Description of a new species of Toxorhynchites (Diptera: Culicidae) from Nepenthes pitchers in Cambodia

Toxorhynchites are often nicknamed "elephant mosquitoes" due to their large size and bent proboscis. These colorful mosquitoes are generally covered with iridescent and metallic-colored scales and do not require blood feeding to perform their oogenesis since females acquire all the required proteins during their larval stages. Consequently, they are not involved in the transmission of pathogens, and are not considered to be of medical importance. This genus is comprised of 89 species worldwide, including three in Cambodia. During a survey conducted in Veun Sai Siem Pang National Park and in Kirirom National Park in 2021, several larvae of Toxo-rhynchites were collected inside pitchers of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes smilesii. Upon investigation, they were proven to belong to a new species, Tx. domrey sp. nov., described in the present article. LSID: https://zoobank.org/6D09A56F-A509-4FE6-BE4B-BAB5F0CB748F.