Awahondo

## Awahondo (pl.Awahondoz)

* **Scientific Name:***Culex cataphractus*
* **Description:**The Awahondo is an awakened  variant of the common North American house mosquito (culex pipiens). Obvious differences with its non-Awakened source animal include its size, the Awahondo is larger than the common house mosquito by an order of magnitude, and the armor plating covering its body.
In general Culex cataphractus, take on a dark coloring, ranging from orange to dark red to nearly black, and are adorned with lighter stripes on the abdomen. C. cataphractus can be distinguished by the presence of pale colored bands located on the insect's abdomen. Another distinguishing feature of the species’ appearance is its dark general coloring. C. cataphractus can also be characterized by the presence of their proboscis, or the elongated mouthpart that is used for sucking up fluids. This feature, in addition to their wings, are also black in color, matching the remainder of their body. When not in use, the wings are kept folded under movable armor plates.
* **Habitat:**The Culex genus, and a large number of other mosquito species, thrive in mostly wet, humid, and temperate climates.
* **Range:**The Awahondo can be found in North America, anywhere north of the 39th Parallel.
* **Size:**C. cataphractus averages about 46 cm (18 in) in head-to-body length and 23–25 cm (9–10 in) in height, with about 30 cm (12 in) long tails. Female are larger than males. Adult Awahondoz typically weigh between 4 and 5 kg (9 and 11 lb).
* **Diet:**Culex cataphractus diet typically consists of vertebrae blood, C.cataphrctus prefers the blood of large mammals such as elk and moose; however, they do consume human blood. At the end of the summer and the start of the fall season before it is time for them to overwinter, C. cataphractus subsist on nectar and other sugary food sources in order to store fat. Therefore, C. pipiens consume both vertebrae blood (including human blood) as well as sugar-heavy energy sources like nectar. Unlike C.pipiens in which only females feed on blood, in C.cataphractus both males and females use blood as their main food source.
* **Behavior:**There are many stages that make up C. cataphractus feeding activity. These stages are known as    activation, orientation, landing, and probing. Locating a host requires both visual and chemical cues from the environment to allow C. cataphractus to sense where the host is. They do this in part utilizing antennal fibrillae , which also play a large part in locating mates. Culex cataphractus do not hibernate during the winter, which differs from many other mosquito species. However, Culex cataphractus overwinter, meaning that they live throughout the winter season and lay eggs the following spring. During the winter season, they survive by living in areas where they are sheltered from the elements, such as basements or sheds. Some members of this species also spend the winter season living in caves. The practice of overwintering tends to vary based on location, temperature and the period of time per day an organism receives sunlight, also known as the photoperiod.
* **Awakened Qualities:**Parabiologists have isolated two Awakened abilities in C.cataphractus. Those being the powers of Flight and a sonic attack, both concentrated in the wings, which are the only part of the animal that is used as a reagent  by talismongers. The flight of C.cataphractus has been determined to be Awakened in origin as the heavily-armored body would not be able to become airborne otherwise. The wings can also rub together to produce a sound that slows or stuns potential prey, assisting C.cataphractus in making a successful attack.

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