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A CPIE Notebook Project – Keys to Aquatic Biota of Hawai‘i Page I13

 
Key to Identification of Odonates

      INSECTS  Class Hexapoda  Order Diptera


       
      134a (105) & (20) Head well-developed, sclerotized (hardened exoskeleton), with mandibles that move laterally
      ~ Suborder NEMATOCERA
      (mosquitoes, crane flies, midges)
      [135]
      134b Head sclerotized or not sclerotized, but having hooks that move vertically
      ~ Suborder BRACHYCERA
      (Flower flies)
      [180]
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      135a (134) Behind a sclerotized head are 3 enlarged thoracic segments (may appear as one segment) followed by 9 (including anal) narrower, abdominal segments; a sclerotized tube on the last abdominal segment is used for breathing at the water surface. Larva moving between water surface and depth with a jerky, wriggling motion (wrigglers) ~ Family Culicidae [136]
      135b Behind sclerotized head all segments more or less the same size; sclerotized breathing tube not present. Larvae mosquito-like, but bent into a U-shape ~ Families Dixidae and Chironomidae [181]
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Key to Family Culicidae

      136a (135) Sclerotized breathing tube at least as long as length of abdominal segments VI, VII, and VIII, and bearing several groups of bristles; sclerotization complete around anal segment (IX); a fan of yellow bristles present below anal appendages, and a patch of short, yellow spines on the lateral surface of segment VIII
      Culex quinquefasciatus
      136b Breathing tube shorter, no longer than segments VII and VIII combined; sclerotization of anal segment incomplete along ventral surface terminal bristles on anal segment not forming a fan; one or two rows of dark spines on sides of segment VIII
      Aedes spp.
      [137]
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      137a (135) (20) Breathing tube as long as segments VII and VIII, or nearly so; a comb (single row) of dark, broad-based, posteriorly-directed spines on lateral surface of abdominal segment VIII
      Aedes albopictus
      1376b Breathing tube short and stout, about as long as segment VIII; two rows of spines present on the lateral surface of VIII
      Aedes aegypti
      Also: Aedes nocturnus and Wyeomyia mitchelli Also: 3 spp. of Toxorhynchites



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    Arthropods, Insects

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