it's life cycle so wouldn't this make it a parasite?
Next, when a mosquito takes a blood meal wouldn't this differ from traditional predator/prey relationship in that the mosquito is not killing its prey, but rather living off of it?
Thanks.
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