Species Identification Tables: Larvae
Click on column species names for images
Aedes
| characters | Ae aegypti | Ae albopictus | Ae vexans | Ae bahamensis | Ae fulvus pallens | Ae infirmatus | Ae sollicitans | Ae taeniorhynchus | Ae tormentor | Ae triseriatus |
| ANTENNAE | single hair near middle | single hair near saddle | hair tuft near middle | hair tuft near middle | hair tuft near middle | hair tuft near middle | hair tuft with only 2-3 branches, near middle | hair tuft near middle | single hair near middle | |
| HEAD | upper & lower hairs single | upper & lower hairs single | upper & lower hairs multiple | upper hair single, lower hair triple | upper & lower hairs single | upper & lower hairs single | upper & lower hairs single | upper & lower hairs single | upper hair single, lower hair 2 or more branches | |
| THORAX | heavy hooks on sides | weak or no hooks on side | ||||||||
| ABDOMEN | side hairs on segments III-V double or triple | many stellate hair tufts | ||||||||
| COMB SCALES | pitchfork-shaped; 7-12 in 1 row | thorn-like; in 1 row | thorn-like; 9-12 in roughly 2 rows | rounded at tip; 10-18 in 1 row | rounded at tip; 25+ in a patch | thorn-like; 15-22 in a patch | thorn-like; 11-22 in a patch | rounded at tip; 9-20 in a patch | thorn-like; 9-12 in 1 irregular curved row | thick, blunt; 8-15 in 1 uneven row |
| SIPHON | index 2.0; pecten evenly spaced | pecten evenly spaced | index 3.0-3.5; pecten teeth not evenly spaced, last tooth widely spaced | index 2.0-2.4; pecten evenly spaced | index 2.0; last pecten tooth detached; hair tuft inserted within pecten | index 2.5; pecten evenly spaced; preapical spine not longer than 1/2 length of apical pecten tooth | index 2.0-2.5; pecten evenly spaced | index <2.0; pecten evenly spaced | index 2.0; pecten evenly spaced; hair tuft inserted within pecten | index 2.5-3.0; pecten evenly spaced |
| SADDLE | not completely ringed | not completely ringed | not completely ringed | not completely ringed; spines on edge | completely ringed | completely ringed | completely ringed | completely ringed | completely ringed | not completely ringed |
| GILLS | all the same length, rounded; longer than anal segment | all the same length, rounded; longer than anal segment | all the same length, pointed; longer than anal segment | different lengths, rounded; about as long as anal segment | all the same length, pointed; longer than anal segment | all the same length, pointed; longer than anal segment | variable in length, rounded; usually shorter than anal segment | all the same length; rounded; shorter than anal segment | variable in length, pointed; longer than anal segment | different lengths; rounded, bud-like; about same length as anal segment |
Anopheles
| characters | An crucians | An quadrimaculatus | An walkeri |
| ANTENNAE | hair tuft inserts at basal 1/3 | hair tuft inserts near middle | hair tuft inserts at basal 1/3 |
| HEAD | hair #3 multi-branched; #2 simple | hair #3 multi-branched; #2 simple | hair #3 multi-branched; #2 has sparse feathering toward the tip |
| ABDOMEN (palmate hair) | reduced on segments I & II; well-developed on segments III-VII | reduced on segments I & II; well developed on III-VII | partially developed on segments I & II; well-developed on III-VII |
| ABDOMEN (hair #0 and hair #2) | #0 & #2 multi-branched & almost equal in size on segments IV & V | #0 very small, single and #2 single on segments IV & V | #0 smaller than #2, branched and #2 single on segments IV & V |
Culex
| characters | Cx biscaynensis | Cx declarator | Cx erraticus | Cx nigripalpus | Cx pilosus | Cx quinquefasciatus | Cx restuans | Cx salinarius | Cx territans |
| HEAD | upper & lower hairs have 5 or more branches | upper & lower hairs triple | upper hair short with multiple branches; lower hair single | upper & lower hairs usually have 3 branches, sometimes 4 | upper & lower hairs single; ventral side of head has ovoid gills near antennae | upper & lower hairs have 5 or more branches | upper & lower hairs have 5 or more branches; hair tuft near middle of antennae | upper hair has 3-6 branches; lower hair has 3-4 branches | upper & lower hairs single |
| ABDOMEN | many stellate hair tufts | 4th segment clear, most prominent in early instars | 4th segment clear, most prominent in early instars | 4th segment clear, most prominent in early instars | |||||
