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TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData

Genus Toxorhynchites

Elephant Mosquito? - Toxorhynchites rutilus inch-long mosquito - Toxorhynchites rutilus Mosquito - Toxorhynchites rutilus - female 170531 Toxorhynchites - Toxorhynchites rutilus - male unknown insect on mountain mint - Toxorhynchites rutilus - female Mosquito - Toxorhynchites rutilus colorful Culicidae - Toxorhynchites rutilus - female Elephant Mosquito - Toxorhynchites rutilus
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 Toxorhynchites
Pronunciation
TOX-o-rin-KITE-eez
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Toxorhynchites Theobald, 1901
Explanation of Names
Greek toxo bow + rhynch- Greek "snout" (1).
Numbers
the only member of the tribe Toxorhynchitini(2)
a single species in our area(3), ~90 spp. in 4 subgenera worldwide (2)
Identification
Larva: large, body reddish, head black, short stubby siphon, grinding mouthparts (predators on other mosquitos)
Adult: large, proboscis long and strongly recurved
Range
widespread, primarily pantropical(2)
Food
Larvae of the larger species feeds on mosquitos.(4)
Life Cycle
Overwinters as a mature larva
The adult is also a pollinator.(4)
Print References
Borror, entries for toxo, rhynch- (1)
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.
2.The Culicidae (Diptera): a review of taxonomy, classification and phylogeny
Harbach R.E. 2007. Zootaxa 1668: 591–638.
3.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.
4.Hidden Company that Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips
James B. Nardi. 2023. Princeton University Press.