Mosquito larva. Light micrograph (LM) of a larva of an Anopheles sp. mosquito. The larva lies parallel to the water's surface. At the end of the abdomen (top) is a long breathing siphon with an end spiracle. This is in contact with the air, to take in oxygen and cause a current to flow towards the mouth, which then filters out any food particles. The Anopheles mosquito is the vector for the malaria parasite. However, the male feeds mainly on nectar, only the female drinks the blood of animals and thus transmits the parasite. Magnification: x36 when printed at 10 centimetres across.