Anopheles (Anopheles gambiae) mosquito raises her abdomen high into the air - a distinctive posture for this mosquito - as she drives her proboscis into the skin of her human host to begin feeding. The anopheles can also be distinguished by its long palps that are nearly as long as its proboscis. Palps, which are sensory in function, are the long mouthpart extensions located on either side of the proboscis. This mosquito is the number one vector for malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.