| COMB SCALES | blunt; 37-55 in a patch | blunt; many in a patch | thorn-shaped; many in an irregular single or double row | blunt; many in a patch | thorn-shaped; 8-12 in 1 irregular row | blunt; many in a patch | blunt; many in a patch | blunt; many in a patch | blunt; many in a patch |
| ANAL SEGMENT | spines on edge of saddle; lateral hair single | lateral hair single | lateral hair short, single or double | lateral hair single | lateral hair double or triple | lateral hair single | lateral hair single or double; dorsal hair double | lateral hair double | lateral hair double |
| SIPHON | index 9.2-12.2; long, needle-like; subdorsal setae present | index 5.0-6.0; pecten row slightly twisted, only 3 pairs of hair tufts | index 6.0-7.0; 5 pairs of hair tufts; subdorsal setae present | index 6.0-7.0; 4 pairs of hair tufts, 2nd & 3rd usually double or triple, distal usually single | index 3.0-4.0; distinctly upturned; 8 pairs of hair tufts; long, curved preapical spine | index 3.8-4.0; bulbous; 4 pairs of hair tufts; 2 basal tufts multi-branched | index 4.0-4.5; 4 pairs of hair tufts - 3 pairs of single hairs (one offset), apical hair has 2 or 3 branches | index 6.0-7.0; 4 pairs of hair tufts - 2 basal tufts have 3 branches | index 6.0-7.0; 4 or 5 pairs of hair tufts |
| GILLS | narrow; longer than anal segment | longer than anal segment | blunt; 0.75-1.5 times the length of the anal segment | blunt; longer than anal segment | blunt point; different lengths; longer than anal segment | blunt; longer than anal segment | blunt; longer than anal segment | blunt; longer than anal segment | blunt; as long as or longer than anal segment |
Mansonia & Coquillettidia
| characters | Ma dyari | Ma titillans | Cq perturbans |
| ANTENNAE | 2 long hairs insert near middle & reach to the end | 2 long hairs insert near middle & reach to the end | 2 short hairs insert near middle & do not reach the end |
| COMB SCALES | broad; 6-9 in 1 row | long, thorn-like; longer near siphon, shorter near anal segment; 6-8 in 1 row | thorn-like; 8-15 in 1 irregular row |
| ANAL SEGMENT | lateral hair a small tuft; 4 or 5 precratal setae | lateral hair a small tuft; 4 precratal setae | lateral hair a long tuft; 1 or 2 tiny precratal setae |
| SUBSIPHONAL HAIR | 3 or 4 long, weakly barbed branches | 2-3 long, strongly barbed branches | 3 long strongly barbed branches |
| GILLS | pointed; shorter than anal segment | pointed; shorter than anal segment | pointed; shorter than anal segment |
Psorophora
| characters | Ps ciliata | Ps columbiae | Ps ferox | Ps johnstonii |
| ANTENNAE | shorter than head | shorter than head | much longer than head; tuft near middle | about as long as head; tuft near middle |
| HEAD | quadrate; top concave | upper & lower hairs multiple | upper & lower hairs double, long | upper hair double, lower hair double or triple |
| COMB SCALES | thorn-like with strong spines; 12-16 in 1 curved row | thorn-like with strong spines; 6 in 1 curved row | thorn-like with strong spines; 6-8 in 1 curved row | thorn-like with strong spines; 5-7 in 1 curved row |
| SIPHON | index 3.0-4.0; pecten long & hairlike; a single hair beyond pecten | index 3.0; slightly bulbous; 3-6 widely spaced pecten teeth | index 4.0; strongly bulbous; 3-5 widely spaced pecten teeth; tuft tiny | index 2.5-3.0; strongly bulbous; 3-8 widely spaced pecten teeth; tuft tiny |
| ANAL SEGMENT | lateral hair has 3 or 4 branches | lateral hair double or triple | lateral hair multiple | lateral hair small, multiple; 4-6 fan-like precratal setae |
| GILLS | pointed; longer than anal segment | pointed; longer than anal segment | pointed; longer than anal segment | pointed; longer than anal segment |
Uranotaenia
| characters | Ur lowii | Ur sapphirina |
| HEAD | hair #4 shorter than head spines, multiple | hair #4 as long as head spines, double |
| THORAX | hair tuft #3 has 4-8 branches, >1/2 as long as hair #1 | hair tuft #3 has 8-10 branches, <1/2 as long as hair #1 |
| SIPHON | hair tuft inserts beyond pecten | hair tuft inserts before last pecten tooth |
Wyeomyia
| characters | Wy mitchellii | Wy vanduzeei |
| ANTENNAE | hair tuft small; 3 branches | single hair, no tuft |
| HEAD | upper hair 3 or 4 branches | upper hair single |
| SIPHON | index 4.0-5.0; many single hairs over entire siphon | index 6.0; small single or double hairs, mostly dorsal |
| ANAL SEGMENT | lateral hair single; dorsal brush has 2 unbranched hairs | lateral hair double; dorsal brush has 2 double-branched hairs |
| GILLS | blunt; 1-2 times length of saddle | rounded; 4 times length of saddle |