What supports the fascicle, making mosquito bites possible?

zbeckabee

The protective sheath surrounding the fascicle (labium) provides lateral support during insertion. Results show that the lateral support of the fascicle provided by the labium is essential for successful penetration by increasing the critical buckling load by a factor of 5. http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1748-3190/3/4/046001/?rss=2.0 Nov 01 08, 10:46 PM

gdebes1

According to http://www.wordsources.info/words-mod-mosquitoesPt2.html , it is a portion of the mosquito mouth apparatus called the labella: The probosis projects directly in front of the insect. It consists of a large, scaly outer lower lip called the labium, which terminates at the tip in two hairy lobes called the labella. The labium forms a deep trough in which is concealed a smaller bundle of long tapering pale yellow feeding stylets that are collectively called the fascicle. The largest stylet is the sharply pointed labrum, which forms an inverted gutter up which the blood is drawn. Nov 01 08, 10:46 PM

edmund80

Yes, it is the labium. The labella is just the largest part of the slender fascicle, which on its own is too thin and flexible to penetrate skin. "Normally, the fascicle is wrapped in a sheath called the labium. Ramasubramanian and his colleagues have made a theoretical model to show that the labium increases the stiffness of the fascicle by a factor of five, preventing it from buckling. As a mosquito inserts the fascicle into the skin, the labium pulls back, so that only the fascicle penetrates the surface." "The labium was previously known to contain ducts that lubricate the fascicle and deliver anticoagulants into the skin, but the team’s model shows the sheath has a more structural function as well. “The labium is thought of as something that holds everything together and keeps it lubricated. But it has an important role in helping the mosquito bite.” This also has a possible application in the design of better syringes, as noted below. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/36364/title/This_bite_wont_hurt_a_bit Nov 01 08, 11:02 PM