Species Culiseta melanura

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Identification · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))

Infraorder Culicomorpha (Mosquitoes and Midges)

Family Culicidae (Mosquitoes)

Genus Culiseta

Species melanura (Culiseta melanura)

Other Common Names

black-tailed mosquito

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Culiseta melanura (Coquillett)

Orig. Comb: Culex melanurus Coquillett 1902

Identification

Larva:

- antennal seta 1-A multibranched and extends beyond tip of the shaft

- head hair 5 multiple, smooth and head hair 6 single

- siphon six to seven times as long as wide as it is at the base

- anal saddle complete

Adult:

- proboscis weakly recurved

- scutum with dark brown or golden scales

- abdominal terga either all dark or with narrow basal bands on some segments

Habitat

Tree root cavities in maple and cedar swamps

Season

Larvae: All year

Adults: May - December

Food

Female almost always feeds on birds for blood. (1)

Life Cycle

Overwinters as a larva. Multivoltine

Remarks

This mosquito is the one responsible for keeping eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) sustained in the environment. By biting from bird to bird it transfers the virus around and when a mosquito comes that bites both humans and birds the virus is transferred from bird to human through the mosquito.

Internet References

Featured Creatures - Buckner et al, 2012. University of Florida,

Works Cited

1.	Mosquito: A Natural History of Our Most Persistent and Deadly Foe Andrew Spielman, Sc.D., Michael D'Antonio. 2001. Hyperion Press.

Contributed by Omar Fahmy on 30 September, 2006 - 3:12pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn
Last updated 24 January, 2016 - 3:44pm

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