Larval mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) feeding mechanisms: mucosubstance production for capture of fine particles.

Abstract

Directly beneath the lateral palatal brushes of larvae of Aedes triseriatus (Say) and Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say the epidermis is invaginated. Some of the epidermal cells secrete the brush of the next instar. Other cells are glandular and secrete a mucosubstance, which fills the space between the epidermis and labral cuticle. The mucosubstance is also found externally on the palatal brushes, although no connection to the glands has been discovered. The glands and mucosubstance may be homologous with those of larval Simuliidae. The mucosubstance probably captures particulate food during suspension feeding. Phylogenetic aspects of the glands are considered briefly.