Select true statement about male mosquitoes:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2: Their hypopharynx is less developed and fused with labium.

This statement is correct because it accurately describes the fundamental difference in the feeding apparatus between male and female mosquitoes, which dictates their respective diets. The hypopharynx is one of the six needle-like stylets that form the piercing bundle (the fascicle) in a mosquito's proboscis. In female mosquitoes, the hypopharynx is fully functional, acting as a salivary channel to inject anti-coagulants and saliva into the host's bloodstream to facilitate blood feeding. However, male mosquitoes do not require a blood meal for reproduction and, consequently, lack the need for piercing mouthparts. Therefore, their entire fascicle, including the hypopharynx, is highly reduced, less developed, and non-functional for piercing, often showing a simplified structure where the hypopharynx is effectively fused or bound closely with the protective outer sheath, the labium, consistent with a diet of only plant nectar and sugary fluids.

The incorrect option is 1: They are blood suckers of vertebrates.

This is the most common and significant biological inaccuracy concerning male mosquitoes. The act of blood-feeding, known as hematophagy, is performed exclusively by *female* mosquitoes. The female requires the protein and iron obtained from a blood meal to synthesize the large number of eggs she produces, a process called oogenesis. Male mosquitoes are herbivorous; they feed only on plant sap, nectar, and fruit juices, which provide enough sugar for energy and maintenance but not the nutrients needed for egg production.

The incorrect option is 3: Mandibles are needle like and are serrated broad saw shaped.

This description of the mandibular structure is accurate for the *female* mosquito, not the male. The mandibles are two of the six stylets in the female's proboscis, and their serrated, saw-like tips are specifically designed to saw and cut through the host's tough skin and tissue to facilitate the piercing action. Male mosquitoes either lack the mandibles entirely or possess only soft, greatly reduced, and non-sclerotized vestigial remnants that are incapable of performing any cutting or piercing function. This distinction is a direct reflection of the male's non-hematophagous diet.

The incorrect option is 4: Antennae of male are pilose (with few short hair).

This statement incorrectly describes the highly specialized antennae of the male mosquito. The term *pilose* (meaning sparsely covered with short, fine hairs) accurately describes the antennae of the *female* mosquito, which are generally slender and less visually noticeable. In contrast, the antennae of the *male* mosquito are distinctively **plumose**, characterized by a very bushy or feathery appearance due to long, dense whorls of hair. These elaborate plumose antennae are a vital sensory structure, allowing the male to detect and locate the female by sensing the low-frequency vibrations of her wing beats during mating swarms.