Culiseta melanura

Culiseta melanura
Culiseta melanura, Oklahoma
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Culicidae
Genus: Culiseta
Species:
C. melanura
Binomial name
Culiseta melanura
(Coquillett, 1902)
Synonyms
  • Culex melanurus Coquillett, 1902

Culiseta melanura, the black-tailed mosquito, is a species of mosquito in the family Culicidae. It is found mainly in the eastern and central United States.

Adult female C. melanura primarily take their blood meals from birds and are responsible for transmitting the eastern equine encephalitis virus between birds. Mammals can also become infected with the virus when other genera of mosquito, such as Aedes, Coquillettidia, and Culex, take blood meals first from infected birds and then from mammals, causing transfer of the virus.