What do all mosquito larvae require to breathe?

All mosquito larvae require surface air to breathe because they have tubes called respiratory siphons, which they extend to the surface of the water to take in oxygen. This adaptation allows them to extract the oxygen they need from the atmosphere while they are submerged in water.

Oxygen-rich water is not the primary need for larvae respiratory processes, as they do not extract oxygen from water directly. Instead, they rely on accessing air at the surface. Similarly, while they could theoretically use air from their surroundings, it’s the mechanism of reaching the surface that is critical for accessing the air required for their survival. Air pumps are not a natural aspect of their environment or their biological functionality; larvae are equipped to manage this need through their physical adaptation of reaching the water's surface.