What feature differentiates male mosquitoes from females?

• A. Males have plumose antennae.
• B. Females have plumose antennae.
• C. Males have longer feeding proboscis.
• D. Females have brighter wing scales.

Answer: (A)

Antennal structure is the telling feature here. Male mosquitoes have plumose antennae, meaning their antennae are feathery with many hair-like filaments. This special structure boosts their ability to sense wingbeat frequencies from females, helping them locate mates by sound. Females lack this plumose, highly feathery antennae, so the distinction shows up in the antennae rather than other parts.

Other suggested differences don’t reliably separate the sexes: the length of the feeding apparatus isn’t a consistent marker since both sexes have a proboscis, and males don’t feed on blood; wing-scale brightness isn’t a dependable, consistent sexual trait.