THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
The mouth-parts of the mosquito have just been described. It will be remembered that the labrum is provided with a groove. Through this the blood or other food is sucked up by means of a strong-walled pumping organ, the pharynx, situated in the head ([Fig. 70]). Just back of the pharynx is the esophagus which leads to the beginning of the stomach. Close to its posterior end the esophagus gives off three food reservoirs, two above and a single larger one below. In dissections these will often be seen to be filled with minute bubbles. The stomach reaches from the middle of the thorax to beyond the middle of the abdomen. At its posterior end are given off five long slender processes, the Malpighian tubules which are organs of excretion, acting like the kidneys of higher animals. The hindgut is that portion of the intestine from the stomach to the end of the body.
Fig. 68—Wing of Mosquito (O. lativittatus).
Fig. 69—End of mosquito wing highly magnified to show the scales on the veins.
