Mounting of the Mouth Parts of the Mosquito

Mouthparts are long piercing and sucking tubular proboscis.

Labrum
The labrum forms the proboscis sheath. It is like a long gutter or a half tube, ending in a pair of white, pointed lobes, the labellae, which bears tactile hair. The labrum bears a dorsal groove, which lodges all the other mouthparts modified into 6 needle-shaped piercing stylets, all finer than hair, meant for puncturing the skin of the host.

Labium-Epipharynx
The epipharynx, which is an outgrowth from the roof of the mouth, becomes completely fused with the labrum to form the labrum-epipharynx. This compound structure makes a long, pointed, and stiff rod, which closes above the dorsal groove of the labium.

Hypopharynx
The ventral surface of the labrum-epipharynx also bears a groove, which is closed below by a long, pointed and flattened plate, like a double-edged sword, called the hypopharynx. It is traversed by a minute median channel, the salivary duct.

Mandibles and Maxillae
The paired mandibles and the first maxillae form long and needle-shaped stylets, the former ending in tiny blades and the latter in saw-like blades. A pair of long tactile maxillary pulps projects from the sides at the base of the proboscis. Only the females can suck the blood, as they possess well-developed, piercing mouthparts. In the males, the piercing organs are reduced, and the mandibles are absent, but the sucking mouthparts are well-developed so that they can suck up only plant juices.