''Psorophora ferox'' is a medium-sized mosquito native to much of North and South America. It inhabits wet woodlands, laying its eggs in temporary pools filled with rainwater. Larvae develop during summer in North America. They are aggressive feeders and give painful bites.Carpenter SJ, LaCasse, WJ. Mosquitoes of North America alifornia library reprint series edition 1974 Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: UC Press; 1955. 487 pp. Holderman C, Connelly CR. ''Psorophora ferox'' nternet Entomology & Nematology Department, University of Florida. 2015 Aug ited 2016 Aug 1 Available from: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/aquatic/Psorophora_ferox.htm The mosquito is reported to be active during both day and night.Arnett R. Notes on the distribution, habits, and habitats of some Panama Culicines (Diptera: Culicidae), (continued). Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 1949;57(4):233-51.

Description

The adult's

thorax The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the cre ...

is covered in dark scales with flecks of lighter yellowish scales. The

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the to ...

is mostly dark-scaled dorsally, and yellowish ventrally. These yellowish scales form apicolateral triangular patches. The dorsum reflects a purple color. The legs are largely dark with white scales on the last two tarsal segments. The female's wings range from around 3.7-4.0 mm. The

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...

is long and dark.

Range

''Ps. ferox'' occurs throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, south through Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Medical Significance

''Ps. ferox'' carries a number of diseases, although it is not considered a major

vector Vector most often refers to: *Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction *Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematic ...

. It is known to carry

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus is a mosquito-borne viral pathogen that causes Venezuelan equine encephalitis or encephalomyelitis (VEE). VEE can affect all equine species, such as horses, donkeys, and zebras. After infection, equines m ...

(VEE). It was found to be a minor vector of

West Nile virus West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes West Nile fever. It is a member of the family '' Flaviviridae'', from the genus '' Flavivirus'', which also contains the Zika virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus. The v ...

(WNV) in New York. Several viruses have been found in this mosquito in the Amazon, such as

Una virus ''Una virus'' is a virus species in the genus ''Alphavirus''. According to the Baltimore classification of viruses, it is a class IV virus. It has a linear single-stranded RNA genome. Una virus is an arbovirus or arthropod-borne virus, transmitt ...

and Ilheus virus. In Central and South America, the mosquito carries the larvae of ''

Dermatobia hominis The human botfly, ''Dermatobia hominis'' (Greek δέρμα, skin + βίος, life, and Latin '' hominis'', of a human), is a species of botfly whose larvae parasitise humans (in addition to a wide range of other animals, including other primates ...

'', the human bot fly, a parasite whose larvae develop inside the flesh of a mammal host.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13852267 Aedini Diptera of North America Insects described in 1819