Several years ago in Florida, I was bitten one evening by a mosquito. I promptly swatted her and fed the remains to hungry Pheidole ants.
We do a lot of ant mysteries, so let’s mix it up this week and go for the fly instead. So: what is the mosquito?
I will award points to the first person to correctly pick the genus (5 pts) and species (5 pts).
The cumulative points winner for the month of January will take home their choice of 1) any 8×10-sized print from my photo galleries, or 2) a guest post here on Myrmecos.
anopheles?
bellator?
I’m going with Anopheles as well, but I’ll guess Anopheles quadrimaculatus.
The Gallnipper Psorophora ciliata. Just a random guess.
But then again the mosquito’s legs are rather thick and furry, which was why I guessed.
Psorophora Ferox?
Judging by the (what I think are) long palps and hairy golden legs, I’m going to go with Psorophora howardii!
Psorophora howardii is on the money. The gold color on the legs reaching all the way to the thorax is the give away.
I was taught by noted millipede and spider biologist Bill (William A.)Shear (of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia) not to identify on the basis of damaged specimens or if you have only a male or a female…? Of course, I would guess Anopheles…but that isn’t even worth mentioning.
Thanks for the photo with the Pheidole in it. Those girls I recognize and enjoy trying to decipher what the individuals are about. In my own weak ant studies I have just discovered the joys of identifying Pheidole — I have an idea why E. O. was hooked…
I’m going with Psorophora ciliata due to the elongate, pointed abdomen, the large size of the mosquito, and the upright black scales along the golden legs. Female or it would have some crazy mouthparts and incredibly feathery antennae!
I won’t hazard the mosquito, but I’m glad to see that Josh hasn’t proceeded with his plan for world domination, and forced the Ph. morrisii into producing supermajors yet.
James,
How do you know? Part of a sinister plot for world domination also has some degree of secrecy, yes? Beware the Ides of March is all I will say!
I suppose I should have written “yet”.
Duh, I did write yet. So, still some ground for suspicion.
Does anyone has a guess which Pheidole species this could be?
Really beautiful long-legged ones…
If you look at the thread immediately above your response you’ll find your answer: the magnificent Pheidole morrisi
Oh, thank you very much, i overlooked that the mentioning of Pheidole morrisi was related to the picture. Now i finally get the thread above 🙂
(in my defense, i´m a foreign speaker)
umm,
I just found the picture above by randomly browsing Mr.Wild´s gallerys, there he says these are Pheidole dentata.
Sorry for the confusion!
http://www.alexanderwild.com/Ants/Taxonomic-List-of-Ant-Genera/Pheidole/8708721_63zwQf#!i=630281275&k=HReDu
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