Mar 5
Uncharismatic Fact of the Day
In southern African-American mythology, the gallinipper is a mosquito big enough to slice clean through a man's arm. The real gallinipper isn't quite that large, but they can still pack a whollop! P. ciliata is about 20 times larger than the other members of its genus, and adult wingspans can reach up to 9 mm (0.5 in)! Although they get a bad rap for being aggressive, this species is an important part of the ecosystem, as the larvae are known to actively predate upon other mosquito eggs and young, which helps to keep their populations down.
(Image: A gallinipper mosquito (Psorophora ciliata) by Jim Brighton)
