All About Mosquitoes!
By Austin Guy
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Mosquitoes and their body!
A mosquito is composed of the head, thorax, and abdomen. The head has the eyes (similar to humans) and the antennas. It also contains the brain. The thorax is the section that has the mosquitoes' legs and wings. Finally, the abdomen has the reproductive, digestive, and respiratory systems.In summary, the three main parts of the mosquito are the:
- Head
- Thorax
- Abdomen
The Thorax
The thorax is the middle section of the mosquito, and is a part of all insects. It is separated into three parts, and there are two legs on each side of the three parts which totals up to six legs. In addition, on the second section the wings are attached. It connects the head and abdomen.
The Abdomen
The abdomen is where the majority of the organs are stored. It is the last part of the mosquito, connected to the thorax. This is where mosquitos take in fluids such as water using small holes on all sides of their abdomen called spiracles.
How did the thorax come from natural selection?
The thorax emerged from natural selection as the mosquito needed something to put the wings and legs on without affecting the spiracles. Without the thorax, the legs and wings would have to go on the abdomen and there would be less access for fluids to go into the spiracles. However, with the thorax, the mosquito has another place to put the wings and legs.
Where do they live?
Mosquitoes live in many different places. The biome they commonly live in are the Tropical & Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests. The countries that have the three greatest mosquito populations are:
- Peru
- Brazil
- Indonesia
What problems do they pose for humans?
Mosquitoes consume blood from animals, including humans. Mosquitoes can also carry a disease called Malaria. This disease is transmitted to humans when the mosquito sucks blood from them, and can be life threatening if left untreated. Due to this, mosquitoes are considered by many to be the most dangerous animal in the world. Many countries have ways to prevent and treat this disease, but some are still suffering from it. The top three countries with the most cases of Malaria are:
- Nigeria
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Uganda
Related information
Sources
- Anatomy. (n.d.). https://cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works/Operations/Mosquito-Control/Mosquito-Science/Anatomy#:~:text=Like%20all%20true%20insects%2C%20mosquitoes,has%20one%20pair%20of%20legs.
- MosquitoNix. (n.d.). Basic Mosquito Anatomy - MosquitoNix®. MosquitoNix®. https://mosquitonix.com/blogs/news/the-anatomy-of-the-mosquito
- World Health Organization: WHO & World Health Organization: WHO. (2023, December 4). Malaria. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria