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Hello,

we still have mosquito at -5° :) Someone could help me to identificate it? Long about 5-7 mm.

11.12.2012 - NorthEast Italy (Padua)


IMG_3494a di Marcello Consolo, su Flickr

Thanks,
Marcello

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Looks like a Culex to me.

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Thanks for the help.

Looking at the checklist (Faunaitalia) and the photo of the species, seems that only two Culex are similar:

Culex (Barraudius) modestus Ficalbi, 1889 (N, S, Si, Sa)

Culex (Culex) pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 (N, S, Si, Sa) (*)

What do you think?

Thanks again,
Marcello

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Of these two, I think it more likely to be modestus, which has the hind basitarsus shorter than the tibia. In pipiens, the basitarsus is about the same length or longer than the tibia. It sometimes can be difficult to tell, depending on the angle in the photo, but it looks like it has the shorter basitarsus to me.

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Thanks for your help, I hope one day to be able to recognize/identify some dipteran as you do it ;)

Do you think the book The European families of the Diptera could help me?

Thanks again for your help.

Regards,
Marcello

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Yes, it should be on every Dipterist's shelf. As well as excellent keys to family level, there's plenty of biological information as well.

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Yes! It's in discount till the 31/12, only €30 ;)

Bought right now!

Thanks!

Ciao,
Marcello