Go to: Medically Important Mosquitoes | Mosquito Lit | Mosquito ID Keys
Culicidae > Toxorhynchitinae

Distribution

American Samoa, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d‘Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, French Guiana, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Distribution map

Synonyms
None

Bionomics
Toxorhynchites are basically forest mosquitoes. The larval habitats are mainly tree-holes and bamboo, but a few species are found in leaf axils, pitcher plants, rock-pools, and artificial containers. The larvae of all species are predacious. They feed mainly on the larvae of other mosquito species, but exhibit cannibalism in the absence of suitable prey. Males and females both feed exclusively on nectar and other sugary substances. The adults are active during the day.

Important References >> 		habitus image Representative species shown here:
Toxorhynchites rutilus

Genus-specific Diagnostic Characters, Adult Stage:
To view detail images, click on character description below. Image will open in a separate window. (Pop-up windows must be enabled in your browser settings.)
1. Proboscis evenly tapered to tip with a 90° bend.

Recommended characters:
2. Prespiracular setae present,
3. Base of hindcoxa in line with or slightly above base of mesomeron,
4. Postspiracular setae absent.

Genus-specific Diagnostic Characters, Larval Stage >>

Medical Importance
Species of Toxorhynchites are not involved in the transmission of human or animal pathogens. The larvae of a few species have been used with some success to control economically important mosquitoes which breed in plant cavities and artificial containers.