The Mechanism of Food Distribution to Midgut or Diverticula in the Mosquito

Abstract

An examination has been made of factors involved in the despatch of sugars to the diverticulum and blood to the midgut in the mosquito. It is suggested that sense organs observed in the buccal cavity of the mosquito detect the presence of some sugars and components of blood. The resulting nervous impulse is probably transmitted via the stomatogastric nervous system to cause the contraction of sphincter muscles of the diverticula or the proventriculus. The significance of this' switching mechanism in mosquito feeding is discussed.