Oviposition habitat selection for a predator refuge and food source in a mosquito

Abstract. 1. The influence of filamentous algae on oviposition habitat selection by the mosquito Anopheles pseudopunctipennis and the consequences of oviposition decisions on the diet, development, body size, and survival of offspring were examined. 2. A natural population of An. pseudopunctipennis in Chiapas, Mexico, oviposited almost exclusively in containers with filamentous algae. Algae represented 47% of the gut contents of mosquito larvae sampled from the natural population. Mosquito larvae fed on an exclusive diet of algae developed as quickly and achieved the same adult body size (wing length) as their conspecifics fed on a standard laboratory diet. 3. Multiple regression of survival of mosquito larvae on percentage surface area cover of algae (0-99%) and the density of predatory fish (zero to four fish per container) was best described by a second-order polynomial model. Increasing fish densities resulted in a reduction in mosquito survival in all algal treatments. The highest incidence of survival was observed at intermediate (66%) algal cover in all treatments.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Bond Compeán, Juan Guillermo Doctor autor 14467, Arredondo Jiménez, Juan Ignacio Doctor autor 14654, Rodríguez López, Mario Henry Doctor autor 20685, Quiroz Martínez, Humberto autor 15956, Williams, Trevor Doctor autor 5446
Format:	Texto biblioteca
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Anopheles pseudopunctipennis, Spirogyra majuscula, Cladophora glomerata, Algas filamentosas, Oviposición, Depredación, Artfrosur,
Online Access:	http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0307-6946.2005.00704.x/abstract
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