Toxorhynchites, also calledelephant mosquito ormosquito eater, is agenus ofdiurnal and often relatively colorfulmosquitoes, foundworldwide between about35° north and35° south. Most species occur inforests. It includes the largest known species of mosquito, at up to 18 mm (0.71 in) in length and 24 mm (0.94 in) in wingspan.[1] It is among the many kinds of mosquito that do notconsume blood. The adults subsist oncarbohydrate-rich materials, such ashoneydew, or saps and juices from damaged plants,refuse, fruit, andnectar.[2]
Mating in mid-air, males and females synchronize their wing beats to the same frequency.[3][4] Eggs are deposited by flinging them onto water surfaces while hovering.[3] They are either white or yellow in color, with an incubation period of 40–60 hours depending on the temperature. The older the female mosquito, the less likely the eggs will be healthy.[5]
In contrast to blood-sucking species of mosquitoes, theirlarvae prey on the larvae of other mosquitoes and similarnektonic prey, makingToxorhynchites beneficial to humans.[1] Living on this protein and fat rich diet, females have no need to risk their lives sucking blood in adulthood, having already accumulated the necessary materials foroogenesis andvitellogenesis. The larvae of onejungle variety,Toxorhynchites splendens, consume larvae of other mosquito species occurring in tree crevices, particularlyAedes aegypti.
Environmental scientists have suggested thatToxorhynchites mosquitoes beintroduced to areas outside their natural range in order to fightdengue fever. This has been practiced historically, but errors have been made. For example, when intending to introduceT. splendens to new areas, scientists actually introducedT. amboinensis.[5]
^abCook, G.C.; Zumla, A (2009).Manson's Tropical Diseases (22 ed.). Saunders Elsevier. p. 1735.ISBN978-1-4160-4470-3.
^Bonnet, D. D.; Hu, S. M. K. (1951). "The Introduction of Toxorhynchites brevipalpis Theobald into the Territory of Hawaii".Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society.14 (2):237–242.hdl:10125/16231.
^Zavortink, Thomas J.; Poinar, George O. (January 2008). "Toxorhynchites (toxorhynchites) mexicanus, N. SP. (Diptera: Culicidae) from Mexican Amber: A New World Species with Old World Affinities".Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington.110 (1):116–125.doi:10.4289/0013-8797-110.1.116.S2CID85578548.
