Explanation of Names
SAPPHIRINA: refers to the blue precious stone, sapphire - adults have iridescent blue scales on the wings and in several places on the body
Numbers
one of 3 species in this genus in North America
Size
adult body length 2.5 to 2.7 mm
Identification
Adult: tiny size; abdomen blunt; proboscis widens distally; scutum and scutellum with median stripe of iridescent blue scales; similar lines of iridescent bluish scales on lateral margin of scutum, anterior pronotal lobe, and mid-part of sternopleuron; wings with long line of iridescent blue scales on basal two-thirds of 5th vein, cell r2 shorter than vein R2+3
Larva: head longer than wide, with 4 stout spines on top; abdominal segment VIII bears large lateral comb plate; seta 5,6 C single, stout, spiniform; seta 3-P less than half length of 1-P, with 8-10 branches; seta 6-I, II triple
Range
North Dakota to southwestern Quebec, south to Florida, west to Texas and Mexico; also parts of New Mexico and Colorado
See
distribution map (Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution, Maryland)
Habitat
larvae develop in permanent pools with emergent and floating aquatic vegetation; adults on nearby vegetation, and are attracted to light
Food
females are not known to bite humans, and may be autogenous in the wild, although some are believed to feed on reptiles and frogs
Life Cycle
multivoltine; adult females overwinter in sheltered habitats; eggs laid in rafts on water surface like those of Culex species
Remarks
Thanks to Sean McCann for providing links and information on this species.
See Also
U. lowii has no median iridescent stripe on scutum; hindtarsomeres 4, 5, and parts of 3 pale-scaled
U. anhydor anhydor has no median iridescent stripe on scutum, lateral iridescent stripe broken above mesothoracic spiracle, and range limited to small parts of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California
U. anhydor syntheta same as U. anhydor anhydor except lateral iridescent stripe continuous from anterior promontory to wing base, and range includes Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, southern Kansas, and parts of Arkansas
Internet References
adult images with arrows pointing to diagnostic features (U. of Florida)
photos of 3 life stages with links to photos indicating key ID features (U. of Florida)
table of key features separating adult
U. sapphirina and
lowii (U. of Florida)
larval description plus distribution, seasonality, habitat, biology (Wayne Crans, Rutgers U., New Jersey)
adult photo [by Kirby Foley] plus adult illustration [by Stanley Carpenter and Walter LaCasse], description, biology (Virginia Mosquito Control Association)
