A comparative study of the female cibarial armature of New World Culex, subgenera Melanoconion, Aedinus, Anoedioporpa, Belkinomyia, Carrollia, Micraedes and Tinolestes has been made. In addition, the female cibarial armature of species representing other New World taxa, including subgenera Culex, Lutzia and Neoculex and genera Galindomyia and Deinocerites was also examined for comparative purposes. The results of this study have shown that the cibarial armature is valuable as a group and subgeneric character and may also provide an excellent diagnostic feature for separating the females of certain species in Melanoconion and Microculex. The phylogenetic importance of the cibarial armature is discussed.