JAMB - Biology (2025 - No. 96)

Which of these insects has a piercing and sucking mouthpart?
mosquito
Cockroach
butterfly
moth

Explanation

Mosquitoes possess piercing-sucking mouthparts consisting of a specialized bundle called a fascicle. This bundle includes six needle-like stylets (mandibles, maxillae, labrum, and hypopharynx) that work together to pierce the skin and suck blood.

B. Cockroach: Cockroaches have biting and chewing (mandibulate) mouthparts. Their hard, toothed mandibles are used for crushing and manipulating solid food rather than piercing.

C. butterfly: Butterflies have siphoning mouthparts. They use a long, coiled tube called a proboscis to suck up exposed liquids like nectar, but they lack the sharp structures needed to pierce tissue.

D. moth: Most moths, like butterflies, have siphoning mouthparts. While rare specialized species like "fruit-piercing moths" exist, standard adult moths are classified by their siphoning mechanisms.

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