Unusual Life History Traits of Aedes (Stegomyia) Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) Inhabiting Nepenthes Pitchers

Abstract

Unusual life history traits of Aedes (Stegomyia) dybasi Bohart of Palau and Aedes (S.) maehleri Bohart of Yap, Micronesia, were observed in the laboratory. These species are unique in the subgenus Stegomyia in that they use pitchers of a carnivorous plant, Nepenthes mirabilis Druce, as larval habitats. Traits of Ae. dybasi were compared with two sympatric, container-breeding species, Aedes (S.) palauensis Bohart, a probable ancestor of Ae. dybasi, and Aedes (S.) hensilli Farner. Life history traits of Ae. dybasi differ distinctly from those of Ae. palauensis and Ae. hensilli in egg and adult stages as well as in the larva. The female is autogenous and lays a few but extremely large eggs that can neither resist desiccation nor postpone hatch. The latter two species take blood and produce many smaller eggs with desiccation resistance as usual in Stegomyia. Developmental time of eggs was shorter in Ae. dybasi, whereas that for larvae and pupae was longer. Ae. maehleri differs from other Stegomyia species in its early copulation, where males copulate with newly emerging females on the water surface. Females neither are autogenous nor take blood from human hands. Nepenthes pitchers that provide mosquito larvae with a unique environment could contribute to studying either converging or diverging patterns in mosquito evolution under phylogenic potential and constraints after acquisition of a new larval habitat.

Pupal productivity & nutrient reserves of Aedes mosquitoes breeding in sewage drains & other habitats of Kolkata, India: Implications for habitat expansion & vector management

“…The quality of the larval habitats determines the pupal productivity and adult features of Aedes mosquitoes 8 13 , which in turn are linked to the disease transmission potential 5 7 16 . Food resources in the larval habitats 8 9 , and competitions 5 7 among developing individuals determine the adult size and thus fitness of Aedes mosquitoes. The numerical abundance of one species of Aedes over the other varies with the quality of the larval habitats 23 24 .…”

“…Thus, the habitat type is an important parameter for successful breeding and subsequent emergence as adults. Life history traits, if adult mosquitoes are dependent on the varying levels of feeding and resource acquisition at the larval stage and thus, water and food resources of larval habitats, carry immense significance in the mosquito life cycle 9 . Hence, the choice and selectivity of oviposition habitat is a crucial factor for continuity of mosquitoes population.…”

Scanning Electron Microscopy and Molecular Characterization of Aedes albopictus (Skuse)

“…dybasi were compared with two sympatric, container-breeding species, Aedes palauensis, a probable ancestor of Ae. dybasi, and Aedes hensilli [21]. Phylogenetic tree was constructed taking those isolates which had the most similar sequences and which were ecologically relevant.…”

Comparative account of energy reserves in four co-occurring mosquito species in Kolkata, India (Diptera: Culicidae)

“…Body sizes (pupal weight, adult weight, wing length etc.) of mosquitoes are also dependent on larval feeding, so the food resources of larval habitats play a significant role in the mosquito life cycle (ARRIVILLAGA & BARRERA 2004, MOGI 2010 and mosquito abundance (BANERJEE et al 2015). For a particular mosquito species, the larger the size of an individual, the higher the content of protein, glycogen and lipid reserves at emergence, which influences the fecundity and longevity and thereby contributes to the fitness of the mosquito (NASCI 1986, TAKKEN et al 1998, BRIEGEL 2003.…”