Which of these insects has a piercing and sucking mouthpart?

Answer Details

The mosquito possesses a piercing and sucking type of mouthpart. Its mouthparts are modified into a long, needle-like proboscis composed of six stylets enclosed within the labium (lower lip). The stylets include the mandibles and maxillae, which pierce the skin of the host, and the labrum-epipharynx, which forms a channel through which blood is sucked up. The hypopharynx delivers saliva containing anticoagulants into the wound. This arrangement allows the mosquito to penetrate skin and feed on blood.

The cockroach has biting and chewing mouthparts, adapted for cutting and grinding solid food. The butterfly and moth both have siphoning (sucking only) mouthparts: a long, coiled proboscis used to sip nectar from flowers. Their mouthparts are not designed for piercing; they can only access liquid that is already exposed.

In examinations, distinguish carefully between "piercing and sucking" (penetrates tissue, e.g. mosquito, tsetse fly, aphid) and "siphoning/sucking" (draws exposed liquid, e.g. butterfly, moth).